Valorant patch + new skins
Valorant patch 12.06 is live and brings a meaningful nerf to new agent Waylay plus backend updates for Viper—changes that could shift the late‑season meta. Riot is also prepping the 'Jellybeam' skin bundle with Deluxe‑tier pricing for the Phantom, Spectre and Judge. (hotspawn.com) (dotesports.com) (pley.gg)
Riot published Patch 12.06 on March 31, 2026 and the official notes state Waylay’s Saturate has been changed from an INSTANT cast to an EQUIP-style cast. (playvalorant.com) Riot says the Equip change prevents instant midair or reactive deployment of Saturate, forcing an extra input and increasing risk when Waylay tries to set up kills for teammates. (playvalorant.com) Journalists report the extra input makes Saturate “less reactive” and liken the new flow to Lightspeed’s equip-then-fire pattern, a tweak expected to slow aggressive entry plays. (dotesports.com) Waylay’s competitive footprint was already visible in higher ranks and pro coverage—Tracker.gg databases showed single-digit global pick rates but sites cited her inside the top-five most-picked duelists at Ascendant+ before 12.06—Riot’s change follows her previous balance moment in Patch 11.08. (tracker.gg) (dotesports.com) Riot’s notes also describe backend tech work on Viper’s Pit to improve consistency around map geometry and to prevent cast failures in specific spots such as Haven A Tower and Icebox A Pipes. (playvalorant.com) Leaked store previews identify the Jellybeam bundle as a Deluxe-tier line including Phantom, Spectre, Judge, Shorty, and a melee knife; pricing estimates put individual guns at 1,275 VP and the full bundle around 5,100 VP. (pley.gg) (gameriv.com) Preview images and early footage show the collection’s transparent casings stuffed with animated, wiggling gummy-bear-like elements and Riot’s Chinese socials point to an April 2, 2026 store appearance if the leak timing holds. (pley.gg) (gameriv.com)
