Valorant Ranked Competitive is coming with patch 1.02 - what's new?

More than three full weeks after its official release, Valorant will finally get a competitive ranked mode.

It will come to the game with patch 1.02 which is slated for release later this week.

Of course, this is not the first time Valorant will have a competitive mode, which was already previously tested heavily during the closed beta phase of the game but was pulled out before the official release for additional polishing and changes based on the players' feedback.

So, what are those changes?

Valorant patch 1.02 Competitive ranked mode changes

• Updated rank iconography and a top rank name

(Picture: Riot)

As you can see on the image above, the difference in colours between ranks is now much more visible and distinctive.

Additionally, the top rank is not called Valorant any more, in order to avoid the confusion between the game's name and its top rank.

The new name for top rank will represent Agents infused with powers, known as Radiant.

• Read more: Valorant community code: Toxic players to get banned from chat, voice and ranked

Placement matches and premades

Riot believes that playing and competing with friends is the best possible experience and the ideal way to play Valorant, and that's why they will continue to encourage it.

You can now matchmake with your friends during placements even if they have a fairly large skill discrepancy—to a certain extent. 

" For example, if you’re an elite player, and your friend is still learning the ropes, our Competitive Matchmaking will still prevent you from being able to queue in order to protect the competitive integrity and experience for the other players in that match," Riot says in Valorant Ranked blog post.

They are also working on balancing matchmaking, so that games where a premade team of four or five people is playing against solo or duo players, are appearing less often.

• Read more: Valorant players to be given option to surrender in next update

Valorant Rank Progression

With each Valorant Act (two months period), players will be able to track their detailed stats and rank progress through that Act.

Initially, Riot will track this on their side until they have proper UI ready for it, and then all the info will be available for players in their Match History and other places in the client.

Riot hasn't yet detail what kind of stats will be tracked, but they gave some examples, like how you’ve climbed in rank over the Act, your number of wins, along with your wins at your highest achieved rank, etc.

Valorant Competitive ranked is expected to come tomorrow (23 June) along with the patch 1.02.