Valentine’s Day is a global festive event that is celebrated on the 14th of Feb each year. On this day, almost every business corporation, firm, or company out there takes part in this blissful occasion and celebrates it in one way or the other. And Riot Games, the developers of Valorant, is no exception to it.
Continuing with the tradition, this year, Riot Games embraced the spirit of love in Valorant with its latest “Link Up and Lock In” skin bundle, also known as the Duo Day collection bundle. This Valorant bundle is unlike any other skin bundle in the game. In that, it includes a Gun Buddy that shows if a player is single or not.
While it’s all in good fun and makes the game even more enjoyable for those looking for connections, this approach by Riot Games has inevitably highlighted a flip side by touching on a bigger issue in our society.
In a nutshell, it shows how games like Valorant have become places where people go to feel less lonely by meeting up with other players online. Therefore, in this article, we will look into the rise of Valorant as a global hotspot for e-daters, the Duo Day Bundle, and how it reflects the element of loneliness in our modern society.
How Valorant Becomes a Global Hotspot For E-Daters
Like Rome wasn’t built in a day, Valorant didn’t rise to fame instantly and subsequently became a hotspot for e-daters.
For those unaware, Valorant is a hero-shooter game that was developed by Riot Games back in 2020. While it retains the core aspects of First-Person shooters, it quickly sets itself apart with its unique blend of strategic gameplay, character-driven narratives, and of course, hero-shooter mechanics. Speaking of which, each hero in Valorant is referred to as an agent and brings a distinct set of abilities with them.
Currently, there are 25+ agents in the game, the number which is ever-increasing thanks to periodic updates from the devs. If you haven’t tried this game out yet, you can buy a Valorant account from Eldorado and check it for yourself!
Over time, Valorant has grown a lot. It’s now just as popular as big games like CS2 and Fortnite, partly because players have the freedom to change how their game looks with different customization options. This is because Riot Games keeps adding new things to Valorant, like new characters, maps, and special items called skin bundles.
These skin bundles let players show off their style, and with every special event or festival, Valorant brings out new skins to celebrate. As such, one of the newest additions is the Valorant’s Duo Day bundle, made for Valentine’s Day.
Also Read: Valorant Tips for Beginners
However, it’s not just the in-game items that draw people together. As of today, Valorant is more than just a game; it’s practically become a place where you can meet new people. In any of its online matches, you have the option to talk with your teammates and plan your strategy together, which is a great way to make new friends.
The Duo’s Day Bundle is just one example of how Riot Games is creating spaces for players to connect in meaningful ways.
What is The Valorant Duo Day Bundle
With that said, let’s cut to the chase.
The Valorant Duo Day Bundle is available in the game’s shop from February 13th to 28th. It includes fun things like Sprays and Player Cards that match, so you and a friend can show off your connection. There’s also a really cute Player Card that shows Raze and Killjoy together. But what’s getting everyone excited is the Red Panda Gun Buddy. This little item is not just cute; it’s also unique because it changes its look based on what’s happening in the game.
Riot Games has put a price of 1650 VP on this bundle. This means if you want any of these cool items, you need to buy the whole bundle. But the good news is the bundle is quite affordable, and since it won’t be around forever, you should think about getting it soon if you’re interested. In case you miss it, there’s no need to worry. You can always buy Valorant accounts from Eldorado that have this Valorant’s Duo Day bundle!
One of the coolest things in the bundle is the gun buddy. It looks like a simple cat doll at first, but it reacts when you shoot. Normally, it’s yellow and looks calm. But when you shoot, it changes to an angry face. If both you and a friend use this gun buddy, it turns pink, and the cat looks happy with hearty eyes instead of angry. This makes the gun buddy a must-have for players who love collecting game items.
Besides the gun buddy, the bundle also gives you two Sprays and Player Cards, one yellow and one pink. This means you get a lot of nice things for your game for a pretty good price of 1,650 Valorant points, which is about $20.
However, there was a little mix-up that made some players upset. The official Valorant page made a mistake and called the bundle “Log In and Link Up,” which made people think it was free. When Riot fixed the mistake and called it “Link Up and Lock In,” some players got angry because they thought they were going to get the Valentine’s Day items for free, lol.
How Is Duo Day Bundle Exploiting Loneliness in Players
Preeti Khanolkar, who leads the team making Valorant’s in-game items, shared how the Duo Day Buddy works. This accessory, which is essentially a miniature Red Panda figurine, changes its look based on whether your teammates have the same item.
For example, if you are the only one with this red panda in any Valorant match and you use your weapon, the panda looks red-hot and angry. But if another player on your team has it too, the panda smiles with hearts in its eyes, showing love.
If you ask for my opinion, I’ll say “No matter what, this accessory is very, very cute!”
Nevertheless, there’s more to this gun buddy than what meets the eye. Putting the fun part aside, this gun buddy can potentially show if someone is playing by themselves or if they are in the game with a special someone. As told above, online dating is quite common in Valorant. Where on one hand players are already using this Gun Buddy as a sign that they’re single and looking for a partner; others are using it to show that they are already in a relationship.
Whether you find it a bit strange or cute, it’s hard to ignore that this Red Panda Gun Buddy is something new. Seeing so many players using it, I can’t help but contemplate that loneliness in gamers has become a very serious issue.
Are devs deliberately exploiting loneliness in players? What do you think? Share your thoughts with us and let us know in the comments below!
If you are looking to improve your gameplay, you can choose your Valorant Rank Boosting services to get a good start on Valorant Duo Day!