Valorant patch 5.0 early notes: Pearl set to hit the servers, new Ascendant rank, Split to be removed from Competitive queue, and more

Valorant patch 5.0 will be released next week on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, and it will introduce Episode 5 to the servers across all regions.

Apart from the new Episode, the shooter will also be receiving a new rank, known as Ascendant, which will be introduced between Diamond and Immortal.

Moreover, Split will be removed from Competitive matchmaking, and the developers might look to introduce considerable changes to the map in the coming weeks.

Here are some early patch notes highlights of Valorant’s version 5.0

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Valorant patch 5.0 early notes

1) Map Updates

Pearl

• The new map Pearl will be going live on June 22

It will have a standard Unrated queue and it will be a Pearl-only queue for the first 2 weeks to get players familiar with it. Pearl will enter competitive matchmaking after that.

Split

• Riot Games temporarily removing Split from the map pool in Unrated and Competitive queues

2) Competitive Updates

New Competitive Rank introduced: Ascendant

• An additional rank called Ascendant will be added above Diamond but below Immortal.

Riot Games will be looking to introduce this new rank to better distribute players in the Competitive ladder. The developers feel that there are too many players in Silver and Bronze, and to stop overcrowding across the ranks, a new one known as Ascendant will be added with the new Episode “Dimension.”

• Riot Games will be moving the rank MMR targets that determine rank down, due to the addition of the new Ascendant rank, for all ranks below Ascendant. Will be moving the ranked target for Immortal 1/2/3 and Radiant up.
• Grouping restrictions for Ascendant are 3 ranks above or below the Ascendant ranked player
• The highest placement allowed has increased to Ascendant 1 (previously Diamond 1)
• Five stacking 25% RR penalty now starts at Immortal 1 (previously Diamond 3)
• Solo/Duo/5-stack restriction now starts at Immortal 1 (previously Diamond 3)
• Due to a naming clash with the new rank, we’ve renamed Sage’s tier 8 Agent Contract unlock—the new Sage title is “Dauntless”

3) Bugs

Maps

• Riot fixed a bug on Haven that was preventing players from using their spray on a wall in A Garden

Agents

• Riot will fix a bug where Valorant Jett could equip a weapon during Tailwind
• Riot fix a bug where Agents revealed by Sova’s Recon Bolt or Fade’s Haunt would sometimes briefly appear in an incorrect location on the minimap
• Riot will fix a bug where the scope visual effect would sometimes disappear when aiming with Chamber’s Tour De Force

Game Systems

• Riot will fix a bug where using an Ultimate point orb or defusing the Spike at maximum range could cause channeling and progress bar animations to flicker
• Riot will fix a bug where the use channeling progression bar does not update if the player disconnects and reconnects during the match
• Riot will fix a bug where some weapon equips could play the wrong equip speed animation, which could visually misrepresent when you were able to fire. Some situations impacted by this bug were: Cypher exiting Spycam, Capturing Ultimate point Orbs, Canceling, and completing Spike plant