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Valorant is an expansive title with several game modes that provide players with different objectives, time durations, and gameplay restrictions. The longest-lasting modes are Casual and Competitive, where players can enjoy a game for 25 or more minutes, to say the least. These game modes are also the most freeing, featuring guns and abilities that can be used as long as you can afford them in-game.
With shorter Valorant game modes, this story usually changes. Modes like Deathmatch have some restrictions but are great for practicing your aim and warming up. Similarly, each game mode has its utility. Here is a list explaining them all.
All Valorant game modes explained
1) Competitive
Valorant Competitive affects rank (Image via Riot Games)
The Competitive game mode is perhaps the most popular since it affects player rank and places them somewhere in the rank hierarchy. The objective of this game mode is to secure rounds by successfully defending the site or by attacking it.
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The team to secure 13 rounds first wins. Attackers can win by either detonating the spike (bomb) on a plant site or eliminating the enemy team. Defenders can win by either defusing the spike, defending a site and not allowing the bomb to be planted; thus, running down the clock, or eliminating the enemy team.
However, if both teams come down to 12 rounds each, overtime ensues where the objectives remain the same. If both teams continue to score 1-1 rounds, one of the teams can vote on a draw and the match shall be drawn to a tie.
Competitive games affect in-game rank and you usually face other players with a similar rank. This may not apply to the other Valorant game modes.
2) Unrated
As the name implies, Unrated is one of the Valorant game modes that has nothing to do with rank. Competitive is the only mode that affects players' ranks in the game.
Apart from that, Unrated mirrors the Competitive game mode in every single way possible. However, there is one exception. In the Unrated mode, only one Overtime applies to the game.
This means that only two rounds can be played after teams reach a 12-12 standstill. The winner of the two rounds takes the victory home or the game ties.
3) Deathmatch
Deathmatch is one of the most-played Valorant game modes. Each Deathmatch lasts for about 10 minutes maximum. This game mode has only one main objective. You must secure 40 kills to win or have the most kills by the time the 10-minute timer ends.
Players are spawned at random locations and must go around the map to collect kills. Killing a player rewards one with a health boost that regenerates any lost HP to a full 150. This mode helps greatly if you're looking to improve in Valorant.
4) Spike Rush
A game of Spike Rush lasts for anywhere between 8-15 minutes. It's one of those Valorant game modes where the player can have fun and also train abilities. This is because ult points are gained much faster.
Moreover, one can obtain orbs from all over the map, which give the player special effects like Scanner bullets, Decay, or a Golden Gun exclusively available in Spike Rush.
The match is a best of seven, and any team to secure four rounds total by defending and attacking sites similar to the Competitive and Unrated objectives. In the same manner, detonating or defusing a spike or eliminating the enemy team results in securing rounds.
5) Escalation
Escalation in Valorant can be compared to the Gun Game game mode in other FPS titles such as Call of Duty. Here, players successively cycle through 12 different weapons and get kills to secure the match.
Getting kills on one weapon will help move on to the next. Similar to the deathmatch, killing an enemy rewards one with health and ammo. The match lasts for about 7-10 minutes making it one of the most popular Valorant game modes.
6) Swift Play
Swift Play is a game mode that is similar to Competitive and Unrated modes in that the objectives are all the same. However, a team only needs to win 5 rounds to secure the matchup.
The economy points are a bit relaxed and it's easier to get a certain weapon in the game as it progresses. It's one of those Valorant game modes where one can train and relax for a short time without losing elo. It lasts for about 15-20 minutes.
7) Replication
Replication is one of the most popular Valorant game modes because of its interesting approach. Here, players choose agents during the selection phase, however, one of the five chosen Agents randomly gets selected.
The selected agent will be replicated and every player on the team will have to play with the selected agent only. For instance, if a player locks in Yoru and the game randomly selects Yoru for play, all five players become Yoru regardless of their choice of agent. This is the feature that makes it one of the most popular Valorant game modes.
A team must secure 9 rounds to win the match. Weapons and shields are reset, signature agent abilities get refreshed, and credits increase every new round regardless of a win or a loss for a team during the previous round. The Replication Valorant mode lasts for about 10-12 minutes.
8) Team Deathmatch
Team Deathmatch is one of the newer Valorant game modes. Here, team members pick their Agents and get spawned on small, specially curated, Team Deathmatch maps. Each team fights for 100 kills total or the most kills by the time the clock runs out.
A limited choices of weapons are given to the players and these weapons change sequentially as the match progresses. Players can collect orbs to charge their abilities and ultimates. Getting kills also charges abilities and ult points.
9) Premier
The Premier mode is one of the most important Valorant game modes where one must create a team of 5 players and fight teams from around the server for a chance to secure a spot in the Valorant Challengers league.
The Premier game mode works exactly like the Competitive mode in every fashion. The goal is to secure rounds by either detonating/defusing the spike or eliminating the enemy team.
There is a major difference in Overtime in Premier, however. These are all best-of-one matches. In Premier mode, two overtimes are also given to each team since it's one of the Valorant game modes that takes strategic planning to win.
Two sets of Overtime shall be played and then, a Sudden Death set would commence. Whichever team wins this final 2 rounds wins the match or the match gets drawn.
Premier has a 7-week phase where teams can play 2 matches per week. All the 7 maps from the active pool appear in this 7-week phase and are pre-decided by the game. A team collects 100 Premier Points for winning a match and loses 25 for their defeats.
Collecting 600 points will lead a team to playoffs where yet again best of one matches will be played. During playoffs, teams can ban and pick maps according to their liking. These are also best-of-one matches.
10) Snowball fight
Finally, Valorant also has a Snowball fight game mode. It's one of those game modes that's currently inactive in the game. The team to get 50 kills first wins the match or the most kills when the timer runs down.
The mode features Icebox and the only weapon allowed is a Snowball gun that launches orbs of snow at opponents. Players can skate, collect gifts, and get other boosts during the game mode as random gifts appear on the map at certain points in the game. It's one of the fan-favorite Valorant game modes but may not come back to the game anytime soon.
