Valorant Seasons, Episodes and Acts Explained

Since January 2025, Valorant's calendar runs on yearly Seasons (Season 2025 was "V25", Season 2026 is "V26") instead of Episodes. Each Season is split into six Acts of about two months, and every Act brings a new Battle Pass. Ranks fully reset twice a year, at the start of each Season and at its midpoint; in between, a new Act only needs one placement game. Knowing this structure helps you plan when to grind, and stops a reset from catching you off guard.

Seasons, Episodes and Acts

For its first five years, Valorant grouped its calendar into Episodes that lasted about six months, each split into three Acts of roughly two months. In 2025 Riot replaced Episodes with Seasons that span a whole calendar year. Each Season has six Acts, so the rhythm of the game barely changed: you still get a new Act, and a new Battle Pass, roughly every two months. The main difference is the naming (for example "V26 Act 3") and a smoother yearly transition instead of a big Episode switch every six months.

The Act is the unit that affects your day-to-day play most. It's the window in which you collect Battle Pass rewards and build your Act Rank badge.

What changes each Act

Battle Pass. Every Act ships a new Battle Pass. The premium track costs 1,000 VP, and its rewards are only available while that Act runs. Weapon skins from past passes aren't sold again, although some older accessories (cards, sprays, buddies and titles) can come back in the Accessory Store for Kingdom Credits.

Ranked. A new Act asks you to play one placement game, which restores your rank from the previous Act. You also start a fresh Act Rank badge.

Agents, maps and balance. New agents and maps can arrive at any time, but Act starts are a natural launch window, and balance changes often land with the patch that opens a new Act.

Rank resets: twice a year

The bigger resets happen twice per Season: at the start of the Season and at its midpoint. At those points everyone plays five placement games, and players usually land a couple of tiers below where they finished before the reset. Your hidden matchmaking rating carries over, so a reset isn't a wipe: nobody drops from Radiant to Iron. New accounts also play five placement games once they reach Level 20, and the highest rank you can place into is Ascendant 3.

Right after a reset, the ladder is at its most fluid while everyone climbs back. If you're planning a rank push, our guide on how to rank up fast in Valorant covers the habits that matter, and the Valorant rank distribution shows where each tier sits.

Act Rank and the triangle

Your Act Rank badge is the triangular emblem that summarizes your competitive wins during the current Act. It fills with small triangles as you win, colored by the rank you won at. Once the triangle is full, wins at higher ranks push out the triangles from lower ranks, so the badge ends up showing the best ranks you won at, not just your latest result. The badge's border upgrades as you reach 9, 25, 50, 75 and 100 wins in the Act, and past badges stay on your account as a record of each Act.

The Battle Pass cadence

Each Act's Battle Pass is a timed offer. You buy it once and unlock tiers by earning XP in any mode: every round played and every round won adds XP. If you want a particular Battle Pass skin, earn it before the Act ends. For the full picture on cosmetics, see how to get Valorant skins.

What this means for you

Plan big rank pushes around the resets. The weeks after a Season start or midpoint reset are when the ladder moves most. Between resets, each Act only asks for one placement game.

Don't forget the Battle Pass timer. If you bought the pass, treat it as having a hard deadline, and pace your games so you reach the tiers you want.

A reset isn't a punishment. Because your hidden rating carries over, most players climb back quickly. Players who drop far usually had a visible rank above their real skill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my rank reset every Act?

Not fully. A new Act only needs one placement game to restore your previous rank. The full reset, with five placement games and a drop of a couple of tiers, happens twice a year: at the start of each Season and at its midpoint.

How long does a Valorant Act last?

About two months. Each yearly Season has six Acts. The in-game Battle Pass screen shows the exact end date of the current Act.

What happened to Episodes?

Riot replaced Episodes with yearly Seasons at the start of 2025. Episodes lasted about six months with three Acts each; Seasons last a year with six Acts, so the two-month Act rhythm stayed the same.

Do Battle Pass skins expire if I don't finish the pass?

Yes. Once the Act ends, the tiers you didn't unlock are gone, and past Battle Pass weapon skins aren't sold again. Anything you unlocked before the deadline stays on your account permanently.

Starting a new Act? Explore ranked-ready Valorant accounts on BuyAccount, and see how Immortal and Ascendant compare if you're aiming for the top of the ladder.