VALORANT Act II: Patch 1.05 Introduces New Changes
The highly-anticipated VALORANT Act II is now live with Patch 1.05. This update brings exciting additions such as the 12th agent, Killjoy, along with nerfs to Raze, bug fixes, and quality-of-life improvements.
While these changes enhance the overall gaming experience for VALORANT players, the competitive adjustments highlighted in the patch notes aim to foster increased interaction among friends and elevate the level of competitiveness in the game.
VALORANT Patch 1.05: What’s New for Competitive Play?
- Act Ranks have been introduced. For more details, read our in-depth analysis.
- Competitive Act II begins as Competitive Act I concludes. If you earned a rank in Act I, you simply need to play three more games to display your rank in Act II. New players must complete five initial placement matches for accurate skill calibration.
- Competitive matchmaking now prioritizes matching solo and solo/duo players against similarly sized premade groups, even if it means slightly longer queue times. This change aims to reduce skill disparities and provide a more balanced gaming experience.
- Rank indicators have been modified on a loss to provide more clarity on how your rank has changed. You will now receive one, two, or three down arrows, indicating slight, moderate, or significant rating decrease. This change offers transparency and helps address previous issues regarding rank progression.
- Match History now displays the rank you entered a game with, allowing you to track your progress more effectively.
- You can now view your friends’ career tab, which includes their rank, Act Rank, and Match History. This feature enables you to stay connected with your friends’ gaming achievements.
- In Custom Games, the leader has the option to select the game pod location and check players’ ping to ensure optimal latency for all participants.
Highlights of VALORANT 1.05 Competitive Changes
The majority of these changes effectively address concerns raised by VALORANT players during Act I. The updated rank indicators provide more information about ranking progression, while the return of calibration matches simplifies the ranking process for returning and new players alike. Additionally, the adjustments to competitive matchmaking ensure a fairer playing field by prioritizing balanced team compositions. The enhanced friends list tab allows for better insights into your friends’ performance and skill levels. Lastly, the improved match history feature provides a clearer understanding of your rank progression over time.