Valorant players were caught off guard on March 25 when Tejo was suddenly removed from the game. Riot Games confirmed the change on the official VALORANT account on X, stating that the Colombian Initiator has been disabled across all modes until further notice.
The decision came after an exploit was discovered that significantly impacted gameplay. Rather than leave things unbalanced, Riot chose to act quickly and take Tejo out of rotation while a fix is being worked on.
The Exploit Behind Tejo’s Removal
The problem comes from Tejo’s Guided Salvo ability, which normally lets players fire two controllable rockets that can be steered toward a target. It’s designed for situations like post-plant pressure or clearing tight areas.
However, an exploit discovered and shared by Portuguese Valorant content creator @billyvlr on X allowed Tejo to fire three salvos instead of two. That extra rocket made a big difference. It effectively gave players around 50% more damage and area control from a single ability, which goes beyond what the game’s balance is built for.
Because of how impactful this bug was, Riot didn’t have many options. Leaving Tejo in the game would have risked unfair matches, especially in ranked and competitive play. Instead, the developers chose to disable him entirely until the issue can be properly fixed.
What Players Can Do in the Meantime
With Tejo unavailable, players will need to switch to other Initiators for now. Fortunately, there are still several strong alternatives in the role.
Agents like Breach, Fade, Gekko, and KAY/O remain fully available and can still provide solid utility for team setups and engagements. While they don’t replicate Tejo exactly, they’re more than capable of filling the gap.
When Will Tejo Return?
Riot hasn’t shared a specific return date yet. According to the official post on X, Tejo will be “out of commission for a bit,” with updates expected once a fix is ready.
Tejo, who launched on January 8, 2025, as Valorant‘s 27th agent, will likely return after the exploit is resolved and tested. When that happens, Riot is expected to include the details in the patch notes.
With VCT Stage 1 approaching, there’s extra urgency to get him back into the game soon, especially for teams that may rely on him in their strategies.
