Haven removed from Valorant competitive queue due to Reyna bug

Riot Games has taken decisive action by pulling Haven from Valorant’s competitive map rotation following discovery of a critical gameplay exploit. This emergency measure aims to preserve competitive integrity while developers work on a permanent solution.

Official communications from Valorant’s team confirm the map will be reinstated once comprehensive testing verifies the fix’s effectiveness.

We were made aware of an exploit on Haven and disabled it in the competitive queue while we ship a fix overnight. It’ll come back into the rotation as soon as we’re confident it’s fixed.

— VALORANT (@PlayVALORANT) July 1, 2020

Over the preceding seven days, competitive players identified a severe bug involving Reyna, the tactical shooter’s most recently introduced agent. On the C bombsite, Reyna’s Dismiss ability enables players to phase through specific platform geometry at the map’s rear section. This vulnerability transforms the vampire-themed duelist into an invisible subterranean threat.

While positioned beneath the map’s surface, Reyna can securely plant the spike without any risk of defensive intervention. This scenario essentially guarantees an uncontested round victory for her team.

Executing this exploit demands precise situational conditions: Reyna must possess the spike while approaching C site, eliminate an opponent near the left-side container cluster, then activate Dismiss to bypass elevator collision detection and achieve near-invulnerability.

Although this bug requires multiple specific circumstances to trigger, its reproducible nature and potential to disrupt match outcomes justified the temporary exclusion of Haven from current competitive play.

Development teams anticipate resolving this technical issue within a very short timeframe.

Valorant players complain about Reyna

While some competitive participants welcomed Haven’s temporary removal—citing attacker advantages from the map’s unique three-site layout—the majority redirected their focus toward Reyna’s fundamental design issues.

Social media responses to Riot’s official statement overwhelmingly advocated for disabling the problematic agent rather than eliminating an entire map from the rotation.

man you guys should’ve disabled reyna instead lol

— Exile (@xilFN) July 1, 2020

Reddit community discussions echoed these sentiments, with numerous threads petitioning developers to temporarily remove Reyna from agent selection.

Many critics highlight Reyna’s Leer ability as the primary source of frustration. Unlike conventional flash mechanics employed by other agents, Reyna’s blinding effect cannot be countered by visual avoidance techniques. Opponents facing this ability must immediately employ suppressive fire strategies while visually impaired in desperate attempts to neutralize the threat.

One experienced player observed that Reyna’s exceptionally quick flash deployment essentially guarantees elimination for affected targets. They described scenarios where Reyna utilized Brimstone’s smoke screens as tactical cover, transforming defensive utility into offensive advantage through unpredictable engagement patterns.

This situation mirrors previous community concerns regarding Raze during Valorant’s beta testing phase. While most agents feature ability kits emphasizing tactical utility and strategic positioning, Raze’s arsenal focuses predominantly on direct damage output. Combat-specialized agents like Reyna consistently attract “overpowered” accusations since other characters lack comparable pure dueling capabilities.

The Haven exploit reveals critical considerations for competitive map design and agent balancing. Understanding these mechanics helps players develop better situational awareness and counter-strategies.

Practical Prevention Strategies: Teams defending C site should prioritize controlling the left-side container area and maintain distance from potential Dismiss activation zones. Coordinated crossfires and utility placement can minimize Reyna’s exploitation opportunities.

Common Counterplay Mistakes: Many players incorrectly assume Reyna must be visibly present during spike plants. Implementing audio cue awareness and strategic positioning around common exploit locations significantly reduces vulnerability.

Advanced players should note that the exploit’s specific activation requirements—spike carrier status, elimination prerequisite, and precise positioning—create multiple intervention points for defensive teams.

The ongoing debate surrounding damage-focused agents versus utility specialists continues to shape Valorant’s meta. While agents like specialized combat classes have their place, excessive dominance in dueling scenarios can undermine strategic diversity.

This incident demonstrates Riot’s responsive approach to competitive integrity, similar to their handling of weapon balance issues detailed in our comprehensive arms guide. The development team’s quick action reflects their commitment to maintaining balanced gameplay, as explored in our tactical shooter fundamentals resource.

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