Valorant is a free-to-play 5v5 tactical shooter from Riot Games on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Each round, attackers try to plant a bomb called the Spike while defenders stop them. Win a round by planting and protecting it, defusing it or eliminating the other team. The first team to 13 rounds wins.
What is Valorant?
Valorant is a team-based first-person shooter made and published by Riot Games. It launched on PC on June 2, 2020, and arrived on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2024. It costs nothing to download and play; Riot makes money from cosmetic skins and battle passes.
Every player picks an agent, a character with a set of abilities such as smokes, flashes, walls or healing. Guns are bought each round with credits, so the game mixes precise aim with a small economy and team tactics. Consoles and PC have separate matchmaking, but your items and progress carry between them.
As of October 2026 the game runs on the year-long Season 2026, split into six acts. Act 5 began on August 18, 2026, and patch 13.06 in late September added a scoped automatic rifle called the Warden and an agent mastery track for each agent. Our Valorant boosting and coaching page lists every service we offer for the game.
| Fact | Details (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | Riot Games |
| Released | PC June 2, 2020; PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2024 |
| Price | Free-to-play with optional cosmetics |
| Genre | Tactical hero shooter, 5v5 |
| Current season | Season 2026, Act 5 (from August 18, 2026) |
| Ranked unlock | Account level 20 |
What is the objective of Valorant?
Across a whole match, your goal is simple: win more rounds than the other team. In a standard match the first side to win 13 rounds takes the game, and teams swap between attack and defence at the halfway point.
Inside a single round, the goal depends on your side. Attackers carry the Spike, push into one of the bomb sites and plant it. Once planted, it detonates after 45 seconds unless someone defuses it. Defenders hold the sites, stop the plant and, if it happens anyway, defuse it before it goes off. A round has a 100-second timer before any plant.
How do you win a match in Valorant?
There are three ways to take a round: carry out your side's objective, run the clock in your favour, or eliminate everyone on the other team. Attackers win when the Spike detonates, or when they wipe the defenders. Defenders win by defusing the Spike, by eliminating all attackers before a plant, or by keeping them from planting until time runs out. One catch: if the attackers are all killed after planting, the defenders still have to finish the defuse.
| Mode | Team size | How you win |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive (ranked) | 5v5 | First to 13 rounds; at 12-12 overtime starts and a team must win by two |
| Unrated | 5v5 | First to 13 rounds; a single deciding round settles a 12-12 tie |
| Swiftplay | 5v5 | First to 5 rounds, with sides swapping after round 4 |
| Spike Rush | 5v5 | First to 4 rounds; every attacker carries a Spike and guns are random |
| Team Deathmatch | 5v5 | First team to 100 kills, or most kills when the timer ends |
| Deathmatch | Free-for-all | First player to 40 kills, or most kills when the 9-minute timer ends |
Swiftplay is the quickest way to learn the Spike rules, at roughly 15 minutes a game. Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are pure aim practice with no Spike at all. Riot also rotates limited-time modes in and out, so the play menu may show extra options for a few weeks at a time.
How does ranked or progression work?
Competitive mode opens once your account reaches level 20, and you receive a rank after five placement games. The ladder runs Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Ascendant, Immortal and Radiant. Every tier except Radiant has three divisions, and each division is worth 100 Rank Rating (RR) that you gain for wins and lose for defeats. Radiant is reserved for the top players in each region.
Above Diamond, party rules tighten: from Ascendant up you can queue solo, as a duo or as a full five, but not as a three or four. For tiers, RR and climbing advice, read Valorant ranks explained, and if you queue alone, our best agents for solo queue suggests picks by role. Every Valorant post we publish is collected on the Valorant guides hub.
Beginner tips to win more
- Learn one agent per role first. A duelist, an initiator, a controller and a sentinel cover every team need, and depth beats a huge pool.
- Keep your crosshair at head height. Pre-aiming where heads appear wins more fights than fast flicks.
- Stop moving before you shoot. Running shots are wildly inaccurate in Valorant, so counter-strafe and then fire.
