[2021] VALORANT Patch Notes 2.04

Masters is getting played on this patch, so we’re avoiding disruptive changes (Astra isn’t available to play in Masters so she’s an exception).

For full transparency, 2.05 will likely be a lighter patch as well as we keep an eye on Astra’s launch and ensure it’s healthy. Past that point though, we have a gap in tournaments and some time where we may be able to ship some of those changes in that 2.06-2.09 window.

You gotta remember that if someone is going to smurf it's pretty easy to tank placements, or play placements and most likely be around bronze to silver anyways(or tank to iron). So realistically the only thing that was stopping players from grouping up was making an alt account, and tanking it, to play with their friends.

With this change we have a better idea of players actual MMR(because they are more likely to stay on their main), we can make more fair matches, and there are lots and lots of players grouping up at lower ranks to let us make fair matches.

We have some other ideas to help with 5 stacking and other things like smurfing, and we are aware this change is a little spicy. If we are seeing unfair match making issues, we can always change the group restrictions. We just got massive feedback that players really wanted to play with their friends and we felt like we could make that experience better for lower ranks.

A little confusing, but this just means that demotion protection is at 70 instead of 80.

Previously if you were to lose 30 points, the system would stop you at 80. Now the system stops you at 70RR. So realistically, because you can't lose more then 30(unless you AFK), you will always demote to exactly whatever your ranked rating loss amount was.

Last rank you played on. So, you will start the new Act at the same rank you ended the last Act with.

Yeah, we're working on the tournament realm stuff right now, so this is a temporary problem - that being said, we DO want to keep tournaments & live as similar as possible, just because we think it's exciting to see pro teams playing in the same meta as live. But, it won't necessarily be a blocker like it can feel like at times right now.

Yes, each episode will have some sort of soft reset and if you haven't played ranked yet you are held to those rules.

Sorry, I just work on gameplay, not game systems - can't speak to anything on this front since I lack context

TECHNICALLY if you are climbing yes you will get 5 less points. On the flip side you also lose 5 less points. So in reality it won't effect you in a big way.

That's why I really wanted it messaged, just so players know we are planning this. Honestly I wouldn't worry about it, it is targeted at some RR inflation issues we are seeing in the 100's of games area. This change isn't intended to make you grind more, and in fact due to convergence you should still converge with your actual MMR(if you haven't yet) in the same amount of games.

No hidden MMR reset.

I've seen this come up and I see a few big streamers, or pro players, pushing the idea that we need a hidden MMR reset. I think players are putting too much emphasis on players having a good/bad match on them being in a rank they don't belong(or having boosted/smurf players in their game).

I don't think we will ever full reset MMR(altho never say never). It would be pure match making chaos. Every match would be a mix of players of all skills, and you would flip a coin hoping your team had the higher ranked player(or the immortal/radiant player). It would then take all players tons of games to explode the MMR system outward and fix ranks. This isn't as bad when a game launches, because there are so many players learning the game and new players that the skill difference between players is smaller. After a game has been out, the skill from a top player to a new/average player can be pretty drastic.

We will be doing soft resets every Episode. We also are investigating how we do these types of things, how strong the soft reset is, etc. It's also difficult because we see players on both sides - complaints about being reset and having to climb again or complaints about no reset occurring. We believe per episode reset is currently a healthy place to put MMR Soft Resets.

We also have a confidence system in MMR. So if a player does not play Valorant for an extended period it will start to get unsure of where that player belongs MMR wise. When they come back it will test them, and if that player has gotten worse in skill(from being gone) their MMR will drop a little bit. This is the same as a player suddenly increasing in skill and their confidence shifting from it.

Hope that helps explain a bit!

It's hard to say, it really depends on the player.

For example TenZ got an account to Radiant MMR in 20 matches from placements. I've also seen a boosted player go from immortal to plat in 20-30 games.

I can confidently say that if for some reason your skill is drastically somewhere different, it corrects quickly. But the problem is how drastically you shift, how you are performing, match out comes, MMR of opponents, etc. So I don't have a solid answer.

One thing to remember is that MMR is simply a ladder. Sure there is some complex math in how you are climbing, or going down, that ladder. But everyone is on it, no one is tied, and players are always shifting. If you belong somewhere else other players will either be pushed down, or push you down, as you move up and down the ladder.

I would say, at most, after a fresh account(or episode) placements you should probably be at your skill in 20-50 games. That being said, high ranks may take longer because of leaderboard, the high point values in upper ranks, and us wanting to make sure we catch cheaters before they get to the leaderboard.