Icebox
Don't you wish that Riot would release a VALORANT map that mainly depended on how well you could aim? All those hours sunk into Aimlabs would finally translate into some wins! Well, if that sounds like paradise to you, then don't worry because Icebox is just that!
This cold, snowy map almost requires you to be a good shot. Since its release, the Icebox has been one of the most challenging sites due to the verticality of each spike site and the horizontal zip lines, which make traveling distances easier. Many players struggle with consistency on Icebox, which is due to the fact that in most games, it feels like the attackers have a hundred percent control of the tempo, while in other games, it feels like the defenders are just impenetrable.
Icebox map changes
Icebox received many changes with the release of Patch 4.04. Riot changed some of the map's corners and buildings to offer different game playstyles and strategies. Here is a breakdown of all the changes:
The door that is near the attackers’ side on the B site has been moved to the first cubby. This will change the B Long tactics both on attacking and defending.
The green lane on B Long has been widened to make the space more comfortable.
The pocket in front of the container has been extended for better angles toward B Site and Snowman.
Yellow container’s placement has been changed as seen below and a couple of crates have been added adjacent to it.
The lower container will no longer be with us as seen below. The upper container’s doorway is now wider and its position has been adjusted.
B site has been narrowed, this will allow controllers to comfortably use their utility.
The building near the defenders’ spawn has been closed off.
Plant zone on B site adjusted
The back wall in Kitchen adjusted.
Crates have been added to block the vision between the under-tube and B site.
Boiler ramp geo has been narrowed and now smokes will fully cover the area.
Cover on back A site adjusted
Head peak on attacker side pipes removed.
The doorway angle where you could see your opponent's feet is now closed.
Icebox map layout
Here is the latest Icebox map layout after all the changes:
Is Icebox back in VALORANT?
With the start of Episode 6 Act 3, Icebox was replaced by Bind on Valorant. Still, the map hasn’t been added to the active map pool.
How to play on Icebox: Tips and Tricks
Now, let’s take a look at some tips and tricks you can try on Icebox!
HOW TO DEFEND ON ICEBOX
Defense on Icebox in Valorant can be tricky when faced with a coordinated offense. We can have an easy 2-1-2 setup with two people locking down the A-site, two people looking down the B-side, and one person taking over the middle. Still, with this setup, it's honestly more about being able to help your teammates, as the B-side has very long entranceways into the site. This means one of the players on b can easily get information on approaching enemies by themselves and call for the other player leading B to come all the way over, allowing the mid player to rotate the kitchen and the A player to then come over to cover mid.
Naturally, the entire point of this setup is to play around the mid control, with one person playing in mid and one of the B players playing the underpass beneath the tube or sneaking down the tube on occasion. The defending team can operate a very effective crossfire on mid, playing around smokes while still being very safe and able to fall back to more passive angles.
HOW TO ATTACK ON ICEBOX
The default on Icebox seems to be less common than on most maps. You have two options; one is a 2-1-2 with two people going A, one person playing extremely passive on mid, and two people playing b. The second option is where you can go for a 3-2 split where you send three people mid to take complete control and enter one of the bomb sites from that angle while your teammates work the other side of that bomb site, and you pinch the enemies. With the two and two, both sides should be pressured, with the pairs playing to trade off of each other and the one-person mid planning to either cut off rotations or simply stop the enemies from rushing down mid.
The most important thing here is that the mid player gives their team time to work their angles because dying mid, especially early, separates the team, exposes them to the flank, and almost certainly loses the round, as your team is separated and has no control of the map anymore. This is because their most vulnerable position is not being taken care of properly.
TIPS FOR ICEBOX IN VALORANT
- Take advantage of the high ground If you want to dominate on Icebox, you absolutely have to take advantage of high ground. There are a TON of areas on the map that you can get on top of, and many players aren't ready to use those higher angles or aren't used to it straight up. As a result, their aim is going to be worse at those angles, and it will help give you an edge in the fights.
- Playing aggressively on defense. Now, this doesn't mean to rush in like a crazy person, but you want to try to find out what the attackers are doing by going for modest informational plays. If you don't do this, you wind up giving the attackers too much control, allowing them to easily make their way up into the field and set up their plays.
- The issue with allowing the opposing team to do this is that if the enemy team approaches too closely, it will be difficult for you to protect the site.
- Block off chokes points. Icebox is a large map, as we previously mentioned, making it challenging to distribute all of your players to attempt to defend every single position. Because of this, it will be much easier to limit the number of positions your team has to be looking at if you can block off some regions so you don't have to worry about them.
- Have a lurker if done right, having a lurker can take you to another level on Icebox. A lurker is a player that tends to split off from the pack and do their own thing. While the rest of your team makes noise in one area, the lurker tries to sneak behind enemy lines to grab flank kills. The key to being a successful lurker is communicating with your team and being patient.
Best Agents to play on Icebox
Icebox is a map that relies heavily on utility and proper execution. The icebox meta doesn't even come close to following the rules of the rest of the game and the maps that we have so far. Like every other map, Icebox has that one specific agent, which is considered better than others. One agent that we think is a must-pick while attacking Icebox is everyone's favorite healer, Sage. Icebox is designed in such a way that there are very specific parts of each bombsite that you want to focus on planting on, and Sage makes your life 100% easier while trying to plant on those parts.
Another good pick is Viper. Her wall makes the B-side pretty easy to play around on the attacker's side. Her snake bites help cut off one of the many funnels the map forces players to walk through to get to the bomb sites and her very oppressive ult spots to lock down bomb plants. Viper had a 100% pick rate at the first event of the 2023 season, VCT 2023 LOCK//IN. Killjoy had a 92.3% pick rate, being one of the most picked Agents in the competition.
Sova is still the go-to initiator in the Icebox, which should come as a surprise as the verticality makes his ultimate less effective. The lack of default and standardized plant locations makes shock dart lineups and his ultimate less effective again. However, he is hard to compete with since this drone clears out all the dangerous angles on B main and gets almost all the information on a site. Sova has seen little to no contest regarding the initiator role, as his drone and dart combo provides the most information out of any character in the game, holding an 88.4% pick rate in Sao Paulo.
Don’t forget to check out our other map guides: