Valorant adds crazy new weapon skins that "talk to you"

October 2022 · 3 minute read

The Valorant Protocol 781-A skins don’t just feature mechanical droids in their finishers, they also talk to players. Here’s everything you need to know about the skins coming in Episode 4, and their price.

As Valorant’s ever-expanding roster of Agents adds Filipino Duelist, Neon, to the fray, all eyes are on what this charming speed demon will bring to the game – and, most importantly, whether she’ll finally be able to match Jett.

Accompanying her is the Episode 4 Act 1 battle pass, as well as the Protocol 781-A skin line, which is steeped in lore and perfect for popping heads.

Here’s a full rundown of the new Valorant Protocol skins, which include a never-seen-before feature that’s literally insane.

Contents

The Protocol 781-A skins don’t just look fierce, they are fierce.

Valorant Protocol 781-A skins: Full details & price

Below are the full details for the Valorant Protocol skins:

Of course, as with any Ultra skins, there are custom animations, colors and, in the case of Protocol, dedicated voice lines. Yes, you read that right, the skins actually talk to you in both a male and female voice, depending on what color scheme you pick.

WeaponLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5
MeleeNew weapon modelBrand new animations and visual effects; two alternating inspect animations and attack sets depending on which pose the weapon is held inCustom male voice-over for inspect animation and various other triggers that occur in-game (approximately 60 unique VO lines); the voice-over is “visualized” in the in-game interface when the weapon talks to you
GunsNew gun model; custom ADS reticle; custom bulletsCustom muzzle flash visual effects and firing audioCustom animations and visual effects during equip, reload, and inspect; weapon “transforms” during equip, reload, and inspectFinisher and Kill BannerCustom male voice-over for inspect animation and various other triggers that occur in-game (approximately 60 unique VO lines); the voice-over is “visualized” in the in-game interface when the weapon talks to you

Valorant Protocol skins: Inspiration & lore

Channeling clear neo-futuristic warfare vibes, Senior Producer Preeti Khanolkar writes that “we wanted something dystopian that wouldn’t feel grungy or dirty.”

“We ended up with a backstory that the skins exist in another world where large cities have seen explosive growth, resulting in overcrowding and chaos, so an oppressive shadow government attempts to control the disorder.

“As a result, a law known as Protocol 781-A dictates that all government personnel are issued a weapon which provides combat assistance, monitors performance, and ensures compliance. Another way of saying this is that Protocol 781-A is an artificial intelligence program specially designed to ensure each soldier strictly adheres to mission parameters and executes their assigned function at maximum capacity.”

“After we developed the backstory for Protocol 781-A with our narrative writer, we determined that the VO [voiceover] should feel controlling, robotic (but emotionless, not a friendly robot), strict, demanding, cold, and as if there’s always an implicit threat in what it says to you,” continues Art Lead Sean Marino. “We thought it was ironic that the skin would praise a player for getting a kill by telling them that their performance was satisfactory.”

The Valorant Protocol skins will launch alongside new Agent, Neon, and the Episode 4, Act 1 battle pass on January 11.

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