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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11VALORANT’s 2025 competitive year brought two new Agents, several changes to the ranked map rotation, and two distinct ranked protections: Rank Shields against immediate demotion and Ranked Rollbacks for eligible losses to confirmed cheaters. Riot divided the year-long season into six Acts, with rank resets at the start and again midseason. The map lineups below are dated 2025 snapshots, not the live 2026 rotation.
How VALORANT’s 2025 season was structured
Riot described Season 2025 as a year-long season divided into six Acts, replacing the earlier Episode structure. Ranks reset at the season’s start and again at a later midseason point. Patch 10.00 also returned Fracture and Lotus to the Competitive map pool. Riot’s Patch 10.00 notes introduced the season and its opening changes.
What new Agents came out in VALORANT in 2025?
Two Agents joined during the year: Tejo at the season launch and Waylay in March. Riot staggered both releases across regions.
| Agent | Role and origin | Release timing |
|---|---|---|
| Tejo | Initiator from Colombia | Season 2025 launch; staggered regional release began January 8, 2025 |
| Waylay | Duelist from Thailand | Announced in Patch 10.04; staggered regional release began March 5, 2025 |
Riot’s Patch 10.00 notes introduced Tejo, while Patch 10.04 announced Waylay.
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What maps were in the VALORANT ranked rotation in 2025?
The Competitive map pool changed several times. The table tracks only the moves documented in the cited patches; it is not a complete list of every map in the pool at every moment. Patch 10.00 also brought Fracture and Lotus back to Competitive, while Patch 11.00 added Corrode.
| Patch | Maps entering Competitive | Maps leaving Competitive | Other relevant detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.00 | Fracture, Lotus | Not stated in the patch detail cited here | Season 2025 began. |
| 10.04 | Ascent, Icebox | Abyss, Bind | Also changed part of Ascent B Main’s wall to be non-pennable. |
| 11.00 | Corrode, Bind | Pearl, Split | Corrode was added to Competitive and Deathmatch; the patch’s map-pool moves also affected those queues. |
| 11.04 | Abyss | Icebox | Competitive map-pool change. |
Riot’s notes document the changes in Patch 10.00, Patch 10.04, Patch 11.00, and Patch 11.04. Map rotations are time-sensitive, so use the in-client Competitive map pool or current Riot notes to check what is playable now.
Rank #2
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Corrode’s temporary RR adjustment
For Corrode’s first two weeks in Competitive, Riot reduced RR losses by 50% while leaving wins at 100% RR. This was a temporary map-launch adjustment, not a general ranked-loss protection. Patch 11.00 also adjusted midseason placement outcomes and raised the maximum placement rank to Ascendant 3. Patch 11.00 gives the details.
How did Rank Shields work?
Rank Shields, added in Patch 10.01, protected against demotion after losses at 0 RR. Players received two shields in Tier 1 of each rank other than Radiant—for example, Silver 1, Gold 1, or Platinum 1. The first two losses at 0 RR consumed the shields; a third loss at 0 RR caused demotion.
Rank #3
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- Shields applied only in Tier 1, not in the other tiers of a rank.
- They replenished when a player entered Tier 1 through promotion or demotion.
- Winning at 0 RR and rising to 10 RR did not restore a shield.
- Radiant players did not receive Rank Shields.
Riot’s Patch 10.01 notes describe the mechanic. Rank Shields delayed demotion; they did not erase RR losses or guarantee that a player would stay in the tier.
Can you get RR back after losing to a cheater?
Yes, if the match involved a player later confirmed as a cheater and your RR loss was from a match in the previous week. Riot’s Ranked Rollbacks became available in Patch 10.05. To receive the refund, complete one Competitive match after the client displays the refund amount. The refund then appears in the end-of-game summary, regardless of whether that match was a win or a loss. Riot’s Patch 10.05 notes explain the eligibility and claim process.
Rank #4
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Other competitive updates later in 2025
Replay and Riot’s bot-ban report
In September, Patch 11.06 released Replay for Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay, and Premier. Riot also reported that it had banned 40,000 bots during the preceding six months. That figure is Riot’s published report, not an independently audited count. The update is documented in Patch 11.06.
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