VALORANT Patch Notes 13.08 Act 6 starts now.

The latest patch for VALORANT, marking the start of Act 6, brings a wave of changes designed to refresh the competitive landscape and enhance player experience. The most striking alteration is the rotation of the competitive map pool. Bind and the newly adjusted Corrode are now back in the rotation for both Competitive and Premier matchmaking, as well as Deathmatch. Conversely, fan-favorite Ascent and the tactical Split have been temporarily removed, signaling a strategic shift for players preparing for upcoming matches.

One of the headline features of this update is the introduction of "Map Rating." This new system aims to provide players with a deeper understanding of their performance on individual maps. Your Map Rating is calculated on a scale of 0 to 500, accompanied by a letter grade from C to S. This rating is dynamically updated, with recent matches carrying more weight than older ones. The core components of your Map Rating are your overall win rate, your win rate as an attacker, your win rate as a defender, and your Performance Score. This feature is accessible within the Career tab, Agent Select, and at the end of matches, offering a personalized metric that is visible only to the individual player. The system resets with this launch, meaning all players begin with a fresh Map Rating, encouraging a focused approach to mastering the current map pool.

Performance Score, a metric designed to better evaluate agent and role contributions beyond raw fragging power, has also seen further refinement. While initially aligning closely with Match MVP calculations, some edge cases were identified where its weighting of non-fragging elements felt slightly off. Adjustments have been made to increase the impact of damage dealt, and to fine-tune the scoring for adjusted kills and deaths, which now incorporate first bloods and first deaths. Specific adjustments have also been implemented for Chamber, aiming to more accurately reflect his utility usage and impact on the game.

The map of Corrode has been the subject of significant attention in this patch. Developers have identified and addressed issues related to defender rotations and mid-map engagements. Defender paths to both A and B sites have been adjusted to shorten rotation times, facilitating quicker retakes. The mid-section of the map has also been reworked to create more predictable engagements. The half-wall in Mid has been changed to metal and moved forward, reducing the effectiveness of spamming from the defender's side and allowing attackers more cover to advance towards A Link. Additionally, cover in Lower Mid has been repositioned and a jump-up added, altering the angles and flow of combat in this crucial area. The plant zone on A Site has also been tweaked to make post-plant scenarios from A Link less advantageous for attackers.

Beyond the core gameplay and map changes, the update also touches upon the game's infrastructure and community management. The developers have reiterated their commitment to combating cheaters and disruptive behavior, sharing statistics from the previous Act. Over 171,000 cheaters, 54,000 botters, and tens of thousands of players for rank manipulation, toxicity, AFK offenses, and exploiting tools like stream sniping were banned in Act 5. This transparency aims to reassure players that their reports are being acted upon and that the development team is actively working to maintain a fair and enjoyable environment. Player feedback through in-game reporting is highlighted as a crucial element in improving detection methods.

Client-side updates include a new interface for selecting game modes, both for matchmaking and custom games, streamlining the process for players. The Career tab has also received a navigation bar to improve access to features like Rank Legacy, Accolades, and the new Map Rating. Bug fixes are also present, addressing issues such as incorrect accolade thresholds, missing footstep and bodyfall audio in certain conditions, and a specific reticle misalignment for the Warden during full-auto fire.

Looking ahead, players will need to adapt to the new map pool, focusing their practice on Bind and Corrode. The Map Rating system provides a valuable tool for self-improvement, allowing players to identify their strengths and weaknesses on each map. The adjustments to Corrode are likely to change the meta on that map, potentially leading to new strategies and agent compositions becoming dominant. The ongoing efforts to combat cheating and toxicity suggest a continued focus on maintaining a healthy player base. Players should also keep an eye out for further refinements to the Performance Score system and potential fixes for known issues, such as the visual bug with Team MVP in Match History and the re-enablement of the Practice Range queue.