Can you believe it's already 2026? Time flies when you're busy defusing spikes and getting one-tapped. I was just reminiscing about the good old days of 2021 when Riot Games first let us, the players, have a real say in what came back to the shop. That's right, I'm talking about the legendary Valorant Give Back Bundle from the Year 1 anniversary. It was a game-changer, a moment where the community's voice wasn't just heard; it was weaponized (quite literally!). Back then, the voting drama was real, and the results? Let me tell you, they were spicy with a capital 'S'.
The Skin-ny on the Voting Process
So, here's the tea ☕. For the first time ever, the Valorant devs decided to let us vote on our favorite retired weapon skins. The concept was simple but brilliant: pick the four skins you miss the most, and they get a special comeback tour. The voting window was live from June 2-7, and let me tell you, the community was buzzing harder than a Judge in close quarters. It was like choosing your favorite child, but all the children were shiny, animated digital guns. The tension was palpable!
And the Winners Are... Drumroll, Please! 🥁
After what felt like an eternity (okay, it was about two weeks), Riot dropped the results on Twitter. And boy, oh boy, were there some plot twists! Here's the definitive ranking of the champions:
| Weapon Skin | Vote Percentage | My Reaction (Back Then) |
|---|---|---|
| Reaver Sheriff | 59.7% | "No cap, that thing is iconic!" 👑 |
| Ion Operator | 38.9% | "Ooh, that was a close one!" 😮 |
| Vol. 1 Spectre | 47.2% | "A classic! Respect." 👍 |
| Reaver Vandal | 35.2% | "Expected, but still fire." 🔥 |
Look at that Reaver Sheriff dominance! Almost 60% of the vote? That's not just a win; that's a statement. It's the skin you pull out when you want to style on someone. The Ion Operator victory, however, was the real nail-biter of the century. It beat the Reaver Operator by a hair's breadth—literally 0.1%! I can still feel the collective gasp from the community. Talk about a photo finish!
The Heartbreaking Runner-Ups 💔
Of course, for every winner, there's a squad of incredibly worthy skins that just missed the cut. Let's pour one out for these legends:
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Magepunk Ghost (24.1%): Steampunk swagger, gone but not forgotten.
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Reaver Operator (38.8%): So close, yet so far. That 0.1% will haunt its dreams.
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Sovereign Stinger (26.5%): The regal choice. A true gentleman's SMG.
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Prime // 2.0 Phantom (21.5%): The reliable workhorse. We'll get 'em next time, champ.
More Than Just Pixels: The "Give Back" Part
Here's the real MVP move by Riot. The bundle wasn't just about feeding our skin addiction. It had heart ❤️. From June 22 to July 8, 2021, you could buy this piece of history. And the best part? 50% of the proceeds from the individual skins and 100% from the bundle accessories went straight into Riot's Social Impact Fund. So, every purchase was a double whammy—you got a slick skin and helped support charitable causes. That's what I call a win-win. Talk about putting your Radianite where your mouth is!
A Blast from the Past in 2026
Looking back from 2026, that Give Back Bundle feels like a foundational moment. It proved the community knew what it wanted (Reaver everything, apparently) and that Riot was willing to listen. It set a precedent for future player engagement. While we now have regular Night Markets and even more wild skin lines, that first vote had a magic all its own. It was raw, unfiltered community passion. And let's be real, seeing those results drop was more suspenseful than a 1v5 clutch situation!
So, here's to the classics. The skins that started it all. Would the results be the same if we voted today in 2026? Who knows! But one thing's for sure: the legacy of that Reaver Sheriff and the razor-thin victory of the Ion Op will be legendary tales in the Valorant lore forever. GG, Riot. GG, community. That bundle was an absolute banger.