Valorant is a competitive 5v5 character-based tactical shooter video game developed and published by Riot Games. It was released on June 2, 2020 for Microsoft Windows. The game consists of two teams of five players competing in a best-of-25 round match to be the first team to win 13 rounds. So in total, there can be up to 25 rounds in a standard Valorant match.
Quick Overview
Here is a quick overview of how many rounds are in Valorant:
- There are up to 25 total rounds in a standard Valorant match
- The first team to win 13 rounds wins the match
- Matches are best-of-25 rounds
- Each round has a 100-second timer
- There are 12 maps in the current map pool
- There is a 12-second buy phase each round to purchase weapons/abilities
- There are no ties – rounds will continue into overtime if needed
Regulation Length Valorant Match
In a standard regulation Valorant match, there can be up to 25 total rounds played between the two teams. Matches are played in a best-of-25 format, meaning the first team to win 13 rounds wins the match. If the match reaches a 12-12 tie, overtime will trigger with 3 additional rounds. So in a regulation length match, there will be either 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 total rounds played.
Round Time Limit
Each round in Valorant has a 100-second timer. The attacking team must plant the Spike at one of the bomb sites before time runs out, while the defending team must prevent this. The round immediately ends if the Spike is planted or defused, or if one team fully eliminates the other. If neither happens before the timer hits 0:00, the round ends in a draw and counts for neither team.
Overtime Rounds
If the match is tied at 12-12 rounds, overtime will trigger with 3 additional rounds (first to 2 wins). Overtime uses a 6-round economy system with reduced prices for weapons, armor and abilities. There are no draws in overtime – rounds will continue until one team gets 2 round wins. So a match that goes into overtime can have up to 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 total rounds played before a winner is determined.
Maps in Valorant
There are currently 12 maps in the official map pool for Valorant matches:
- Ascent
- Breeze
- Bind
- Haven
- Split
- Icebox
- Fracture
- Brimstone
- Pearl
- Lotus
- Catalyst
- Duality
Each map has unique layouts, environments and gameplay elements. All regulation Valorant matches are played as best-of-25 rounds, regardless of the map.
Round Phases
Here are the phases that occur within each round of Valorant:
- Buy Phase (12 seconds) – Players can spend economy credits to purchase weapons, armor and abilities
- Barrier Drop (5 seconds) – Round starts, barriers drop and players can move around the map
- Round (100 seconds max) – Teams engage in combat and attempt to eliminate the other team or plant/defuse the Spike
- Round End – Round ends when the Spike detonates or is defused, one team is eliminated, or time runs out
The buy phase gives teams 12 seconds to coordinate purchases and prepare their attack/defense using the economy system. When barriers drop, teams are free to rotate around the map and execute strategies. Rounds end in elimination victory, Spike detonation/defusal, or draw if the 100-second timer expires.
Spike Sites
There are two Spike sites located on opposite sides of each map. The attacking team must plant the Spike at one of these sites and protect it from being defused by the defending team. Planting or defusing the Spike immediately ends the round regardless of player eliminations or round time remaining.
Round Outcomes
Here are the potential outcomes at the end of each round in Valorant:
- Attacking Team Eliminated – Defending team wins the round if all attackers are killed
- Defending Team Eliminated – Attacking team wins the round if all defenders are killed
- Spike Detonates – Attacking team wins the round if the Spike detonates
- Spike Defused – Defending team wins the round if they defuse the Spike
- Round Draw – Neither team gets the round win if time expires
The goal is to either eliminate the opposing team or detonate/defuse the Spike to win each round. Draws do not count as a win for either side. First team to 13 round wins takes the match victory.
Economy & Purchasing
Players earn economy credits each round based on their performance to purchase weapons, armor and abilities. Here are some key components of the in-round economy system:
- Each player begins with 800 credits
- Credits carry over between rounds
- Credits are earned for kills, Spike actions, surviving, etc.
- There are 12 seconds to buy equipment at the start of a round
- Weapons, armor and abilities have different credit prices
- Teams can save credits by eco-ing or forcing buys when at a disadvantage
Managing the economy by coordinate purchases based on available team funds is an important strategic element. Players aim to buy rifles, armor, and utility each round, but sometimes must save credits by doing partial buys or saving over multiple rounds.
