VALORANT Act 5 drops on Aug. 19 with patch 11.04, marking the return of Abyss to the competitive rotation as Icebox rotates out.
The Icebox haters were rooting for this moment to happen, and their wishes were finally heard. For VALORANT Act 5, Icebox is leaving the competitive map rotation, while Abyss makes its comeback with more falls out of the map.
VALORANT Act 5
You still have four weeks until the upcoming map rotation, so take your time to appreciate the icy map while it is still in the ranked pool. Icebox is getting out of the competitive scene, while Abyss steps in for Act 5. As VALORANT announced on X, the Act 5 rotation comes with patch notes 11.04, starting on Aug. 19.
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Unreal Engine 5
With Icebox removed and Abyss returning to the competitive map rotation, VALORANT Act 5 is already shaking things up. But the changes don’t stop there. Riot Games is transitioning VALORANT to Unreal Engine 5, Epic Games’ real-time 3D creation platform used for games, films, and interactive experiences. As a result of this major engine upgrade, patch notes 11.01 were skipped, with all upcoming changes bundled into the forthcoming 11.02 patch. These patch notes drop on July 29.
For now, this technology won't change a thing, as the senior vice president and head of VALORANT Studios, Anna Donlon, confirmed in October 2024. However, one of the main goals will be to improve the graphics quality of the game. “While I imagine folks would have many positive things to say about the game, graphics-forward is likely not one of them," she said.
With the VALORANT Esports World Cup 2025 now behind us, the action continues as the final Stage kicks off ahead of the VALORANT Champions Tour. All regions are already underway, so be sure to tune in to the official streams and broadcasts.
That's all for now. Stick around for more VALORANT news, guides, and updates on esports.gg.
