Valorant adds crazy new weapon skins that “talk to you”
Riot GamesThe 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
Riot GamesValorant Protocol 781-A skins: Full details & price
Below are the full details for the Valorant Protocol skins:
- Bundle Cost: 9,900 VP – $119 / £ 88 (includes all gun skins, one card, one gun buddy, and one spray)
- Edition: Ultra
- Weapons: Bulldog, Phantom, Sheriff, Spectre, Melee
- Variants:
- White/Pink Variant with female voice-over
- Red/Blue Variant with male voice-over
- Green Variant with female voice-over
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.
| Weapon | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 |
| Melee | New weapon model | Brand new animations and visual effects; two alternating inspect animations and attack sets depending on which pose the weapon is held in | Custom 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 | – | – |
| Guns | New gun model; custom ADS reticle; custom bullets | Custom muzzle flash visual effects and firing audio | Custom animations and visual effects during equip, reload, and inspect; weapon “transforms” during equip, reload, and inspect | Finisher and Kill Banner | Custom 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.
