Valorant Episode 3 Act 1 details: KAY/O release, ranked & economy overhauls

Valorant Episode 3 has finally arrived with Act 1 dropping on June 22. With new Agent KAY/O joining the fight, as well as major overhauls to ranked and the in-game economy, there’s plenty you need to know before you jump into the game.

Valorant Episode 3, named Reflection, has finally launched with Act 1. It’s a big hit of new content ⁠— like any Episode release.

While there’s a bit planned for the upcoming two months in this Act, there’s also plenty more on the horizon. Here’s what you need to know Valorant Episode 3 Act 1.

New Agent KAY/O finally released

The big news to come out of Valorant Episode 3 Act 1 is the release of new Agent KAY/O. After Riot skipped over a new character in the last Act, there was plenty of anticipation for one, and the Initiator certainly ticks all the boxes.

KAY/O’s kit is the first to feature a “self revive” of sorts, with his ultimate allowing him to be picked back up by teammates instead of dying for good. Not only that, but he’s jam-packed with utility, with suppressions, flashes, and grenades galore.

You can find out all about KAY/O here.

Ranked changes stops players feeling “hard stuck”

The voice of Riot’s Valorant competitive balancing team Jon ‘EvrMoar’ Walker presented players with some more good news regarding the ranked system heading into Episode 3.

The dev admitted the system originally implemented in Valorant ⁠— which “would adjust your MMR up to 100 games played, then it would cap you out” ⁠— had run its course. They’ve disabled the feature in the latest update to stop players feeling “hard stuck”.

“It should be a very noticeable difference where all the ranks — the high ranks, but especially the low ranks — are going to see a lot more accurate matchmaking.”

There is also going to be a level progression system implemented. While this doesn’t pertain to ranked entirely, players can now get rewarded for grinding up to Level 500 with a banner on their profile.

In-game economy overhauled with Agent and weapon changes

The way you approach each round of Valorant is also going to change in Episode 3. A sweeping pass on the economy has shifted the balance away from Agent power towards weapons. After all, in Valorant, shooting matters.

Across the board, Agent abilities will be more expensive and harder to come by in Episode 3. Rechargeable abilities, like Omen’s Dark Cover, will either have longer cooldowns, or you’ll have to pay for extra charges.

On the other hand, half of the game’s arsenal has been reduced in price. The only exception is the Judge, which has seen a price hike heading into the new Act, although there is a compensation buff to go along with it. Running accuracy, however, is being culled across the board.

Clash-style tournaments could be coming soon

Finally, to round out Episode 3 Act 1, League of Legends Clash-style in-game tournaments could be coming to Valorant in the very near future.

The developers teased the feature in the Episode 3 reveal, bringing teams of up to seven together to compete in tournaments throughout each Act. It all leads to one big event at the end of each Act, with massive prizes on offer for the winners.

While there was no time frame put on the release of Valorant’s Clash, knowing that it’s on the horizon is certainly enticing to players who want to gather their mates and compete in a more competitive environment than ranked.

Valorant Episode 3 Act 1 is now live. You can find the full patch notes here.