Riot Games has officially shared that VALORANT will be skipping Patch 11.01 to prepare for its upcoming Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) upgrade.
The UE5 switch has been confirmed to release in the next patch, 11.02, aiming to enhance the tactical first-person shooter’s visuals and performance.
There were no details for what exactly would have arrived with Patch 11.01 if it did release, but Riot Games has shared that the changes planned initially for this update will now be released alongside the UE5 transition in the Patch 11.02.
In the announcement, Kenny ‘Karnifexlol’ Cameron, Global Community Manager at Riot Games, said: “Yes, today is when we’d normally put out a new patch. But in order to prepare for the upcoming UE5 upgrade, we’re skipping Patch 11.01 and making any changes scheduled for this patch with 11.02, coming July 29th.”
VALORANT Moves Over to Unreal Engine 5
VALORANT will soon reach it’s fifth anniversary this summer and Riot Games announced big changes coming to the esports title, from a replay system to the UE5 switch.
The game engine overhaul has been confirmed to release for Patch 11.02, which is scheduled to take place on July 29th, 2025, though a specific time was not shared.
First announced through the Unreal Fest Seattle 2024 showcase, a lot of fans are excited for what’s likely to be the most drastic change the game has seen yet. However, others are concerned that the update may bring in more problems than solutions, considering the mixed performance UE5 has experienced in other titles. According to Allvalorant.gg, Riot Games recently released an FAQ addressing the biggest concerns surrounding the update.
The game package itself will actually be ‘smaller than before the upgrade,’ according to the developer. However, it will require at least 30GB of free space on PC hard drives to install, a one-time instance and will not be permanent. It has also shared that the update will improve performances on low-end PC’s.
This change will undoubtedly affect upcoming VALORANT esports events after July 29th. For example, the update will take place near the beginning of VCT Game Changers North America Stage 2, which is running from July 28th to September 10th, 2025. Other events, like VALORANT Challengers 2025 Japan Season Finals, will also see this update take effect.
It’s still unclear how much the UE5 upgrade will impact players’ competitive performance.
