Valorant is a strategic game requiring you to master an agent's skills, hone your game sense, and familiarize yourself with the maps. While we're always talking about who's the best or worst agents and all the how-to's of the game, it's time we discuss map layouts!

You've probably wondered why players dodge a match during agent picking. It's easy—they hate the map. And if you've been playing the game for quite some time now, you have already observed which maps are favorites and the ones that are mostly dodged.

But for the unsuspecting newbies out there—and those who share the same love for all maps equally—here are your top five most hated maps in Valorant!

What are the Most Hated Maps in Valorant?

5. Pearl

Inspired by real-life Lisbon, Portugal, Pearl is the latest map addition in Valorant's Episode 5. It has two sites and three lanes, which follows Icebox, Breeze, and Fracture for their strategically complex designs.

Though Riot labels Pearl as a "traditional map" with no dynamic elements or mechanical hooks, players have already expressed disappointment with the latest map! Partly because it's relatively new and many people feel unfamiliar, and partly because of its layout, Pearl made it into our top 5.

Generally speaking, Pearl offers two spike sites with long and short angles and a mid lane providing players more flanking opportunities. But the presence of many angles and camping spots requires familiarity and game sense, making Pearl a not-so-beginner-friendly map.

But since it's relatively new—players might just get to love this new map. Who knows?

4. Split

Next on our list is Split, Riot's ambitious take on Shinjuku, Tokyo. While some love its design, others absolutely feel it's kind of biased towards defenders.

And they're not wrong. In fact, even the developers agree. Patch 2.01 includes some tweaks and adjustments to this map, giving attackers more of a chance for a fair team fight. But that didn't really remove Split from the list of most-dodged maps.

First, entry points are limited! Defenders are given ample amounts of time to line up traps, smokes, and whatnot. The stalling time allows them to play safe until attackers decide to enter.

Additionally, while attackers can enter at one point, defenders are waiting to ambush them from three different angles! Talk about UNFAIR! No wonder Riot decided to indefinitely remove Split from the list of maps.

Let's just hope they revamp it to neutralize this bias when it comes back.

3. Icebox

Added in version 1.10, Icebox is the first map to introduce zip lines, ropes, nests, and all sorts of elevation in the game. Meant to emphasize skirmishes, aim, and adaptive play, it offers plenty of cover and verticality.

The presence of several angles gives both sides equal opportunities, but simultaneously, it makes everyone paranoid. With the presence of a vast mid-point, you could be attacked from anywhere if no one is assigned at the flank watch.

Though A site is favorable for attacking, B site's narrow passage is a bloody pathway for attackers! Moreover, it favors a limited number of agents, particularly those who enjoy verticality—Jett, Raze, or Omen. Even though Icebox was revamped in version 4, there were no significant changes to player sentiments.

2. Breeze

Breeze is Valorant’s summer paradise with vast open spaces, pyramids, a multitude of flank opportunities, and mid doors. But these features are precisely why it was the most-hated map before the release of “You Know What!”

The long spaces are giving players a hard time. Before you know it, you’ve been killed by an ant Sova from thousands of miles away. I’m kidding—it’s not that far. But you know what I’m talking about, right?

So, if you’re playing on a not-so-good PC, the lower resolution makes it hard for you to see the enemies without a scope. While Viper can somehow reduce this handicap, that's really it. What if you don’t have someone in your team capable of playing her?

1. Fracture

If there's a "Public Enemy No. 1" in Valorant maps, this would be it. Ask anyone, and they'd agree: it's arguably the worst map in Valorant. The only time players play Fracture is when they don't want to dodge another Fracture—that would end up in a penalty.

Fracture is problematic for both sides, thanks to the presence of a huge zipline in the middle. While it's understandable that Riot wants to give the attacking side all of their chances to flank, the opportunity makes the map biased towards them.

But even attackers are having a hard time on Fracture! Yes, it gives them plenty of outmaneuvering gameplays, but the execution is a different story. For most players, it's confusing and a lump of unbalanced angles. We can only hope for Riot to salvage this map soon!

That sums up our top 5 most-hated Valorant maps. What do you think?

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