Valorant Episode 5 Act 1 - Release date, Pearl map, and more

Just a week before the official release, Riot Games revealed Episode 5 Act 1 of Valorant, and the new Pearl map is the centerpiece of the announcement. Valorant has been on a roll with new agents such as Neon, and as the player base continues to thrive within the tactical shooter, there are no signs of stopping for Riot Games.

Episode 5 Act 1 brings Agents into a new era of Valorant in terms of narrative, and Omega Earth is brought into the fold. This gives way for Riot to start experimenting more with maps, and they are plenty of opportunities going forward. A ton of explanation won't be needed though, because the new Episode and map come out this month.

Episode 5 Act 1 release date in Valorant

In both the Livestream and the new trailer for the Episode 5 Act 1 Pearl map in Valorant, a full release date was provided. On June 22, 2022, everyone can download the update and start jumping into the new content. Pearl is the main course of Episode 5, but it's not the only content to look forward to.

As expected, there is a new Battle Pass to accompany Episode 5 Act 1. Anyone who wants the pass will need to spend 1,000 VP, which is nothing new for a Battle Pass. It will include items such as weapon skins, player cards, and nearly every other type of cosmetic type in the game.

• Riot Games joins Xbox Game Pass, unlocks all LoL champions and Valorant agents
• Valorant Pride Codes: Get free player cards, titles, and more
• Valorant Champions 2022 - Start date, teams, how to watch live, and more
• Riot announces Valorant esports plans for 2023

For those who want to spend more on Valorant, Riot also unveiled a new line of weapon skins called the Prelude to Chaos. The theme is a mix of dark fantasy and sci-fi that is supposed to resemble the tones of old arena shooters. It also matches the tone of the Pearl map itself.

One of the final new content additions, aside from the map, is a new rank. In Episode 5 Act 1, Ascendant ranks will be added to the mix to help further pinpoint skills and even out the ranks. This new rank will be above Diamond and below Immortal.

Pearl map details - Valorant Episode 5 Act 1

All new content is exciting, but most Valorant players are likely getting prepped for the Pearl map already. As a tactical shooter, maps are a big deal in a game like Valorant, and they aren't released often. Riot Games has already confirmed that they don't want too many maps in the rotation.

With Pearl in the game, that will leave the rotation at around 7 or 8 maps depending on what Riot decides to move in and out. Pearl itself will be simplistic in design, and it will utilize the classic three-lane map design. There are no mobility tools, so the pacing will be different compared to the last two maps.

In terms of lore, Pearl will bring players to an Omega Earth sanctuary that is held underwater. It's a close-quarters paradise-like city with a shield keeping it safe on the outside. Most of the theme influence comes from Portuguese culture or language, which explains the trailer as well.

And that's all. Make sure to head over to our dedicated Valorant section with Valorant news, guides, tier lists, skin collections, and more.

Featured image courtesy of Riot Games.