Since Riot Games introduced Neon, Valorant's 19th agent, and Zeri, the new League of Legends champion, players have debated their striking similarities. Many fans speculated they might be the same character across both titles.
In response to these theories, Riot Games provided an official clarification, addressing the perceived overlaps between Neon and Zeri head-on.
Neon, Valorant's newest Duelist hailing from Manila, brings blistering speed to the roster. This young agent outpaces her teammates, slides into fights, and electrifies the tactical FPS scene that Riot has mastered.
Zeri, meanwhile, is League of Legends' latest champion—a sniper with wall-dashing mobility and a full kit now unveiled by Riot.
Riot's design process for agents and champions starts with a 'DNA' framework. As detailed in their official blog: “We design agents through a process called DNA. A re game author, n narrative author and concept a artists are assigned to an upcoming agent, and in the beginning there is only a starting seed, such as a design, storytelling, or diversity goal.”
This seed might involve adding a Radiant, a new Duelist, or exploring a fresh world region.
Both teams at Riot stated: “Listen, we’re going online. We've seen your fan theories and side-by-side comparisons of Neon and Zeri, the new League champion. And to officially set the record straight: no, they're not the same characters, no, they're not related, but they were made in tandem by the League and VALORANT teams.”
