Every Act and Season in Valorant comes with a reset — but the size of that reset depends on which rollover it is. Here’s exactly how placements and resets work in 2026, current for V26 Act 6.
How many placement matches in 2026?
It depends on the rollover:
| Rollover | Placement matches |
|---|---|
| Season start (Act 1) | 5 |
| Mid-season (Act 4) | 5 |
| Regular Act start (Acts 2, 3, 5, 6) | 1 |
The current Act 6 (live since patch 13.08, October 13, 2026) is a regular Act start — returning players need just one placement match to reveal their rank. Your hidden MMR carries over, so your visible rank comes back quickly.
Highest rank you can place: Ascendant 3
Since patch 11.00 (June 2025), the maximum initial placement is Ascendant 3 — raised from Ascendant 1. Nothing in the 2026 patches has moved it since. Two realities to know:
- On a fresh account, Diamond 1 is the realistic ceiling players report — placing Ascendant on a brand-new account is close to unheard of, no matter how well you play placements.
- If you’ve previously hit Immortal 3 or Radiant, the system weighs your history: expect to land in Ascendant regardless of placement performance, then climb back.
What resets at an Act start (V26 Act 6 rules)
- Visible rank: hidden until your placement match, then revealed near your previous standing (MMR carried over).
- Immortal and Radiant: RR cut by 90%, every Radiant returned to Immortal until they requalify. The leaderboard must be re-earned every Act.
- Act Rank badge: starts fresh, tracking your highest win this Act. You need nine wins in the Act to earn the badge and qualify for end-of-season rewards.
- What doesn’t reset: your MMR, your account level, your skins (obviously).
2026 requirements to queue Competitive
- Account Level 20 unlocks Competitive. (Played ranked before Episode 4 in January 2022? It stays unlocked regardless.)
- Riot Mobile MFA is required for Ascendant and above (patch 12.01, January 2026) across NA, LATAM, BR, KR, EU and APAC. No MFA, no queue — set it up before you hit Ascendant, not after.
- Radiant upkeep: play at least one Competitive game every seven days to hold your leaderboard position.
Season vs Act: the 2026 structure
Riot moved to yearly Seasons in 2025 — six Acts per Season (the old Episodes held three). Season 2026’s six Acts end with the current Act 6, projected to close January 6, 2027. The next turnover is the seasonal one: five placements for everyone, and the heaviest reset of the year.
Act-end rewards (gun buddies tied to your highest Act Rank) are awarded twice a year — mid-season and season end — not after every Act.
Frequently asked questions
Do ranks reset every Act in Valorant? Yes, but it’s a soft reset: one placement match, MMR carries over, and your rank returns quickly. Only season-start and mid-season rollovers use five placements and drop you meaningfully.
What’s the highest placement possible in 2026? Ascendant 3, set in patch 11.00 (June 2025). Riot’s own support page still says Ascendant 1 in places — that text predates the change.
Do I need MFA to play ranked? Only at Ascendant and above, via the Riot Mobile app (patch 12.01). Below Ascendant, no MFA requirement.
When does V26 Act 6 end? Riot hasn’t announced it officially; community projections based on game data point to January 6, 2027 — the same day Season 2026 is expected to end.
Related guides
All Valorant ranks in order · How RR and MMR work · Rank distribution 2026 · Which ranks can queue together