Riot Games broke the internet on December 11, 2022, when it posted a wonderfully drawn graphic of Raze and Killjoy sharing a passionate kiss, a relationship that has been discussed in the Valorant community for two years.
It made it quite obvious from the start when Killjoy was added to the Agent roster in August 2020.
With the depiction of their private moment, Riot Games has immortalized the relationship between Raze and Killjoy, who appear to have met in Salvador, Brazil.
Riot Games’ nanobomb photo series was both genuine and shocking to the gaming world. After the agents landed in Salvador on the 7th of December last year, a picture of them was shared on Valorant’s social media accounts.
Fans were quick to notice this and were curious as to what was inside the box; some of them speculated that it could include a beanie designed by Raze.
Due to their flirtatious voice lines, players quickly realized that Raze and Killjoy were developing romantic feelings for one another. In one of his numerous lines, Raze asks Killjoy, “After this, you want to do some… tinkering?” After a moment, Raze says, “tinkering.” Upon hearing this, Killjoy said, “Sure, but if anything explodes again, you are telling Brim.”
Tayane Alves is Raze’s true name. She’s an engineer by trade and hails from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Since the game’s closed beta, she’s been one of the first Duelists and the VALORANT Protocol hired her as their 12th agent.
Her bomb-based abilities are awe-inspiring, with her ultimate using a rocket launcher. If she has a Killjoy on her team, you can overhear her calling her “gatinha” during the match. “gatinha” is a cute and kind nickname for “kitten” in Brazilian Portuguese.
Specifically, in Act 1 of Dimension, a battle pass called “Crossover” featured a player card for Raze and Killjoy as dual heroes. The card’s title reads, “Friendly Fire: Killjoy & Raze take on the tentacled terrors.”
Not for the first time, Riot Games has given its characters a romantic history in its games. The first openly LGBTQIA+ agents in Valorant are, however, Raze and Killjoy, aka nanobomb.
There were clues of a bond between them if you listened closely to their vocal lines, but nothing definitive.
Below are Raze’s voice lines which depict her feelings towards Killjoy in VALORANT:
- “Killjoy! Thanks for letting me borrow your Alarmbot. It’s so much better with explosions! Why did you never try that?”
- “Killjoy, gatinha, there’s no one else I’d rather fight beside, or dance with.”
- “Killjoy, after this you wanna do some tinkering?
- “Killjoy, don’t overthink it! Sometimes, you just need to hit them with explosives.”
- “Killjoy. You and me until the end.”
Below are Killjoy’s voice lines which depict her feelings towards Raze in VALORANT:
- “Raze, I found a new album you just have to hear! Maybe you could… come over after the mission? But, only if we survive!”
- “Sure, but if anything explodes again, you are telling Brim.”
- “Drive them crazy, Raze! You’re good at that.”
- “Be safe, Raze.”
- The enemy Raze’s tech is just spare parts and duct tape. It’s a wonder she hasn’t blown herself up.”
- “Sorry little mouse.”
Notably, Riot has confirmed the LGBTQIA+ relationships of numerous League of Legends champions. On the other hand, there was a major scandal caused by the developer’s revelation that localization teams blocked some content in particular countries and areas.
The narratives and lore of these characters are evolving as VALORANT does, so it’s unclear if these promotional images were a significant buildup to a much-awaited romance or a teaser for something else. Stay updated with the latest news in gaming and esports by signing up for early access to TalkEsport’s Mobile App. Follow us on Twitter and Google News to ensure you never miss the exciting updates.
