Valorant’s original character art shows the game’s origins

While Valorant’s diverse cast of agents feels perfectly crafted today, their journey from initial concept to final design reveals dramatic transformations that would surprise most players. The characters we now know intimately underwent extensive revisions that transformed their appearances, backstories, and even core identities.

Game development represents an iterative creative process where concepts evolve through testing and refinement. Riot Games approached Valorant’s character development with this philosophy, building upon established tactical shooter foundations while creating truly unique personalities. These agents serve as the game’s emotional core and strategic foundation, undergoing numerous revisions before reaching their polished summer 2020 release versions.

Some of Valorant’s characters changed dramatically during development

Recently uncovered development files from Valorant’s alpha build phase reveal fascinating insights into character evolution. These assets originate from early development stages when core gameplay mechanics were already established but character identities remained fluid. The differences between these early versions and final releases demonstrate Riot’s commitment to perfecting each agent’s visual identity and gameplay role.

The strategic delay in releasing Killjoy and Reyna post-launch demonstrates Riot’s understanding of player learning curves. Both agents feature complex ability kits that could overwhelm new players, making their phased introduction a calculated design decision that benefited the overall player experience.

What were Valorant’s agent codenames during its development?

Several foundational agents maintained remarkably consistent visual identities throughout development while sporting intriguing internal codenames. Cypher, Viper, Brimstone, Omen, Jett, and Sage all closely resemble their final versions in early concept art, though their development names tell different stories about their original concepts.

Viper’s unsettling codename “Pandemic” reflected a darker initial concept, while Jett and Omen continue to be referenced in game files as “Wushu” and “Wraith” respectively. These names align well with their established lore and ability sets in the final game.

The artistic direction in these preliminary concepts leaned toward realism compared to Valorant’s final stylized aesthetic. Despite this stylistic shift, Jett and Omen’s core visual designs remained largely consistent from these early stages through final implementation.

Sage and Cypher presented interesting naming contradictions despite their visual consistency. While their final appearances closely match early concepts, both operated under completely different identities during development.

The surveillance expert Cypher originally carried the detective-inspired name “Gumshoe,” while Valorant’s dedicated healer Sage was known internally as “Thorne”—a name that suggests a more aggressive original concept for the character.

Riot bulked up Sova and Phoenix before Valorant release

Sova and Phoenix underwent significant physical development before Valorant’s debut, with early concept art revealing noticeably slimmer character models. Both agents received visual enhancements that gave them more imposing physical presences, better aligning with their roles as formidable combatants.

Phoenix maintained his fiery identity throughout the development cycle according to game files, while Sova operated under the straightforward codename “Hunter” during internal development—a name that perfectly captures his tracking and reconnaissance capabilities.

These physical transformations demonstrate Riot’s attention to character presence and visual storytelling. The bulkier final models better communicate each agent’s combat proficiency and help players quickly identify character roles during intense matches.

What were Valorant’s biggest agent changes before release?

Breach, Killjoy, Reyna, and Raze experienced the most radical transformations between initial concepts and final releases. Breach’s early design featured a more intimidating appearance complete with facial obscuring headgear. Killjoy’s transformation included losing her signature yellow color scheme and receiving completely redesigned facial features that better communicated her technical genius personality.

Raze and Reyna underwent comprehensive reinventions that extended to their core identities and backgrounds. During development, Raze operated under the codename “Clay” while Reyna’s vampiric healing abilities earned her the appropriate internal name “Vampire.”

Both characters received significant ethnic and geographical reassignments during development. Reyna eventually established Mexican heritage while Raze found her home in Brazil—changes that enhanced cultural representation within the Valorant universe.

Raze’s complete thematic overhaul moved away from purple color schemes toward the explosive, graffiti-artist identity players now recognize. These transformations demonstrate how character concepts can evolve dramatically to better serve gameplay needs and narrative cohesion.

Valorant’s character development process offers valuable insights for game designers and enthusiasts alike. The strategic staggering of agent releases, particularly for complex characters like Killjoy and Reyna, demonstrates sophisticated understanding of player onboarding and skill development curves.

The preservation of original codenames within game files provides fascinating glimpses into the development pipeline and how character concepts evolved over time. This transparency creates opportunities for dedicated players to uncover development history and appreciate the iterative creative process.

While Valorant’s lore continues to develop with upcoming seasonal content like rumored snowball game modes, these early concept artworks stand as testament to the transformative nature of game development—where initial concepts often undergo significant refinement before reaching their final forms.

Understanding these transformations helps players appreciate the careful balancing act between character identity, gameplay functionality, and visual design that defines successful hero-based games. For those looking to master similar class-based gameplay systems, these development insights provide valuable perspective on character design philosophy.

No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Valorant’s original character art shows the game’s origins Discover how Valorant's agents evolved from early concepts to final designs with revealing codenames and major visual changes