Riot Games dropped patch 11.07b as a surprise update yesterday, introducing one of the boldest additions in recent memory: a new agent Veto, and a fresh Skirmish mode, according to the VALORANT patch notes. With these features, plus balance touches and bug fixes, the 11.07b patch pushes VALORANT into new experimental territory.
Veto Joins the Agent Roster
The headline of the update is the arrival of Veto. A Senegalese enforcer with a mutation-based kit, Veto brings unique utility that can disable opponents’ tech, creating opportunities for gunplay to take center stage. His signature abilities include Chokehold, which places a fragment that traps enemies, causing them to be Deafened and Decayed, and which can be destroyed before activating, Crosscut, a teleporting vortex that allows repositioning, Interceptor, which nullifies bounce effects or utility that would bounce off players or be destroyed by gunfire, and Evolution, his ultimate which grants a full mutation: combat stim, regeneration, and immunity to debuffs.
It’s important to note that Veto is initially disabled in TDM (Team Deathmatch) due to a bug; he will be enabled in that mode in the upcoming patch 11.08.
Skirmish Mode in 11.07b: Fast, Weapon-First Action
Alongside Veto, Riot launched Skirmish, a streamlined combat mode accessible through Custom Games. Designed for speed, repetition, and pure firepower, Skirmish removes many of the traditional VALORANT mechanics — no economy system, no default abilities (unless enabled via cheat menu), and no round timer. Instead, matches are played to first to 10 wins, with unlimited time per round and flexible team sizes (from 1v1 up to 5v5).
Skirmish supports three small-map layouts (Skirmish A, B, and C), each tailored for different combat styles. The idea is clear: fast engagements, raw aim duels, and minimal downtime between rounds. Riot emphasized that this mode was dropped on Day 1 of the VALORANT Champions Finals as a surprise, and is meant to be a testing ground for new designs and pure FPS feeling.
Known Issues & Minor Details in Latest VALORANT Patch
Even with the big additions, Riot flagged a few issues for players to watch. The Agent Info tab currently shows Veto’s Interceptor as costing 100 credits, though in truth it is free. This discrepancy will be fixed in patch 11.08. Also, while Veto’s kit is active across most modes, his presence in TDM is paused until the bug preventing him from functioning correctly there is resolved.
Patch 11.07b underscores Riot’s willingness to shake up the status quo. Introducing an agent whose core identity is to neutralize ability play, and a mode that strips down the engine to gunfights alone, is a bold move. Skirmish will likely serve as a testbed — for aim, layout balance, and experimental pacing — while Veto could influence how maps and balance are approached going forward.
Riot is also planning a significant overhaul to the game that will change how a lot of agents and abilities work and can significantly alter the game compared to its current state. Further updates are yet to come from Riot’s side, but speculation suggests that this will deal with ability cooldowns for agents and have other changes incorporated, though details are still vague.
