Despite being an FPS with the objective of planting or defusing a spike, Valorant has an entire hidden lore behind it often overlooked. Released in 2020, what started as Project A has evolved into maps with hidden Easter eggs hinting to lore and fun references to the real world.
Easter eggs are details in video games, usually a secret feature, that often allude to lore, but they can simply be a joke from the developers. Valorant is no exception. In the rush of swiftplay and deathmatch, or steeped in the intensity of unrated and competitive play, it is easy to miss the Easter eggs hidden in the maps.
8 Pearl: Hi Tide Comics
On Pearl - set in a mirror version of earth known as Omega earth - right next to Defender Spawn is Hi Tide Comics. Inside there is an abundance of merchandise and comics all dedicated to the Valorant heroes of Omega earth.
While on the main Alpha earth, the Valorant Protocol agents are feared by the public, in this mirrored version they are celebrated and glorified. Figurines, comic books for each agent, cardboard cut-outs and posters are all on display honoring the Valorant Legion's hero status on Omega earth.
7 Pearl: Ode To Ronaldo
If you stay on Pearl, you will find more hidden gems in this Portuguese town. On the side of Mid-Shops connecting Mid to B Main, there is a quaint sports gear shop called Onze. The name, meaning 'eleven' in Portuguese, possibly references the number of players on a football team.
On the display window, alongside other football tokens, is an inconspicuous green football jersey. Football fans may recognize the number 7 on it which harks to the Portuguese football legend, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is regarded as one of the best players of all time.
6 Lotus: Hidden Tactibears
Hidden throughout Lotus are tactibears, one of Valorant's furry mascots. Most likely as an inside joke by the developers, there are around thirty discovered ones dotted around this map. To find these tactibears, you will need to take flight using Jett, one of the five duelists.
The easiest way to spot these bears is by starting a custom match and enabling cheats. Once you are loaded into the match, under 'Cheats' on the menu, turn on infinite abilities, so you can use Jett's Updraft endlessly. Her Updraft is necessary to locate the ones hidden on elevated platforms. Some notable tactibear placements are: above the tower on C Main, on top of the skylight in B Main (pictured above), inside a waterfall on the back of C leading to Attacker Spawn.
5 Fracture: Paul Delmann
First introduced on a slide found in the Kitchen of Icebox, Paul Delmann is a mysterious, shadowy employee at Kingdom Corporation. Not much is known about Delmann, except that he worked with radianite.
Near Attacker Side Bridge on Fracture, you can find a glowing orb unlike the ult ones. Upon interacting with this, you will be shown an ID card or the Everett-Linde Facility belonging to Delmann donned in a hazmat suit. Not much is known about him, except what is revealed through these Easter eggs.
4 Pearl: Statues Of Heroes
The Garden of Heroes lies right behind the defenders as they spawn onto the map. It is an open courtyard with four grand statues surrounding a fountain of the following agents: Sage, Phoenix, Omen, and Jett. One of the announcements states the garden was constructed "in honor of the heroes who saved the city, and continue to protect the world from the threat of Alpha earth".
On Omega earth, the Valorant agents of Alpha earth are seen as a threat despite Pearl being the first instance where Alpha earth invaded its mirror version. This landmark is yet another reminder of the respect and admiration Omega earth has for Radiants unlike on Alpha earth where the tension between humans and Radiants leads to a cataclysmic war.
3 Icebox: Snowmen On The Loose
You may have noticed on Icebox the various red signs plastered on different walls indicating that no snowmen are allowed. Rather strange for a Radianite facility but at the back of B two friendly non-threatening snowmen await there, one even wearing some cool shades and another a fancy top hat.
The snowmen may seem like fun little details by the developers, but clearly they were a bigger issue for the people at the facility. On the noticeboard in the Kitchen, a sign reads "Whoever is making the snowmen, please stop!"
2 Pearl: Ruben Pontes' Home
Ruben Pontes is a recurring NPC in Valorant lore. Originally an engineer from Portugal on Omega earth, Ruben came to Alpha earth to work at the Everett-Linde Research Facility before its destruction on Fracture. The facility was a collaboration between Kingdom Corporation of Alpha earth and Kingdom Industries of Omega earth to harness radianite for energy.
On Pearl, you can find Ruben's home near B Site in Mid-Connector. At the front is a plaque which reads 'R Pontes'. What is odd are the police tapes covering the door of Ruben's home indicating there is some sort of police investigation going on regarding him.
1 Pearl: Fugitives On The Run
While working at the Everett-Linde Research Facility, Ruben Pontes became good friends with Oran McEneff, an Alpha earth engineer. Before the facility's destruction, Ruben helped Oran cross over into Omega earth illegally.
If you look near the Multiverse Museum on B, by the building's door is a pair of wanted posters for both Ruben and Oran. While Oran is described as being an alien from Alpha, Ruben is a "dangerous person" wanted for "harboring a fugitive" which explains the police tapes sectioning off his home from the public.