VALORANT Competitive Mode has finally arrived a few weeks after the game has officially left its beta period. The VALORANT 1.02 Update patch notes are here, and it breaks down the basics of the new Ranked Mode along with an all-new name for the top rank.
Ranked play was available in limited form throughout the beta. Riot Games has finally decided that it's ready for primetime and it's managed to put the finishing touches on Competitive Mode in a brand-new patch.
There aren't any super huge changes to VALORANT Competitive Mode; largely, it's going to play exactly as it did in the beta. New iconography will represent each of the ranks as you climb the ladder, replacing the previous rank designs. You'll also have a larger skill disparity range when you're doing your placement matches with friends; this should make things a little more flexible when playing with people of different skill levels.
The handful of changes coming to Competitive Mode are certainly nice, but they're far from the only things that are being fixed in this latest patch: they're finally doing away with that whole "Valorant" rank silliness.
What is the Top Rank in VALORANT Competitive Mode?
One big question that might be on player's minds is this: what is the name of the top rank in VALORANT?
Previously, Riot Game had made the rather silly decision to name the top rank "Valorant". That made communicating your skills a little difficult; it seemed strange to say "I'm a Valorant VALORANT player" instead of "I'm a Grand Master VALORANT player" or something like that.
Now, that's all been fixed: the new name for the ultimate rank in VALORANT is "Radiant." Gone are the days of confusion!
What Else is New in the VALORANT 1.02 Update Patch Notes?
Of course, the addition of VALORANT Competitive Mode isn't everything that's arrived in this patch!
One of the most significant changes in this update is a pretty serious UI overhaul. All main sections now have a back button; alternatively, you can also press Escape to head back to the Home screen. This back button has also been applied to all "details" views (gun details, player cards, etc.). It's also much easier to leave the game.
Speaking of leaving the game, players now have the option to surrender early if they don't feel like sticking it out. Once someone has selected this option, a vote will be called and a successful vote will end the match early, appropriately crediting the win and loss to each respective team depending on their performance thus far.
There are tons of Agent Changes and other small fixes that have also been released in this patch — go ahead and check out the VALORANT 1.02 Update patch notes for all the fine details. If you haven't yet already gotten into the game, you can play it for free right now at PlayValorant.com.
Are you excited to try out VALORANT Competitive Mode? What do you think about the UI changes in the VALORANT 1.02 Update patch notes? Let us know in the comments below!
