Valorant Episode 5 Act 1 details: Release date, new map teasers, more

jett sitting on rooftop in valorant cinematicRiot Games

Valorant Episode 5 is here, and it’s a big one. The Act 1 content is primed to feature a new map and potentially an agent, and that’s not all: here’s what you need to know, including the release date.

Riot are gearing up for their big twice-yearly release in Valorant as Episode 5 nears. While changes from Act to Act are always great affairs for players, the swapping over of an Episode has that extra allure.

There’s high expectations on Valorant Episode 5 — maps have been long-teased, while Riot has been lips shut on the agent front. All that, and more surprises, could be on offer when it drops in June 2022.

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Here’s what we know about the next chapter in Valorant: Episode 5 Act 1.

Valorant jett running looking in mirrorRiot Games
Riot are sprinting towards Valorant Episode 5 Act 1.

What’s coming in Valorant Episode 5 Act 1?

New map Pearl coming for Episode 5 release

Almost a year after the release of Fracture, Valorant players are getting ready to wrap their head around a new map in Episode 5 Act 1: Pearl.

It will be the game’s eighth battleground, and has been teased for nearly a year at this point.

The map, once codenamed “Pitt”, has been floating around Valorant lore for months. Riot has mentioned it being held a “city-wide geo dome” made to stop the high tides — and with plenty of aquarium references.

However, Pearl’s inclusion is not the only map-related change this patch. Split will be dropped from the map pool in a controversial move as Riot tries to limit the amount of active competitive maps to seven.

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valorant pearl map

Regular array of skins, battle pass content

There’s no confirmed agent release for Valorant Episode 5 Act 1 — although Riot does like keeping with the one agent an Act schedule, so don’t expect one to be too far away — but the regular array of skins and battle pass content will be on offer.

Players can expect the same 50-tier battle pass to launch for Valorant Episode 5 Act 1, including sprays, skins, Radianite Points, and more. A skin bundle will likely drop at the same time too, refreshing the in-game store.

screenshot of fade in Valorant's agent selection screenRiot Games
Riot hasn’t confirmed who Fade’s successor will be in Valorant Episode 5.

Valorant Episode 5 Act 1 release date

Valorant Episode 5 Act 1 is all due for release on June 22, 2022. New map Pearl will go live immediately, as well as all the new content — which you can read up on via the patch notes.

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