- Buy with your team. Saving together in a weak round leaves everyone with full guns next round.
- Play for the Spike, not kills. A late plant or a calm defuse wins rounds even when you are behind on numbers.
- Use Swiftplay and Deathmatch to warm up. They are short and teach the rules and aim without ranked pressure.
- Talk briefly. Call where enemies are, how many and how hurt they look, then stay quiet so others can hear footsteps.
How can Boosting Games help with Valorant?
Boosting Games sells fixed-price Valorant services, from reaching ranked for the first time to coaching. Prices below are starting prices as of October 2026, and the exact price for your option shows before checkout. You can browse everything in the Valorant services collection, and our how it works page walks through an order step by step.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Valorant Ranked Unlock (Account Level 20) | We level a fresh account to 20 so Competitive opens. | From $24 |
| Valorant Ranked Starter Bundle | Level 20, then your five placement matches played by a high-rank booster. | From $39 |
| Valorant Agent Unlock (Recruitment Contract) | We earn the XP to unlock one agent without spending your Valorant Points. | From $19 |
| Valorant Battle Pass Tiers | We earn battle pass tiers through matches and weekly missions. | From $14 |
| Valorant VOD Review Pack | A coach reviews your recorded matches and sends timestamped notes. | From $36 |
Honest risk note: Riot's terms do not allow you to share your account, so piloted orders, where a booster logs in as you, carry the most risk. Playing alongside a booster carries less risk, and coaching or VOD review carries none because nobody touches your account. Read our account safety notice before you order. We never sell accounts, Valorant Points, skins, items, cheats or mods.
Get help with Valorant
Pick a service and option, see the exact price before you pay, and follow every session on your private order page. Not sure which one fits? Ask Boost Up AI, or read every game explained to compare other titles.
See Valorant servicesAsk Boost Up AIRelated reading: Valorant ranks explained, best Valorant agents for solo queue, what CS2 is and how to win and what Rainbow Six Siege is and how to win.
Valorant FAQ
Is Valorant free to play?
Yes. Valorant is free to download and play on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Riot earns money from optional cosmetic items such as weapon skins and the premium battle pass, none of which change how strong you are. Agents can be unlocked by playing and earning XP, so a new player can reach every part of the game without paying.
How long is a Valorant match?
A full Competitive or Unrated match is first to 13 rounds, so it usually lasts somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes, and longer if it goes to overtime. Swiftplay is first to 5 rounds and averages about 15 minutes. Deathmatch has a 9-minute timer, which makes it a good warm-up before ranked.
What level do you need to play ranked in Valorant?
Your account needs to reach level 20 before Competitive unlocks. After that you play five placement games and receive your first rank. Account XP comes from any mode, including Swiftplay and Deathmatch, plus daily and weekly missions, so playing the modes you enjoy is the simplest way to get there.
What happens at 12-12 in Valorant?
In Competitive a 12-12 score sends the match to overtime, and a team must win by two rounds to take the game, with sides swapping as overtime continues. In Unrated, a single sudden-death round decides the winner instead. That means ranked games can run noticeably longer than casual ones. If you are short on time, Swiftplay avoids overtime entirely.
What is the best mode for Valorant beginners?
Swiftplay is the best place to start. It uses the full Spike rules and normal maps but ends at 5 rounds, so you learn attacking, defending and buying without a 40-minute commitment. Mix in Deathmatch to work on aim, and move to Unrated once you feel comfortable with your agent.
Do you sell Valorant accounts or Valorant Points?
No. We never sell accounts, Valorant Points, skins, items, cheats or mods. Our services are time and teaching: leveling to unlock ranked, placement help, agent unlocks earned through play, battle pass tiers and coaching. Self-play and coaching options keep your login with you. Our account safety page explains the risk of each type of order before you buy.
Sources: Wikipedia: Valorant, Dexerto: patch 13.04 and Act 5, Gfinity: patch 13.06, Gfinity: patch 13.00, Playnews: Valorant ranked guide, Gfinity: overtime rules.