Valorant releases first nonbinary agent

MANILA, Philippines – Riot Games has unveiled its newest agent for first-person shooting game Valorant — Scottish troublemaker Clove.

Revealed during the grand finals of Valorant Masters Madrid, Clove is the game's first nonbinary agent and is described by game developers as a young immortal that causes "mischief for enemies in both the heat of combat and the heat of death".

"Authenticity remains one of our foremost pillars when it comes to Agent development. With Clove, narrative did preliminary research into Scotland and Scottish culture to find the touchpoints that matched our overall creative goals for the character and kit," said senior narrative writer Ryan Clements.

Speaking on Clove's gender identity, agents lead for Valorant John Goscicki said the team has always had a goal to represent everyone from their vast player base, and not just in location and culture.

"When creating an agent, we strive to authentically represent a cast of diverse characters that reflect our global player base. This extends beyond just location and culture — Clove’s gender identity, along with their personality and unique gameplay style, is an equally important facet that has helped shape who they are as a Valorant agent," said Goscicki.

Below are details of Clove's abilities:

Ruse – Clove's E ability that opens up the map and allows players to set Clove's clouds that block vision in the chosen areas. The ability can be recharged and used even after death.

Meddle – Clove's Q ability throws fragments that upon eruption will temporarily decay opponents caught in its area of effect.

Pick Me Up – Clove's C ability lets them absorb the life force of fallen enemies, giving Clove temporary health and gaining haste.

Not Dead Yet – Cloe's Ultimate is unique as it is triggered upon death. After dying, Clove is resurrected and must earn a kill within a set time or they will die.

"Optimal Clove gameplay is about playing with fire — you need to take risks and trade your own life for the greater good to remove enemy utility from the round by killing opponents to have success. They’re unlike other controllers in that their raw execute utility should be weaker on average, but their ability to contribute post-death means that you should almost always fight to the death rather than cower from your opponents. Sometimes it’s correct for Clove to run in and die as long as they’re traded by an ally - 1 for 1s are advantageous for them if their life is traded for a non-Clove opponent! You have to be willing to die for the squad to play Clove," said agent gameplay designer Dan Hardison.

Clove is now playable as they were released along with the game's 8.05 patch.