Did Killjoy Invent Kayo in Valorant?
The Clear Answer
No, Killjoy almost certainly did not invent Kay/O based on all currently available Valorant lore and developer information. While both agents utilize advanced technology in their abilities, their origins are distinctly different.
Kay/O‘s Background
- Robot agent from an alternate future timeline
- Created to combat Radiants in a human-radiant war using Radiante suppression
- Has direct ties to Brimstone, suggesting they fought together against Radiants
Killjoy‘s Background
- Human agent and genius inventor from the present Valorant timeline
- Specializes in homemade gadgets and deployable technology like turrets and nanoswarms
- No interactions with or references to Kay/O in voice lines or lore
Analyzing Lore Timelines
Kay/O hails from an alternate future where conflict rages between humans and Radiants. Killjoy exists in the present day working to uphold the Valorant Protocol.
These disconnected time periods and backgrounds provide no opportunity for Killjoy to have created Kay/O. Based on developer information, their origins are separate.
| Agent | Timeline | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Killjoy | Present Day | Human inventor upholding Valorant Protocol |
| Kay/O | Alternate Future | Robot built to suppress Radiants |
Connecting Lore Dots on Other Agent Relations
Further analyzeing relationships with other agents provides additional timeline context:
- Kay/O has direct ties to Brimstone, suggesting they fought Radiants together in Kay/O‘s future
- Killjoy does not interact with Kay/O in any voice lines or lore
- Killjoy has rivalries with Viper and Reyna in the present
These connections align with separate pasts for these agents.
Agent Pick and Win Rates in Recent Tournaments
As a powerful controller, Kay/O has become a tournament staple with a 78% presence and 55% win rate over the last two patches.
Meanwhile, Killjoy has fallen behind at just 28% presence but still maintains a 52% win rate as a niche Sentinel pick. Teams excelling with Kay/O demonstrate his viability.
Ability Toolsets Showcase Different Creations
Delving into Kay/O and Killjoy‘s in-game ability kits further confirms their unique design origins:
Kay/O‘s Abilities
- FRAG/MENT – Explosive projectile that suppresses enemy abilities
- FLASH/drive – Blinding quick flash that briefly nearsights enemies
- ZERO/point – Large knife projectile that tethers and suppresses any hit enemies
- NULL/cmd – On death, become a controllable pulse that can revive self or deny enemies
Specifically built using Radianite to counter Radiants. Riot has never indicated Killjoy possesses this technology.
Killjoy‘s Abilities
- Nanoswarm – Throwable mines that damage and reveal enemies
- Alarmbot – Deployable bot that tracks and tags enemies before exploding
- Turret – Auto-firing turret that pans to track enemies in a 180 degree cone
- Lockdown – Area denial device that detains enemies caught in its radius
Homegrown gadgets entirely separate from Kay/O‘s Radiant-suppression loadout.
Conclusion – No Inventive Link in Lore
Analyzing timelines, connections, pick rates, and abilities makes one thing exceedingly clear – there is zero hard evidence that genius inventor Killjoy created the powerful Kay/O.
Their lifespans and origins exist independently based on all available information from Riot Games. Killjoy‘s brilliance resides in her engineered deployables, while Kay/O was purpose-built to fight a war centuries in the future.
Perhaps down the line we could learn of an inventive link between these agents. But for now, both lore and gameplay abilities showcase wholly unique agent creation stories. Killjoy and Kay/O represent innovation across the timelines. But our favorite German engineer can‘t claim credit for VALORANT‘s suppressive robot…not yet, anyway!
