“My brain gets cooked”: TenZ complains about Evori Dreamwings bundle

Valorant’s latest premium cosmetic offering, the Evori Dreamwings bundle, initially captivated the gaming community with its enchanting animal companions and mesmerizing visual effects. However, professional player Tyson “TenZ” Ngo has raised significant concerns about how these aesthetically pleasing elements might negatively impact competitive gameplay performance.

The Evori Dreamwings collection launched alongside Episode 9 on June 27th, immediately winning over players with its charming creature animations that dance across weapon surfaces. The bundle represents Riot Games’ continued push into high-end cosmetic offerings, but TenZ’s critique highlights an ongoing tension between visual appeal and functional gameplay.

This premium bundle showcases Riot’s signature attention to detail with five distinct animal-themed weapons, each featuring elaborate animations and custom sound design:

• Lunari cat for Vandal – Features a feline companion with dynamic movement patterns
• Solari mouse for Odin – Includes rodent-themed animations with unique audio cues
• Terrari rabbit for Spectre – Showcases leporine elements with hopping motion effects
• Amari bear for Ghost – Presents ursine motifs with powerful visual presence
• Evori butterfly for melee – The centerpiece weapon with fluttering wing animations and sparkling particle effects

Despite the substantial $100 price point, the gaming community has largely embraced these skins for their creative execution and charming aesthetics. The bundle represents one of Valorant’s most elaborate cosmetic releases to date, blending high-quality 3D models with intricate animation sequences.

While acknowledging the visual appeal of the Evori Dreamwings collection, TenZ expressed serious reservations about their suitability for competitive play. The professional player noted that the very elements that make the skins appealing—elaborate animations and custom sound effects—create significant cognitive load during high-stakes matches.

TenZ elaborated on the specific challenges these skins present: “The constant movement of the animal companions, combined with the unique audio signatures, creates sensory overload that can compromise focus during critical moments. This is particularly problematic when picking up weapons from eliminated opponents, as players cannot control which skins they encounter during matches.

The core issue lies in the skins’ design philosophy prioritizing aesthetic spectacle over functional clarity. For professional competitors who rely on split-second decision making and minimal visual clutter, these elements can mean the difference between victory and defeat in tightly contested rounds.

The Valorant community’s reaction to TenZ’s critique reveals a fundamental divide in how players approach cosmetic items. Some community members defended the skins’ design, arguing that Valorant’s vibrant aesthetic has always been part of its identity, while others validated the professional’s concerns by reporting similar distraction experiences.

Several players proposed practical workarounds, suggesting that TenZ could “lower the gun level” to reduce the visual and audio effects. However, this solution only partially addresses the problem, as it doesn’t eliminate the core visual elements that cause distraction.

The discussion highlights an important tension in live service games: balancing creative expression with competitive integrity. While visually stunning cosmetics drive revenue and player engagement, they must not compromise the core gameplay experience that competitive players depend on.

For players experiencing similar distraction issues with the Evori Dreamwings bundle, several strategic approaches can help mitigate the performance impact. First, consider reserving these elaborate skins for casual gameplay sessions where the stakes are lower and visual enjoyment can take priority.

Technical solutions include adjusting weapon animation levels in the settings menu, though this only reduces rather than eliminates the visual effects. More fundamentally, the community discussion has reignited calls for a client-side skin toggle option, which would allow players to disable elaborate cosmetic effects without affecting other players’ experiences.

This situation illustrates a broader challenge in competitive gaming cosmetics. Players want visually impressive items that showcase their investment and style, but professional competitors require clean visual fields for optimal performance. The ideal solution would balance both needs through customizable display options.

If you find the Evori Dreamwings skins too distracting during ranked matches, consider creating a separate loadout specifically for competitive play that uses simpler, less visually intrusive cosmetics.

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