The new Valorant Episode will see the addition of a new map – Lotus and rank resets as well.

Valorant Episode 5 had a lot of exciting new content with Pearl and Harbor’s addition. In addition to a new agent and a new map, there were new game modes, the introduction of map rotations, Ascendant rank, and more. These changes will roll over to Episode 6 and fans can expect more changes in 2023 as well.

When does Valorant Episode 6 Act 1 start?

Countdown
  • Pacific Timing: 6-7 AM PDT (Tuesday, January 10th)
  • Central Timing: 8-9 AM CDT (Tuesday, January 10th)
  • Eastern Timing: 9-10 AM EDT (Tuesday, January 10th)

With no official confirmation about the release time we can only rely on previous release times. These times might not be accurate but will give our readers a rough idea of when to expect the new update.

The new episode will go live shortly after the end of the previous act. With the new update, Valorant fans can enjoy a brand new map - Lotus. 

When does Valorant Episode 5, Act 3 end?

The final day for players to use their Valorant Episode 5 battle pass is Jan 10, 2023. Act 3 started on October 18 and featured a new agent, Harbor, as well as new skins. The Act has been going on for nearly 84 days and will finally come to an end on January 10.

The downtime lasts for roughly four hours so you need to be a bit patient once Episode 5, Act 3 comes to an end.

New map - Lotus

Lotus is the second Valorant map to feature three bombsites and is sure to introduce some unique playstyles and strategies.

Lotus is the latest map to join Valorant and is based in India.
Lotus is the latest map to join Valorant and is based in India.

Based in India, Lotus has a destructible wall as well as rotating doors. A silent drop also allows you to go to the lower level without making a sound. These unique features help Lotus stand out in the Valorant map list. 

"We wanted to make another 3 site map and show that this is more of a format we’ll keep using than just a single map. Additionally, we aimed to make a map with high flexibility and movement for both teams."

Joe Lansford, Level Designer - Riot Games

Lotus will have a separate queue different from unranked and ranked initially. This separate queue will help the developers assess the various problems and strengths of the new map in ways that only the creative community could showcase.