VALORANT Patch 13.08 kicks off Act 6 with Map Rating, Corrode changes, a fresh map rotation, and several fixes. Riot also shared a major enforcement update, revealing 171,000+ cheating bans during Act 5’s detection period.
In brief:
- Riot detailed bans for cheating, botting, rank manipulation, toxicity, and gameplay abuse.
- Map Rating gives players a score and grade for their performance on individual maps.
- Corrode gets layout changes, while Bind and Corrode replace Ascent and Split in the rotation.
- Fixes address gameplay audio, the Masterful accolade, and Warden’s scope reticle.
Cheat Detection and Reporting: Riot Reveals Act 5 Ban Numbers
The enforcement report is a standout part of Patch 13.08. Riot’s figures cover August 18 to October 1, 2026, and count accounts banned from playing VALORANT for three days or longer. These are enforcement results from that period, rather than a single ban wave arriving with this patch.
| Violation | Reported bans |
|---|---|
| Cheating | 171,000+ |
| Botting | 54,000+ |
| Rank manipulation, including boosters, boostees, hitchhikers, and wintraders | 76,000+ |
| Toxicity or communication abuse | 74,000+ |
| Repeated AFK or gameplay abuse | 288,000+ |
| Using streamsniping and/or instalocking tools | 14,000+ |
Repeated AFK and gameplay abuse accounted for the largest category. The figures also show enforcement reaching players who manipulate ranked matches or use external tools to gain an advantage.
Riot says player reports help improve its detection tools and methods, and it’s asking players to keep reporting disruptive behavior in-game. The developer also plans to share penalty figures more regularly, while acknowledging that more work remains.
And for players frustrated by suspicious opponents or teammates repeatedly ruining matches, this gives a clearer picture of the action Riot is taking. Continued reporting remains part of that process.
Agent Buffs and Nerfs in Patch 13.08
Riot lists no direct agent or weapon balance buffs or nerfs in this patch. Killjoy receives a feedback improvement as moving doorways destroying her Alarmbot projectile will now trigger the appropriate destruction visuals and audio.
Map Rating Explained
Map Rating scores your proficiency on each map from 0 to 500, alongside a C to S grade. It considers overall, attacking, and defending win rates, plus Performance Score.
Recent matches carry more weight. Ratings are private, support Competitive and Premier, and start fresh without historical match data. You can check your rating, stats, and top agents through Agent Select, the end-of-game screen, and Career.
Performance Score Changes
Riot also explains adjustments that already went live during Patch 13.06:
- Damage, adjusted kills, and adjusted deaths have greater scoring impact.
- Those adjusted metrics account for first bloods and first deaths.
- Chamber’s scoring better reflects his utility use.
These changes address cases where contributions beyond fragging received too much weight.
All Corrode Map Changes
Corrode’s adjustments target rotations, Mid fights, and post-plant positioning:
- Defender routes: Shorter paths into the backs of A and B sites help rotations and retakes.
- Mid half wall: Now metal and shifted one meter, reducing wall spam and allowing movement toward A Link unseen from Top Mid.
- Lower Mid boxes: Moved toward B, with a jump-up added.
- Lower Mid wall: Raised to prevent peeking over it from the relocated boxes.
- A plant zone: Adjusted to weaken post-plant play from A Link.
Competitive and Deathmatch Map Rotation
Both queues receive the following rotation:
- Entering: Bind and Corrode.
- Leaving: Ascent and Split.
Client Interface Updates
Queue and Mode Select have a redesigned interface for matchmaking and custom games. Career also gains a navigation bar for easier access to Rank Legacy, Accolades, and Map Rating.
Patch 13.08 Bug Fixes
- Corrected the displayed requirement for the Masterful accolade.
- Fixed alternate footsteps sometimes failing to play for characters in Fog of War.
- Corrected the location of body-fall audio when agents died in Fog of War.
- Fixed weapon-bounce sounds sometimes failing to trigger.
- Corrected Warden scope-reticle alignment during full-auto firing.
Known Issues
Team MVP can still display incorrectly in Match History. Riot is working on a fix.
Range in Queue also remains disabled after it caused some players to enter a broken queue state while using the Practice Range. A fix is being tested.
