Riot Games Introduces Act Ranks to VALORANT

VALORANT players can expect significant competitive changes in Act II. Riot Games announced that players will be able to track their performance in each Act with a new Act Ranks and Act Rank Badge.

As we near the end of VALORANT Act I, we want to lay out our plans for the Competitive experience at the end of an Act, and discuss new features starting in Act II. Let’s talk about our next steps! https://t.co/XF2KupyqGw

— VALORANT (@VALORANT) July 27, 2020

The Act Rank Badge represents each competitive win throughout an Act and is dynamically updated as players win matches. The Act Rank also provides an insight into a player’s “proven skill” level and what rank they effectively compete in.

There will also be a soft rank reset at the end of each Act, and players will have to complete an abridged version of placement matches. Riot Games confirmed that some players will receive a lower rank than expected, but they will be able to rank up quickly if they perform well.

Act Ranks

VALORANT players will be able to track their performance through each act through their Act Rank.

Act Ranks will track a player’s “proven skill,” which is their ninth-best ranked win of the act, which shows that they can consistently win at that level. The player’s highest-ranked win will be reflected at the top of the Act Range Badge.

As a player completes ranked matches during an Act, their Act Rank Badge will fill with smaller triangles that each represents a ranked win. The player’s rank determines each triangle’s color in that match.

Riot Games Senior Producer Ian “Brighteyz” Fielding explained how the Act Rank Badge will evolve as players continue to win ranked matches:

“Wins at higher ranks visually replace your lowest wins to display the best of your Competitive games. For example, more wins at Radiant will push out our earliest wins at Bronze (very aspirational!).”

The Act Rank Badge border also changes when players complete nine, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ranked matches. Players will not receive an Act Rank Badge for Act I, but we’ll be able to earn a Badge during Act II. The Act Rank Badge earned during Act II will display on player cards during Act III Competitive matches.

Friends will also be able to inspect your Match History, rank, and Act Rank progress, starting in Act II.

End of Acts

Players can also expect a slight change to their rank at the end of each Act.

At the end of Act I, competitive data will be saved, and players will be put back into placement matches. There will only be three placement matches instead of the original five, as Riot will use your MMR from the previous Act as reference.

The new rank assigned after the placement matches will be a “conservative placement” where players will likely be able to compete. This means some players will be placed lower than they were in the previous Act, but Riot assured that performing well in early games will allow players to rank up quickly.

The Act I battle pass ends on August 4th, which means Act II is likely just around the corner.