Mural marks video game’s first Scottish character
A new mural has been installed in Edinburgh to celebrate the launch of a popular video game’s firstever Scottish character.
Riot Games, the developers behind popular free-to-play title Valorant, commissioned a local artist to create the piece at Quality Yard in Leith.
Since its release in 2020, the first-person shooter has established a player base of more than 14 million people monthly, with a recent Valorant esports tournament boasting a prize pool of $2.25 million [£1.8m].
Unlike other shooters, such as Counter-Strike or even Call of Duty, Valorant has built up a colourful cast of characters – or Agents – for players to choose from. Each has their own unique sense of style, personality and powers, which Riot makes sure reflects the diverse range of people who play the game.
Which is where Clove comes in. Voiced by Scottish actor Isla Campbell, Clove is a non-binary character from Edinburgh who is both loyal and rebellious. Developers leaned into Scotland’s bold and independent spirit to build their personality, as well as the capital’s penchant for ghost stories.
As Clove, players possess the ability to return from the dead after defeat, something which is depicted in the new mural.
Created by local street artist Brian McFeely, who works under the name Elph, the work stretches across four panels, each representing Clove’s journey from death to rebirth.
McFeely’s work can be found in various spots around the city and while he is no stranger to creating unique characters, this mural presented a slightly different challenge. “I had to do some research on the game because I'm quite old and I didn't know about it,” McFeely said. “Ross, who I work with, his kids actually have played it, so we got information from them.”
McFeely had “almost a big pack of references” to work from, alongside videos of gameplay which he used to help design the mural – though not all of his inspiration leapt from the screen.
Elph’s mural of Clove from Valorant will be available at Quality Yard in Leith until Tuesday, April 30.