Riot Games’ team-based first-person shooter, VALORANT, is thriving as millions of players on PC and consoles compete monthly. With new virtual battlefields and Agents, the game continues to evolve. At the heart of the experience is the diverse lineup of VALORANT game modes, offering something for everyone, no matter their time constraints or how competitive they may be.
Take a seat and strap in, Agents, as we explain every game mode in VALORANT, from free-for-all Deathmatch to the pinnacle Premier mode and even unique, limited-time game modes.
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All VALORANT Game Modes
Unrated
In Unrated, you’ll participate in 5v5 VALORANT action with its standard Plant/Defuse rules on standard maps. Each team plays 12 rounds on the Defense and 12 on the Attack, swapping sides halfway through the best-of-25 rounds match. The first team to score 13 rounds wins the match. If teams are tied 12-12, they’ll play an all-or-nothing Endgame round to determine the winner.
The attacking team must plant the Spike on one of the multiple Spike sites, while the defending team must either stop the attacking team from planting the Spike or defuse it after a plant. Unrated is played on Plant/Defuse maps, and players have access to the in-game shop to purchase equipment, weapons, and abilities each round. You can earn XP and complete missions in Unrated, but you do not earn Rank. An Unrated game lasts roughly 35 to 40 minutes.
Pro tip: We recommend using Unrated as the game mode where you practice for Competitive. Use our top tips for mastering VALORANT to hone your skills, map knowledge, Agent abilities, and management of the in-game economy.
Competitive
The Competitive game mode is nearly identical to Unrated. The first difference is that the match goes into Overtime when teams tie 12-12. In Overtime, the first team to get a two-round lead wins the map. Players can also vote every two rounds to decide if Overtime should continue, which means the match can end in a draw if enough players vote to stop the Overtime process. Competitive is played on the Plant/Defuse maps.
The other difference is that you will earn or lose Rank Rating (RR) after each match. In Competitive, you can climb the VALORANT ranks, from Iron to Immortal, and maybe even Radiant if you are one of the best players in your region. On average, a competitive match lasts longer than Unrated due to the potential for Overtime.
Pro tip: With RR on the line, we suggest a slower and more systematic approach to Competitive matches. Listen to your team and help wherever you can, using utility and joining for Spike plants or site defenses. If your team loses, you lose RR and could drop in Ranking.
Swiftplay
Swiftplay features the same 5v5 Plant/Defuse rules and maps as Unrated. The difference is simple: instead of best-of-25 rounds, Swiftplay is best-of-nine, with teams switching sides after the first four rounds. It’s a short burst of VALORANT, with matches lasting between 12 and 15 minutes.
Pro tip: Get your daily VALORANT fix by enjoying a Swiftplay match, keeping your skills sharp, or completing a quick mission even when you have just 20 minutes of playtime.
Spike Rush
In this unique and thrilling game mode, the victor is the first team to win four rounds. Spike Rush is a best-of-seven 5v5 affair where you start with a random weapon. Players must work together to pick up orbs for special buffs on their team members or to debuff enemies. Agent abilities are available from the start of each round, except for Ultimates. Spike Rush matches typically last between 10 and 12 minutes.
Deathmatch
One of the most casual and no-nonsense game modes in VALORANT is Deathmatch. The format is a 12-player free-for-all, which means it’s you against the 11 other players! There are no Agent abilities to utilize, and you respawn after each death. Players can pick their favorite weapon and go wild. The match ends when someone reaches 40 kills or nine minutes have passed.
Pro tip: Deathmatch is the perfect place to hone your VALORANT aiming skills, especially when testing the best DPI and sensitivity settings.
Team Deathmatch
In Team Deathmatch, five players per side compete to see who gets the most kills. The winner is the first to reach 100 kills or the team with the most kills when the match time is up (nine minutes, 30 seconds). Players can pick loadouts with weapons and Agent abilities to decimate their enemies. In the smaller Team Deathmatch maps (District, Kasbah, Piazza, and Drift), there are Weapon Spawn Points where you can pick another loadout, Recovery Orbs, and Ultimate Orbs.
Pro tip: Link up with some friends for Team Deathmatch. It’s a low-stakes mode where you can learn to work as a squad before jumping into Competitive or Premier.
Escalation
Escalation is VALORANT’s take on a “gun game” but in a 5v5 team format. Teams work through 12 Escalation levels by killing enemies. Each level features a specific weapon that all players must use and earn kills with. You must get one kill with each weapon to advance to the next, even if your team has earned enough kills. A typical Escalation match lasts between seven and nine minutes.
Pro tip: Escalation is the perfect VALORANT game mode when you want to mess around and relax. Wind down after tough Competitive matches with a bit of Escalation fun!
Premier
VALORANT’s Premier mode requires you to form a team (five to seven players) and register for your zone. Your team will be placed in a division, and you’ll compete against others from the same zone/division. Premier is the top competitive mode in VALORANT, created to mimic a tournament structure.
Tournaments run for roughly one month. Teams can queue up and compete in two matches per week. A new competitive map is featured each week. The goal is to earn enough Premier Score points per week by winning your matches to qualify for the Playoffs stage. Premier features the same in-game rules as Competitive, with best-of-25 games and the possibility of Overtime.
Pro tip: Gather a group of friends who can all communicate via voice chat and plan out tactics for attacking and defending on each map. Premier is the pinnacle of VALORANT game modes and the perfect practice ground for teams who want to start competing in esports tournaments.
Special VALORANT Game Modes
Some VALORANT game modes are only available for a set period. You can find our descriptions of these unique, limited-time VALORANT game modes below.
Snowball Fight
Snowball Fight is a unique twist on the 5v5 Team Deathmatch setup, where the first team to score 50 kills wins the match. The caveat is that all players can only use the Snowball Launcher as a weapon. Players can pick up “gifts” to earn power-ups, such as increasing the snowball’s size, the Snowball Launcher’s firing rate, or your character’s movement speed and jumping capabilities. VALORANT’s Snowball Fight matches last between 5 and 7 minutes.
As of this writing (August 2024), Snowball Fight is unavailable. There is hope that Snowball Fight may return in December 2024, but Riot Games has not confirmed as much.
Replication
Replication was a Plant/Defuse game mode featuring best-of-nine matches. The mode’s twist was that players would all play with the same Agent. Everyone in a match would vote for an Agent, and then the game would select one of the Agents players voted for. Riot removed Replication with patch v7.0 on June 27, 2023, and it’s not clear if this game mode will return.
New Map
Riot Games periodically releases new VALORANT maps. When a new map appears, a game mode specific to the new map becomes available. It allows players to queue for only the new map. We recommend learning every nook and cranny, because that’s precisely what the “new map” mode is for! Studying its callouts, angles, utility placement, and Spike Site breaching tactics can make a world of difference when you play it in Competitive or even Premier.
Pro tip: If you want to practice a specific map, you can always create a custom game and invite your friends, selecting the virtual battlefield of your choosing alongside your preferred game mode.
What Does The Future Hold For VALORANT?
While we can’t predict the future—our crystal ball only tells us so much!—we will absolutely update our readers whenever a new game mode appears in VALORANT. Developer Riot Games continues to improve on every aspect of the game, so we’ll likely see more creative twists over the coming years.
In the meantime, you can always visit our VALORANT betting page where you can place bets on the latest esports action. We offer highly competitive odds on every major VALORANT tournament and match, including the always-thrilling VCT events.
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