The 10 most recent official updates we track, newest first, from Apr 28, 2026 to Sep 22, 2026. Hotfixes and minor updates that Riot Games posted separately are listed as their own entries.
What Riot calls its biggest patch of the year adds the Warden, a new 2900-credit scoped rifle, the Gauntlet: Glitched 2v2 ability-draft mode, and Agent Mastery progression. Competitive gets Performance Score (replacing ACS), Accolades, Rank Legacy and the ability to warm up in the Range while queueing, and Home and Lobby are merged into one hub.
This is a small patch, mostly bug fixes, ahead of the big 13.06 update. Riot starts penalizing stream sniping and instalock tools, Pick'Ems return for Champions Shanghai, and sound sprays are now only audible nearby. Riot also retimes how smokes on Astra, Brimstone, Clove, Miks and Omen dissipate, so they stop blocking flashes as they fade.
This patch starts Act 5 with a map rotation: Abyss joins the Competitive and Deathmatch queues and Breeze leaves. Riot also fixes a few Agent bugs, a freeze-and-disconnect issue with Clove, and a PC bug where transforming melee skins such as Kuronami 2.0 and Nocturnum did not transform during their inspect.
Patch 13.02 makes Phoenix's ultimate cost 7 points instead of 6 and adds Split, Corrode and Lotus to the Retake map pool. Riot also delays the AROS: Replication mode and fixes a long list of Agent bugs, plus door and ability interactions on Summit.
Patch 13.01 buffs Iso and Yoru and makes the Outlaw harder to control after its first shot, with more recovery time, spread and recoil. Riot also begins penalizing confirmed rank manipulation, launches a Discord account link on PC, and fixes many Agent and map bugs.
This patch starts Act 4 with Sentinel buffs for Cypher, Killjoy, Veto, Sage and Deadlock and shorter signature cooldowns for Initiators (60s to 50s). The new map Summit enters the Competitive rotation along with Sunset as Fracture and Pearl leave, the Retake limited-time mode arrives, the Bandit is tuned, and Ranked Rating gains are adjusted so consistent winners climb faster.
This light patch to end Act 3: Riot launches the My VALORANT Card site and fixes a batch of Agent bugs. On console, the Judge's minimum spread rises from 2.25 to 2.5, matching the change PC got in Patch 12.09.
This patch lets you watch your friends' replays from their Career page and brings back Pick'Ems for Masters London. Skirmish: Ascension now lets you pick any selectable Agent even if you have not unlocked them, two new Skirmish maps arrive, and Riot fixes several Miks bugs.
This patch nerfs Neon and every shotgun. Neon no longer gets an air speed bonus from jumping with High Gear, and her fuel only regenerates on kills while her ultimate is active; shotguns become far less accurate while moving, jumping or on ropes, the Bucky loses close-range pellet damage, and the Shorty fires slower.
Patch 12.08 introduces Skirmish: Ascension, a limited-time ranked 1v1 and 2v2 mode with its own leaderboard, and rotates the map pool so Ascent is in and Bind is out. Premier returns on PC with Stage V26A3, Knockout leaves, and Riot fixes Agent bugs, including some fixed in 12.07 that were missing from those notes.