Valorant introduces rated play along with other changes in Patch 1.02

Valorant‘s second patch since release, Patch 1.02, is bringing a rated game mode along with other changes to Riot’s new shooter. Here’s what you need to know about the game’s new update.

Valorant introduces its rated game mode

Valorant‘s rated gameplay will follow the same rules as its unrated mode. Teams will start on offense or defense and then switch sides after 12 rounds. The first team that wins 13 rounds takes the game. Players will then gain or lose rating based on the result of the game and their personal performance.

Players will have to do a series of placement matches to get an initial rating. The different ranks work the same as they did in the closed beta. However, the name of the Valorant rank is being changed to “Radiant” to avoid confusion from having the same name as the game.

Patch Notes 1.02 are here with a fresh Menu UI, surrender option, and balance for Viper, Jett, and Reyna. Competitive won't be on with the patch ship and will be coming later. Read all about it: https://t.co/VZxSAktY7t pic.twitter.com/TD7Kd0bm8t

— VALORANT (@PlayVALORANT) June 23, 2020

Balance changes

Along with competitive play, Patch 1.02 makes several balance changes to Agents, maps, and tagging. Here are the most important changes.

• Viper’s Toxic Screen will now go through walls, her Snake Bite will make enemies vulnerable so that they take more damage, and her Poison Orb will take .1 second longer to activate.
• Jett’s Ultimate, Blade Storm, will now reactivate when killing Pheonix during his ultimate.
• Reyna will now receive a Soul Orb for killing Pheonix during his ultimate.
• All four maps are receiving minor layout changes.
• Tagging (the slow from being hit by a shot) is reduced from 80% to 70% standard and from 35% to 25% when hit through a wall.
• The Bucky will now be more accurate while crouch-walking and running, and less accurate while walking.

Be sure to check out all the changes in Valorant. The patch is live today with all the updates. Remember to practice up before playing rated though, or you might end up hard stuck in Iron. Don’t worry though, there’s a surrender feature in the game too now, so you don’t have to suffer nearly as long.