That’s a fair bit earlier than anyone expected, mind. While planned to arrive with the eventual release of Episode 2 (which would arrive at the end of Act 3), Riot have chosen to push Icebox out a little early due to overwhelming demand.
“This map was originally going to come out in Episode 2 as planned, but many of us on the project felt it was worth buckling down hard and getting it finished to release it early,” Riot developer Altombre explained on Reddit. “My role in that process as a researcher was understanding how players felt about it, and when it was clear to us how badly y’all wanted a fifth map, it was easy for us to get this schedule upheaval prioritized.” Set in and around a frigid harbour, Icebox is rather reminiscent of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s de_subzero - packed tight with claustrophobic corridors and icy exteriors. Blink, and you might even miss what looks like a zipline across the map, a nippy (if dangerous) options for getting around quickly. Riot have previously noted that additions like maps would be the exclusive domain of new Episodes, though it appears they’ve already broken that rule with Icebox. Hopefully, this means we could expect those chill hangout spots sooner rather than later. Please? Icebox will open up when Act 3 kicks off, which shouldn’t be too long after Act 2 wraps on October 13th. You may not be able to run around the freezer just yet, but it always pays to brush up with out Valorant character guide. Cheers, PCGamesN.
