The fan-favorite map has finally been added back into the competitive queue.
VALORANT fans went up in arms when Riot Games removed Split from the Competitive Map pool in June 2022. Since then, the VALORANT team has been firm in maintaining a 7-map pool – a number the devs believe provides a good mix of variety and the ability to master each map in the game.
While other players were probably okay with the map’s removal, others begged the devs to add the classic map back into the Competitive map pool as soon as possible. But, as you will read about later below, the devs had some important tweaks with Split to make Attacking and Defending on the map fairer for both sides.
We have outlined all the changes introduced to Split in Patch 6.0 in this guide.
What’s New On Split?
Split was undeniably a Defender-sided map before the changes introduced in the current Patch 6.0. Split’s narrow entryways funnel the Attacking team toward predictable choke points where the Defending team can spam weapons and abilities as the Attacking team pushes into the bomb sites.
As if site entry was not difficult enough already, Split also featured multiple cubbies and hard corners that the Attacking team needed to clear to ensure the bombsite was secure, giving the entire Attacking side an extra difficult time on the map.
These issues have all been fixed, as Split now features wider lanes at A-main and smoothed-out hard corners to make site entry and corner clearing much easier.
A-site
Most of the changes made to Split’s A-site were focused on the A-Main/A-Lobby area. The spot is now much wider than it used to be, and the devs have added a small ledge for some added height variation.
Another change the devs made was to the A-Main box boost area. The box’s size has been reduced, which added a small corner that the attacking team could use for cover or peek toward A-site.
The under-over area at A-Rafter has also been removed and is now just a wide cubby, making corner-clearing upon site entry much more manageable for the Attacking team.
The final change in A-site can be seen in A-Tower, where the Defending team had a slight advantage due to the height difference between A-Ramps and the back section of A-Tower.
Middle
Changes to Split’s Middle were directed towards the awkward platform and box combo that the Attacking team can barely use when taking Middle control.
The area has now been simplified and allows a silent drop from the Mid platform.
B-site
Like Middle, changes to B-site have been minor, yet significant, especially for the Attacking side.
The devs removed the trash bin behind the B-Tower box, making it impossible for the Defending team to jump up and peek toward B-Mail. On the other hand, the hard corner at B-Rope has been smoothed out and replaced with an angled wall to reduce the number of angles the Attacking team needs to clear when entering B-site.
Split is Back, Baby!
The saying “You never know what you have until it’s gone” cannot be any more true for Split. Fans of the map (and Raze fans) have been praying for their favorite Shinjuku-inspired map to make it back to the VALORANT’s Competitive Queue. And while it took more than six months for their wishes to come true, players can now enjoy a more balanced gameplay for both Attacking or Defending on Split with the changes introduced to the fan-favorite map in Patch 6.0.
