Valorant's ranked Competitive mode has been live all weekend for anyone with access to the closed beta. Similar to other competitive, team-based games like Riot's League of Legends or Valve's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which Valorant draws influence from, the new competitive mode is available alongside its casual, "Unrated" mode. Once you unlock Competitive mode, playing a certain number of placement matches will earn you your first rank, which is a reflection of your skill level and will affect how Valorant's matchmaking system pairs you with other players in ranked play. But how does Valorant's Competitive ranked mode work? How many Unrated matches do you need to play before Competitive unlocks and how do you earn your first Competitive rank? And what are the Valorant ranks anyway?
In this guide we'll break down all your questions about Valorant's ranked system, as explained in Riot's official blog, so you know what to expect when diving into Competitive mode for the first time.
How Many Games To Get Ranked Play In Valorant?
To unlock Valorant's ranked mode, which is officially called Competitive mode, you have to complete 20 Unrated matches.
How Many Placement Matches To Get Ranked?
To get your first rank in Competitive ranked play, you have to complete a total of five placement matches. Your performance during these matches will determine what your competitive rank is. Find the list of possible ranks and skill badges, and a deeper explanation of how Valorant's ranked system works, below.