Riot Games has released Valorant Patch 12.03 on February 17, 2026. The update arrives as VCT 2026 Kickoff events wrap up around the world and the game begins gearing up for Masters Santiago. This patch brings a new limited-time mode, changes to Gekko, updates to the All Random One Site mode, new agent voice lines, and the return of Pick’Ems ahead of the first Masters event of the 2026 season.
Skirmish Is Now Live as a Matchmaking Limited-Time Mode
The headline addition in Patch 12.03 is Skirmish, a 2v2 limited-time mode that had previously only been available in custom games. It is now accessible through standard matchmaking.
Skirmish removes agent abilities entirely, focusing all gameplay on gunplay and individual mechanics. The mode follows a first-to-10-rounds format, and players have access to the full weapon selection every round without an economy system in play. There is no agent select screen, which makes finding and entering matches faster than usual. Three maps are randomly chosen for each match, though the specific maps included in the pool were not specified at the time the patch launched.
Players can solo queue into Skirmish and be paired with a random partner, or they can queue as a duo.
All Random One Site Gets Updated Stages and Loadouts
The All Random One Site mode, also known as AROS, returns alongside Skirmish in Patch 12.03. This update to AROS targets Stages and Loadouts. Weapons have been added to several stages, and some existing weapon options have been buffed. The changes are aimed at making gun loadouts feel more manageable within the otherwise chaotic nature of the mode.
Gekko Receives Reclaim Adjustments
Patch 12.03 brings notable changes to Initiator agent Gekko, specifically targeting his Reclaim mechanic. The timer players have to reclaim Globules has been extended from 15 seconds to 20 seconds. In addition, Mosh Pit is now reclaimable, which was not previously the case. Riot Games stated that these changes are intended to create more opportunities for players to engage with the reclaim system and to make Gekko stronger overall.
New Voice Lines Added for Viper, Omen, and Vyse
On the content side, Patch 12.03 adds new voice lines for three agents: Viper, Omen, and Vyse. The new lines for Viper include conversation exchanges with both Omen and Vyse specifically.
Audio Occlusion Update and Replay Improvements
The patch also includes a number of quality-of-life updates. Audio occlusion now responds to map doorways being opened, closed, or destroyed, which affects how sound travels during a match. Players using the replay feature now have access to a setting that allows them to skip spectating dead players during playback.
Pick’Ems Return for Masters Santiago 2026
Pick’Ems are back in Valorant ahead of Masters Santiago, the first Masters tournament of VCT 2026. The tournament itself begins on February 28, and predictions for the Swiss Stage will be available starting February 19.
For the Swiss Stage portion of Pick’Ems, players are asked to predict which teams will advance from the eight-team Swiss Groups. A bonus points option is available for players who correctly predict a team advancing with a perfect 2-0 record. Rewards are available based on Pick’Ems performance, and every player who participates earns an exclusive title regardless of how their predictions fare.
Player Stats Now Visible on the Esports Hub
For players who follow the competitive scene closely, player stats are now displayed on the Esports Hub Teams page. This gives players access to stats directly within the game without needing to visit external tracking sites.
MFA Now Required in APAC for Competitive Queue
Following the rollout of Riot Mobile multi-factor authentication requirements in other regions in earlier patches, the APAC region is now subject to the same rules in Patch 12.03. Accounts flagged for sharing and all players ranked Ascendant and above must enable Riot Mobile MFA to access the Competitive queue. Other game modes are not affected by this requirement. The change is part of Riot’s ongoing effort to reduce account sharing and smurfing in ranked play. Players who want a full recap of what changed in the previous update can refer to the Valorant Patch 12.02 notes covering Harbor buffs and Reyna nerfs, while those looking at the broader picture of how Season 2026 began can revisit the Valorant 12.00 patch breakdown for full context on the changes that set the competitive meta heading into this year.