Each FPS game will have its own terminology and language of sorts used to communicate, and Valorant is no exception. One common term used often in Valorant is economy or eco. While put simply, it refers to the credit (money) system used in gameplay to purchase weapons and abilities, the term goes beyond a simple transaction and into the realm of strategy.
What is an economy in Valorant?
Players purchase weapons and abilities at the beginning of each round, and players will need to weigh purchases against other factors. Players will need to ensure that they can purchase what they need to secure a win while ensuring they will have enough the following round should their agent be eliminated.
How does Valorant calculate Econ Score?
After each game, a player will be given an Econ Score, which is “calculated as damage dealt per 1000 creds spent, higher values signify higher efficiency.” [Source: Valorant scoreboard definition of Econ Score.] The higher that score, the better use of the creds a player has made.
What are eco rounds?
Sometimes, a callout will be made for an eco round, or players can use the buy menu button to let other players know they are saving that round. This strategy is used when the team will need to buy the following round but won’t have enough creds if they purchase too much in the current round.
Common eco strats in Valorant gameplay:
Some common eco strategies are listed, but there are many more in-depth strategies based on team comp, personal weapon preferences, which rounds have been won and lost, and more.
- Half-buy – buying half shields and pistols or lower-cost weapons.
- Force buy – when the team is essentially out of creds after buying but has just enough to match the enemy team’s firepower. This is usually employed when the round is essential to win.
- Buy 2nd round after winning pistol round – This strategy is one employed by top-tier ranks and pros. After winning the pistol round, buying a Spectre and half shields will ensure your team has more firepower than the enemy team, ensuring a second-round win. For a more in-depth look at this strategy, streamer Skuaz created a TikTok video explaining it.
How to improve personal and team eco in Valorant:
Each player can work to improve their eco in Valorant, along with their team’s overall economy. While this list is by no means exhaustive, players can use some simple strategies to improve eco and help secure more won rounds.
- Be on the lookout for dropped enemy or teammate guns on eco rounds. Upgrading from a pistol to a Spectre can be the difference between winning and losing a fight, especially if the enemy team has more firepower.
- Keep an eye on the enemy economy. Creds available to each player are shown at the beginning of each round, so you can gauge what the enemy team is most likely buying. Try to match the enemy firepower whenever possible. The definition of the Valorant Econ Score says, “Economic play is important, but spend to win.”
- At the end of a round, pick up a better gun if one is available. Someone will always communicate if they or another player dropped an Operator. Still, many players don’t realize this also applies to upgraded guns, even if the player themself won’t use that gun. If player preference is a Spectre, but the enemy team dropped a Vandal, someone on the team is bound to use the Vandal, and a Spectre is much cheaper to re-buy with creds.
Not only will learning Valorant terminology help communication with teammates, but the strategies behind each term will also translate to better gameplay, and with that, more and more wins.