Valorant Episode 7 Act 2 patch brings new Sunset map and official launch of Premier

Valorant’s latest update – patch 7.04 AKA Episode 7 Act 2 – has just gone live, and with it are a host of new improvements, changes and additions to Riot’s popular free-to-play shooter.

Of course, the highlight of this latest update is the brand new map previously revealed over the weekend as part of the Valorant Champions 2023 finals. The new location is based on LA and features three lanes and two sites. There’ll be a queue specifically for this map in Swiftplay mode for the first week, before it joins the Competitive and Unrated map rotation queues in the game’s next patch scheduled for next week.

Elsewhere though, fans can also enjoy a whole host of changes that, Riot say, are ‘focused on increasing game state clarity’ letting players be able to ascertain what’s going on much more quickly, and cleaning up some messier parts of the UI. There’s also changes to almost half of the game’s roster – and the formal introduction of the game’s new Premier mode which was previously in an early access state. Those who played while it was in its Ignition Stage will find their teams and match histories carried over. You’ll be able to enrol before September 7, with matches taking place from then until October 21 followed by the playoffs on October 22.

Here then, care of Riot Games, are the full 7.03 patch notes for Valorant.

Valorant Episode 7 Act 2 (7.04) patch notes

While Patch 7.04 includes changes to over half of the roster, the changes are sharply focused on increasing game state clarity by making the following adjustments: 

• Reducing the frequency of large area of effect of ultimates
• Reducing the amount of time utility is active in the world
• Reducing the HP of shootable utility
• We also believe the Ultimate cost updates below better align large area, high-impact ults with the pressure they place on the enemy, creating both a better pacing of the round-defining abilities and a clearer choice competition between high and low cost ults.

Though many of these changes are subtle, We hope all together they improve gamestate clarity and the sense that you have even more opportunities for your skill to shine through.

Breach

• Aftershock (C)
  • Ticks reduced from 3 to 2
  • Damage increased from 60 per tick to 80
• Rolling Thunder (X)
  • Ultimate points increased 8>>> 9

Brimstone

• Orbital Strike (X)
  • Ultimate points increased 7>>>8

Fade

• Prowler (C)
  • Time to re-equip gun takes slightly longer after using the ability.

Gekko

• Mosh Pit (C)
  • The impacted area does 10 damage per second before exploding
• Wingman (Q)
  • HP reduced 100>>>80
• Thrash (X)
  • Thrash’s explosion had a little makeover to make it easier to see and understand the area it has affected (on top of being beautiful)

Killjoy

• Lockdown (X)
  • Ultimate points increased 8>>> 9

Omen

• Paranoia (Q)
  • No movement velocity imparted when casting

Skye

• Guiding Light (E)
  • Max duration while casting reduced 2.5s >>>2s
• Trailblazer (Q)
  • HP reduced 100>>>80
• Seekers (X)
  • Ultimate Points increased 7 >>>8
  • Seeker Health decreased 150>>>120

Sova

• Recon Bolt (E)
  • Total number of scans reduced 3>>>2

Viper

• Viper’s Pit (X)
  • Ultimate points increased 8>>>9

Astra

• Gravity Well (C)
  • Startup time increased .6>>>1.25 
  • Gravity time duration decreased 2.75>>>2.0
• Nova Pulse (Q)
  • Startup time decreased from 1.25>>>1.0
• Cosmic Divide (X)
  • Audio now is blocked completely by the wall rather than muffled

Jett

• Tailwind (E)
  • Dash window decreased 12s>>>7.5s.
  • Activation windup increased 0.75s>>>1s.
• Cloudburst (C)
  • Duration decreased 4.5s>>>2.5s
  • Time to re-equip gun takes slightly longer after using the ability.
• Updraft (Q)
  • Charges decreased 2>>>1
• Blade Storm (X)
  • Ultimate points increased 7>>>8.

Map Updates

Map Rotation

• Breeze will be rotating back into the Competitive and Unrated map pool.
• Please note that Fracture and Pearl have been rotated out of the Competitive and Unrated map rotation.

New Map: Sunset

• Sunset, our newest map, features three lanes and two sites.
• Please note that the Sunset only queue will only be playable in Swiftplay mode for one week and then goes into the Competitive and Unrated map rotation in Patch 7.05.

Breeze

Mid Pillar

• One side has been closed off and boxes have been added.

Mid Cubby

• One side of the pillar has been closed off.

B Site

• Boxes have been added and parts of the wall around B Site have been removed and added.

B Back

• Boxes have been added and the stairs have been removed and walled off.

Blocked off A Hall

A Hall

•  Part of the hall has been walled off with a fence.

Mid Wood Doors

• Boxes have been added and door has been opened fully.

A Cave

• Interior has been widened and boxes have been added.

A Shop

• Entrance and interior have been widened.

A Site

• Pyramids have been made taller.

Player Behaviour Updates

Report UI Improvements

• We’ve increased readability by adding icons and showing detailed text descriptions when hovering over each of the newly added icons.
• We categorized the list of post-game reports into groups to help break down decision making from high level category to subcategories.
• We’ve added reportee info in order to reduce false reporting.

Premier Updates

Premier has officially launched!

• If you played in Premier’s Ignition Stage, your team and match history will carry over.
• Enrollment runs until September 7. The exact time for the end of Enrollment varies by Zone—make sure to check the schedule in the client for more information so you don’t miss it.
• Weekly matches will feature the full competitive map pool across seven weeks. Each week will still have one dedicated map and a maximum of two matches on said map. Matches start on September 7 and run through October 21, with Playoffs on October 22.
• Earn a Premier Score of at least 675 to qualify and to have a chance to be crowned one of the best teams in your Division.
• Performance will now be tracked from Stage to Stage. You will receive a Division crest at the end of each Stage.  
• Divisions will be split into five tiers: Open, Intermediate, Advanced, Elite, and Contender.

Bug Fixes

Agent

• Fixed an issue where Sage’s Barrier Orb (C) can break when being placed in between doors such as C Garage on Haven.

Gameplay Systems

• Fixed a bug where being killed on Fracture’s ziplines would make your Agent’s body appear in Spawn. 

Player Behavior

• Fixed a bug where pushing the play button on your keyboard caused voice to transmit despite having different keybinds set or none at all.

Premier

• If a match goes into overtime and results in sudden death, the end of game timeline now displays the sudden death round correctly.

Known Issues

Premier

• Overtime Priority vote sometimes triggers two times in a row for a team