On Sunday, June 26, gaming studio Riot Games announced that it would begin collecting in-game voice communications in North America starting July 13.
The gaming studio stated that it would use the data to combat disruptive behavior on the platform.
Riot Games to Monitor Voice Chat
According to Engadget, Riot Games posted a brief update on "Valorant's" official website and explained that the move is part of its effort to combat abusive behavior in the voice chats.
The gaming studio has also since updated its Privacy Notice and Terms of Service to allow recording and evaluation of in-game voice communications.
Riot Game stresses that the recordings will only be evaluated when a report for negative behavior is submitted.
The in-game monitoring will apply to "Valorant" players, but the studio plans to roll it out to other games in the future.
According to Eurogamer, the studio wants to make sure that the tool is effective first before it gets used in other games.
If in case a mistake happens, Riot Games said that they have systems that are in place to make sure that they can correct any false positives in the report.
The gaming studio adds that with the help of voice evaluation, they can "provide a way to collect clear evidence" that will verify if a player has violated any of the company's behavioral policies before taking further action.
They will also demonstrate to other players why a certain recording resulted in a penalty on the platform.
NME reported that the system would only be used to monitor North American chats that use the English language.
Riot Games did not clarify how the new policy will affect players from across the world who joins a North American party to play the game.
Diversity in 'Valorant'
Aside from the growing number of abusive players on the platform, Riot Games has also noticed a clear divide between male and female players of "Valorant."
Vera Wienken, the senior brand manager for Riot Games, said in a statement that they are pushing for "Valorant" to be a diverse community, and they want a significant portion of their competitive players to be women.
However, Wienken is aware that there is a lack of support for women participating in e-sports and going pro, and it is an obstacle that the gaming studio wants to overcome.
To reach this goal, Riot Games launched Game Changers, an acceleration program for women in e-sports. The program helps create opportunities for exposure that empower women playing "Valorant."
Wienken added that the program can help create a "true reflection" of the company's "vibrant and diverse community." She said that the program is just as important for players as for e-sports organizations looking for the next generation of talent to join their rosters.
In 2021, four major Game Changers EMEA tournaments had been produced, with 60 top teams participating in the games.
The first "Valorant" Champions Tour or VCT Game Changers EMEA Series raked in a viewership of 22,000 people, and more than 189,000 watched.
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Written by Sophie Webster
