Big changes are arriving in Valorant Season 26 Act 1. Riot Games has officially confirmed that the tropical map Breeze will return to the competitive map pool. This addition comes at the cost of Sunset, which will rotate out when Patch 12.00 goes live.
This update shakes up the meta significantly as players prepare for the new season. Breeze has been absent from the competitive scene for over a year and a half, having been removed back in the 8.11 update. Its return marks a shift toward long-range engagements and open sightlines that many Aim Duelists enjoy.
The New Competitive Map Pool
The map rotation update is expected to land around January 7, 2026. This aligns with the in-game countdown for the new Act. With Sunset leaving the rotation, the active competitive pool will feature the following seven maps:
- Breeze (Returning)
- Corrode
- Split
- Abyss
- Pearl
- Bind
- Haven
Sunset has been a staple in the rotation since its release in August 2023. It has only been removed once before this update. While it leaves the competitive and Unrated queues, fans of the map can still play it in modes like Swiftplay and Spike Rush.
Potential Changes to Breeze
Players should expect a fresh experience on Breeze. In October 2025, Valorant Gameplay Product Lead Coleman ‘Altombre’ Palm hinted that the team was investigating updates for the map. While Riot Games has not revealed specific details yet, reworks often accompany a map’s return to the active pool to improve balance and playability.
Impact on VCT 2026
This rotation drops just before the start of the 2026 VCT Kickoff, which is scheduled for January 15th. It remains unconfirmed if this specific pool will be used for the Kickoff tournament immediately or if there will be a grace period for professional teams to adapt.
In addition to the map changes, Live Balance Designer Ryan Cousart has indicated that new agent balance updates will also arrive with the upcoming patch. Players should prepare for a completely refreshed meta as Season 26 Act 1 begins.