Sample Weapon & Ability Prices
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Vandal / Phantom Rifle | 2900 credits |
| Heavy Armor | 1000 credits |
| Ability 1 Charge (Agent-specific) | 100-500 credits |
| Ultimate Ability (7 charges) | Points-based |
Teams must strategize each round to maximize their available credits for purchasing based on economy and long-term saving for big purchases like Operator sniper rifles or key abilities before big offensive rounds.
Competitive Format
Valorant has a professional esports scene in addition to casual matchmaking. Here is an overview of the competitive format:
- Professional matches are best-of-25 rounds
- Most tournaments are double elimination brackets
- Pro matches are played on LAN with tournament organizers
- Ranked matches are best-of-25 rounds
- Players have visible competitive ranks (Iron to Radiant)
- Ranked matches have skill-based matchmaking rating system
The 13-round best-of-25 format is used for both casual and professional Valorant matches. Teams prepare strategies across all phases of rounds, managing economy, abilities, positioning and coordination to try to out-play opponents over the course of up to 25 highly competitive rounds.
Tournament Formats
Here are some examples of Valorant tournament formats:
- Champions Tour – Multi-regional Masters double elim with best-of-25 matches
- VCT Game Changers – Double elim with best-of-25 matches for women and marginalized genders
- First Strike – Regional qualification to Masters/Champions with best-of-25
- Pro circuits – Third party tournaments like VCT Game Changers
Best-of-25 rounds with a double elimination format is the standard for most professional Valorant tournaments and events. The consistent 25-round regulation match structure creates compelling storylines as teams battle through lower and upper bracket matches.
Round Strategies
Teams employ various strategies across rounds in Valorant matches. Here are some examples:
- Default – Standard setup to gain map control
- Rush – Quickly hit a site with overwhelming force
- Retakes – Coordinate to retake a site after plant
- Save – Play for exits and survive with guns for next round
- Force buy – Partial buy to try to win after losing previous
- Full buy – Spend maximum credits on rifles, armor and utility
Adaptability across 25 rounds is key. Teams buy weapons and abilities based on available credits and start executing site hits, retakes, rushes or defaults based on the game state. No two rounds play out the same, even when executing similar strategies on a single map.
Attacking vs. Defending
Attackers and defenders have different objectives each round:
- Attackers – Get a site take and plant the Spike for detonation
- Defenders – Prevent the plant through kills or delaying the attackers
Both teams are trying to eliminate the other, but attackers have the additional win condition of planting the Spike. This leads to asymmetric approaches across rounds and unique strategies for each half of the match.
Overtime
If the match ends in a 12-12 tie, an overtime period will be played:
- Overtime is first to 2 round wins, up to a maximum of 6 rounds
- Each overtime round has a reduced economy system
- Overtime uses a unique asymmetric bomb site structure
- Teams switch sides after 3 rounds, like a mini-half
- There are no round draws in overtime
Overtime forces teams to reconsider economy and strategy with asymmetric bomb sites and only 6 rounds max. Winning overtime rounds requires flawless execution and adaptation under pressure when the match is on the line.
Economy Changes
Here are the overtime economy adjustments:
- Reduced prices for guns, armor and abilities
- Every player gets 5000 credits each round
- Kill rewards reduced to 300 credits from 200
- Spike plant/defuse rewards reduced
- Eliminating a full team gives each player 1000 credits
The overtime economy system aims to put teams on equal economic footing, emphasizing strategy over long-term economy management. Teams can buy multiple rifles and full sets of abilities each round.
Conclusion
In summary, a standard Valorant match consists of up to 25 rounds with a 13-round win condition. Matches begin with a 12-second buy phase each round, then teams execute strategies across a 100-second round timer. Teams must eliminate all opponents or successfully detonate/defuse the Spike to win rounds and edge closer to the 13 required for match victory. If the score reaches 12-12, overtime begins with up to 6 additional rounds required for victory. Valorant’s 25-round format leads to dynamic strategy, economy management and adaptability over the course of a full match.
