Blog

Valorant, the popular tactical shooter game, has been facing issues with players going AFK (away from keyboard) during matches, causing frustration for their teammates. In a recent incident in my game, a player loaded into a match and was AFK in spawn during the first round. They disconnected and reconnected as soon as the second round started, but proceeded to either hold down random inputs or run a script that made them move straight ahead and randomly switch between their pistol and knife. The player never bought weapons, fired a single shot, or contributed to the game in any meaningful way.

Why is this such a big problem?

The problem with this situation is that the current system in Valorant does not detect such behavior as being AFK. As a result, the team with the AFK player is unable to initiate a comeback, which would allow them to end the match early without penalty. Furthermore, surrendering the game requires all five players to vote yes, making it impossible for the affected team to end the match prematurely.Upon searching the account of the AFK player on a tracking website, it was discovered that they had only played two competitive games and had a single kill with over 40 deaths, indicating that this was not an isolated incident.If you tend to get teammates like these and lose SR, get help from Duo Carry services to get your rank back fast and stress free.

What's the solution?

To address this issue, several solutions have been proposed by the Valorant community. One suggestion is to implement a vote kick system, which would allow players to remove an AFK teammate from the game. However, this system should be designed in a way that prevents parties from abusing it.Another solution is to improve the existing AFK detection and remake system. The game should be able to detect basic input patterns, such as holding down the "W" key to move forward continuously, and mark the player as AFK accordingly. Additionally, the remake system should be more lenient, requiring only two votes instead of the current five, or even triggering automatically when an AFK player is detected.Some players have suggested allowing remakes at different stages of the game, such as during the second round of each half. However, this idea has been met with criticism, as it could potentially waste everyone's time if a remake is triggered after several rounds have already been played. It could also be exploited by teams with an AFK player, who might play the game to see if they can win and then initiate a remake if they are losing.Implementing a more robust AFK detection system is not a simple task, as determined AFK players could find ways to circumvent it by using more sophisticated scripts. One approach could be to create invisible areas around each player's spawn location and mark them as AFK if they fail to leave that area for one or two rounds. However, this solution is not foolproof, as trolls might find ways to avoid being detected.Ultimately, improving the AFK detection and remake system in Valorant is a complex challenge that requires careful consideration and testing. While no solution is perfect, it is clear that the current system is inadequate and needs to be addressed to ensure a better gaming experience for all players. The development team at Riot Games should prioritize finding a solution that effectively detects and punishes AFK behavior while minimizing the potential for abuse.