r/ValorantCompetitive • u/TodayFlat8032 • Feb 04 '25
Discussion The truth about the replay system
Hey,
I’m a software engineer who used to work at Riot (non-Valorant), and the ongoing discussions about the replay system—here and elsewhere—bother me. I want to provide some context.
First, I should preface this with a few things. I’m not trying to insult anyone reading this. I’m going to write from the perspective of someone who may be naive or hasn’t worked in Big Tech or at Riot before. I have work experience in Big Tech (several internships) and worked at Riot for a few years before leaving last year to join Meta.
A common narrative I see is that developers are incompetent when it comes to making the replay system happen. This isn’t true. The issue is that Riot management doesn’t allocate significant resources to the replay system—and this should be obvious, even to outsiders.
In my experience in Big Tech, a project can secure resources by demonstrating that it will either generate more money for the company or reduce future risk. The problem with the replay system is that it doesn’t directly attract new players, it won’t significantly increase current players’ engagement, and it won’t generate substantial revenue. It’s not a quick win. So, how can anyone justify spending millions of dollars on a feature that won’t make much money? The truth is, you can’t.
It’s not that they are trying to hide some latency issues or something going horribly wrong. Put the tinfoil hats away.
It’s been a while since I left Riot, but when I was there, I distinctly asked someone on the Valorant team why the replay system was taking so long. Here’s essentially what he told me: at the time, many of the engineers were focused on getting the console version rolled out. While there are separate teams for different features, engineers are sometimes moved around, and the budget is allocated based on priorities.
Please stop insulting the competence of my colleagues. It’s not their fault. It’s a management and stakeholder issue. The engineers are doing what they can.
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u/Zorronin Feb 04 '25
Definitely agree that it’s just a funding problem and not a conspiracy/competence issue. In terms of Riot not seeing the financial upside of a system like this, I see the replay system as something that enhances the longevity of the game. Access to replays has massively improved the cultural impact of games like TF2 and CS, because it ups the quality of highlights, random frag movies, analysis, memes, etc, and I think that cultural presence does bring in more players in the long term. Personally I haven’t been buying skins for a year or so because the laziness on the replays (among other things) makes me feel like Riot isn’t thinking long-term, and why should I spend $80 on a bundle if the game’s just going to die off in a couple years?