Well, here we are in 2026, and let me tell you, the meta in Valorant is a whole different beast compared to the old days. I was just reminiscing about the 2021 stats, back when Yoru was considered a ghost and Viper was more of a niche pick. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has shifted dramatically, but some of those classic underdog stories still resonate. It's like watching a high school reunion where the quiet kid is now the CEO, but the class clown is still, well, the class clown. The game has evolved, but the core question remains: which agents are the community's sweethearts, and which ones are collecting dust in the corner? Let's dive into a snapshot of the current scene, remembering the roots while looking at how far we've come.

Back then, the data from Gold 1 through Immortal painted a clear picture. Now, while the exact percentages have changed with patches, new agents, and evolving strategies, the feeling of where agents stand often has its origins in those early days. Some agents had to claw their way out of obscurity, while others have stubbornly remained... let's say, 'acquired tastes.'

The Lonely Hearts Club Band 🎸

Remember Yoru? Oh, the poor guy. In 2021, he was sitting at the bottom with a pitiful 0.78% pick rate. Everyone said he needed tweaks to shine. Well, let's just say Riot listened, but the journey was bumpy. For a long time, playing Yoru felt like trying to win a fistfight with a handful of confetti—flashy but ultimately messy. His win rate wasn't terrible, but why pick the reality-ripper when others did the job more reliably? Even now, he's a bit of a specialist pick, a true feast-or-famine agent. You either see a Yoru who breaks the game or one who breaks your mental.

Then there was Viper. Ah, the American Controller with a 1.45% pick rate but a shockingly high 59.9% win rate. Talk about an identity crisis! She was the agent you had to study for, like a final exam you could bring into a gunfight. If you didn't know your line-ups, you were basically a walking liability. Her toxic kit could be absolutely oppressive, but the learning curve was a brick wall. Fast forward, and she's had her moments in the sun after some serious love from the developers, becoming a staple on certain maps. But back then? She was the definition of high risk, high reward. Players often opted for more straightforward options, you know, the 'plug-and-play' types.

The 'Almost There' Crew 🤔

Skye and Astra were in a similar boat of being powerful but... finicky. Skye, the Australian Initiator, had a weird debut (remember the whole update rollback fiasco?) and it kinda set the tone. Her kit was a Swiss Army knife: flashes, heals, concusses, you name it. But using Trailblazer or Guiding Light often left you as vulnerable as a snail without its shell—a sitting duck, basically. Her pick rate reflected that uncertainty.

Astra, the cosmic Controller from Ghana, was the new kid on the block in early 2021. With a 2.85% pick rate but a positive win rate, she was an enigma. Her power was utterly tied to team communication. Trying to play Astra without a coordinated stack was like herding cats through a maze blindfolded. Plus, who could forget the game-breaking bug that could trap you in the Astral Form? Yikes. Players were hesitant, and honestly, who could blame them?

And then we had Breach. Oh, Breach. The Swedish Initiator with a halfway decent 3.86% pick rate but the absolute worst win rate at 43.8%. Ouch. His abilities could rock the entire map, but if your team wasn't ready to capitalize, or if the enemies just... walked away, you were left feeling pretty silly. He required insane map knowledge and timing. One misstep and his entire kit could whiff harder than a amateur golfer.

The Solid, Steady Picks ⚙️

Moving up the ladder, we hit the reliable backbone agents. Cypher, the information king from Morocco, had a 6.61% pick rate. His Spycam and Neural Theft were intelligence goldmines, but his win rate was in the negative. It felt like he could win you rounds but maybe not entire games consistently. He needed some TLC to become the Sentinel menace we know today.

Brimstone, the classic American commander, was sitting at a 7.41% pick rate after getting some nice buffs. He was the reliable dad of the team—always had smokes when you needed them, could lay down some hurt with his Orbital Strike. Not flashy, but you were always glad to have him around, even with a slightly sub-50% win rate.

The Popular Kids 🏆

Now, for the headliners. Even back in 2021, some agents were just built different.

Phoenix, the poster-boy Duelist from Britain, was right in the middle with a 7.66% pick rate and a positive win rate. He was the definition of self-sufficient. Run in, flash, get a kill, heal, repeat. He was many players' first love in the Duelist role because he didn't need babysitting.

Then we had Sova. My man Sova! With a 10.34% average pick rate and a whopping 26.5% pick rate in Immortal, he was (and honestly, often still is) the Initiator. Being a free agent helped, but let's be real, his Recon Bolt was arguably the best ability in the game. Free, wall-hacking information for the whole team? Yes, please. He was, and is, a meta staple for a reason.

And finally, sitting near the very top back then was Killjoy. The German Sentinel genius with an 11.47% pick rate. Even with buggy abilities sometimes, her utility was too good to pass up. That Alarmbot and Turret could lock down a site almost single-handedly and drive opponents absolutely nuts. She had a win rate hovering right around 50%, making her a balanced but highly effective pick.

Looking back from 2026, it's a fascinating time capsule. The data showed a game still finding its balance. The top picks (Sova, Killjoy) offered reliable, game-changing utility. The middle pack (Phoenix, Brimstone) were dependable workhorses. And the bottom tier? They were agents with high potential but glaring weaknesses or steep learning curves that the average player base wasn't ready to tackle. It set the stage for years of meta shifts, buffs, nerfs, and the rise of new fan favorites. It just goes to show, in Valorant, today's forgotten agent could be tomorrow's must-pick... with a little help from the devs and a lot of practice from us players. The more things change, the more the struggle for pick-rate relevance stays the same!