Teasers for the 22nd agent in Valorant are in progress, but it’s unclear what their abilities will entail. We have some information on Agent 22, also known as Gekko.
Previously, a new controller agent named Harbor was added but received mixed reviews. To revitalize the game, Riot Games plans to release a new agent that will add some excitement to the gameplay.
While details on Agent 22’s abilities remain unclear, a few leaks have surfaced. Recently, John Goscicki, a Valorant developer, announced that three new agents, including SmokeDancer, will be added to the game in 2023.
WHO IS HE? WHO IS GEKKO?
Riot Games has announced plans to add both an initiator and a sentinel agent to the Valorant lineup in 2023. It is believed that Agent 22, also known as SmokeDancer, will serve as the initiator. While the ValorLeaks website initially leaked the codename in February, it was later revealed that the upcoming agent is named Gekko and not SmokeDancer. Despite this, the name still suggests a color-changing ability.
From a story perspective, Gekko is a new agent who was likely recruited by Reyna. In a group chat, Brimstone expresses his frustration with Gekko being late, but Reyna expresses trust in the new agent.
It is probable that Gekko is of Spanish origin. The initial teaser featured a message box from Brimstone, where Gekko’s name was saved as “Beard Papi.” This has led some to speculate that he may be from Spain, although it should be noted that the term “Papi” is also used affectionately by many Americans. However, considering the importance of language in all agent teasers, it seems unlikely that Riot Games would use a Spanish word for an English agent.
WHAT ARE HIS ABILITIES? ANY GUESSES?
Although Riot Games has not yet revealed Gekko’s abilities, it is possible that the new agent possesses some stealth power that allows them to gather information covertly. This would be a unique ability in Valorant as no current agent can hide in plain sight. One possibility is that Gekko may have the ability to blend into the background like Yoru, allowing them to gather intel.
The name “Gekko” suggests endless possibilities, including the potential for a smoke-blocking ability as previously speculated by ValorLeaks. While Riot Games does introduce new abilities in each category, at least one ability is typically a variant of the “skill clock” category. It is possible that blocking out enemy abilities could be part of Gekko’s kit.
WHEN CAN WE SEE HIM IN ACTION?
Although the release of Agent 22 is still about a month away, players will have the opportunity to get a preview of the agent’s abilities and gameplay during the VCT LOCK//IN event. According to reports, Gekko is scheduled to join the Valorant lineup in Episode 6, Act 3, which is expected to begin in late April.