VALORANT Patch 11.09: smurfing crackdown and improved gameplay interactions

VALORANT Patch 11.09 has rolled out, and this one focuses on mainly on gameplay changes and quality-of-life improvements, across both PC and console.

Competitive Updates: Multi-Factor Authentication Required

Patch 11.09 introduces strict measures against account sharing and boosting. Players flagged for shared accounts in North America, LATAM, Brazil, and Korea must now enable Riot Mobile’s multi-factor authentication (MFA) to queue for Competitive mode. Other game modes remain accessible without this requirement.

This move directly targets smurfing and boosting by adding an additional verification step, ensuring that only legitimate account owners participate in ranked play. Also remember to report suspicious smurfing activities under “Rank Manipulation,” contributing to improved detection accuracy. For higher-ranked players (Ascendant and above), MFA will soon become mandatory.

Gameplay Systems Updates: Smarter Interactions

The standout gameplay improvement in this patch lies in interactive object behavior. Riot refined how players engage with world elements such as ropes, ziplines, switches, and ultimate orbs to reduce frustration and improve control.

Key gameplay updates include:

• Interactive Object Highlighting: All world interactions now use a uniform green highlight to provide consistent visibility across maps.
• Interactive Object Prioritization: When multiple interactions are possible, the game will now prioritize your crosshair’s highlighted action. For example, if you’re caught in a Deadlock GravNet near a rope, you can now reliably choose what to interact with first.

Bug Fixes: Smoother Visuals and Agent Consistency

Patch 11.09 also delivers widespread bug fixes across maps like Pearl, Breeze, Abyss, and Corrode, addressing collision and utility exploits. Nearly every agent receives minor corrections – ranging from Astra’s audio bugs to visual inconsistencies for Veto, Viper, and Vyse.

Click HERE to read all the bug fixes.

While small, the patch’s defining focus remains clear: reducing smurfing abuse and polishing gameplay systems for a more consistent player experience.

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Featured Image Source: Riot Games