Valorant guides
Short, clear explanations of how Valorant works. Each guide answers one question first, then explains the details.
Looking for a map or a term instead? Valorant maps · Valorant glossary
Rules
Valorant Rules Explained: How a Pro Match WorksHow Valorant works: 5v5, first to 13 rounds, Attackers plant the Spike, Defenders stop it, overtime until a 2-round lead. Economy and agents explained.
Competitive scene
VCT 2027 Explained: How the New Valorant Season WorksHow VCT 2027 works: Open Qualifiers, Kickoff, two Masters, two VCT Cups and Champions in Austin. Dates, partner and open teams, and how a team qualifies.
Valorant Tournament Tiers: What S, A, B, C and D MeanWhat S to D tiers mean for Valorant tournaments, how they map to VCT events like Masters, Champions, Kickoff and Cups, and which events are tier 1.
Valorant Team Rankings Explained: Riot's GPR, VLR and the R1GG RatingWhy a Valorant team has a different rank on every list. How Riot's Global Power Rankings, VLR.gg and the R1GG rating work, and what decides VCT spots.
Maps
Valorant Map Pool: Current Competitive Maps and Recent ChangesThe current Valorant competitive map pool: Abyss, Bind, Corrode, Haven, Lotus, Summit and Sunset. What each map is like, what changed and how it rotates.
Abyss in Valorant: Map GuideAbyss is the first Valorant map with no boundaries: players can fall off the edges. Its layout, drops and shortcuts, how pros play it and its pool status.
Bind in Valorant: Map GuideBind is the Valorant map with one-way teleporters and no middle lane. Its layout, how the teleporters change rotations, how pros play it and pool status.
Corrode in Valorant: Map GuideCorrode is a Valorant map set in a French castle town turned into a salt mine. Its three-lane layout, defensive design, how pros play it and pool status.
Haven in Valorant: Map GuideHaven is the Valorant map with three bombsites, A, B and C. Its layout, what makes it different, how pros play it and where it sits in the map pool.
Lotus in Valorant: Map GuideLotus is a three-site Valorant map in India, with rotating doors and a breakable wall. Its layout, special mechanics, how pros play it and its pool status.
Summit in Valorant: Map GuideSummit is the newest Valorant map, released June 2026 in the mountains of China. Its layout, the walls teams can drop mid-round and how pros play it.
Sunset in Valorant: Map GuideSunset is a Valorant map set in Los Angeles with a classic two-site, three-lane layout. Its layout, the fight for mid, how pros play it and pool status.
Start here
New to watching Valorant? Read these three in order and you will follow any pro match:
- Valorant Rules Explained: rounds, the Spike, agents and the economy.
- Valorant Map Pool: the seven maps in play right now.
- VCT 2027 Explained: how the pro season works, from Open Qualifiers to Champions.
Then, to understand the bigger picture, read Valorant Tournament Tiers and Valorant Team Rankings Explained.
Quick answers
| Question | Short answer | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| How many rounds win a map? | 13 | Rules |
| How long is the Spike timer? | 45 seconds | Spike |
| What happens at 12-12? | overtime until a two-round lead | Overtime |
| What are the agent roles? | Duelist, Initiator, Controller, Sentinel | Rules |
| What is the newest map? | Summit, June 2026 | Map pool |
| Who won Champions 2026? | LOUD, 3-1 against Team Vitality | VCT 2027 |
| What does S tier mean? | Champions, Masters and the biggest events | Tiers |
How we write the guides
Every guide is written for viewers, not players: we explain what you see on stream, not how to climb in ranked. Numbers are checked against current sources, and each guide lists them at the bottom. When Riot changes the map pool or the VCT format, we update the guide and its date.
Maps and terms
Each map in the pool has its own page with its layout and what makes it different: start with the newest, Summit, or see them all on the maps page. When a caster says "thrifty" or "post-plant", the glossary explains it in a few lines.
Ready to watch? Open today's matches.
FAQ
Where should a Valorant beginner start?
With Valorant Rules Explained, then the Valorant Map Pool and VCT 2027 Explained. Those three cover what you need to follow a pro match.
How many rounds are in a Valorant match?
A map is won by the first team to 13 rounds. At 12-12 it goes to overtime until one team leads by two.
Are the guides up to date?
Each guide shows the date it was last updated. We update them when Riot changes the map pool, the rules or the VCT format.
