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Valorant Season 2025 Act 3: Map Rotation, Battle Pass, and Gameplay Updates Revealed

Satyam Kumar
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Valorant Season 2025 Act 3: Map Rotation, Battle Pass, and Gameplay Updates Revealed

Valorant’s Season 2025 Act 3 is set to launch in early June 2025, continuing Riot Games’ revamped seasonal structure. This update brings significant map pool changes, cosmetic additions, and gameplay adjustments, aligning with the developer’s focus on strategic diversity and competitive freshness.

Map Rotation Shakes Up Meta

The competitive map pool sees Fracture removed and Sunset reintroduced, marking the first major rotation since Act 2. Fracture’s exit follows mixed community feedback, with players praising its unique dual-site design but criticizing post-plant stalemates. Sunset returns after a two-act hiatus, now optimized for the latest agent meta, including Tejo’s area-control abilities. Bind remains in rotation, retaining its position as a fan-favorite for its teleporter-driven gameplay. The changes aim to balance tactical depth and viewer engagement, particularly for upcoming events like Masters Toronto.

New Battle Pass and Cosmetics

Act 3’s Battle Pass features the Bite Shift skin line, offering sleek, modular designs for the Vandal, Sheriff, and Operator, alongside a butterfly knife variant with dynamic inspect animations. A free track includes the “Serpent’s Strike” player card and “Golden Fang” gun buddy, while premium tiers unlock animated sprays like “Dragon’s Breath” and the Tacti-Bear Flex cosmetic.

Agent Updates and Balance Changes

While no new agent launches in Act 3, Riot plans adjustments to underperforming characters. Deadlock receives buffs to her Sonic Sensor range, and Harbor’s Cascade ability now deploys faster to enhance site-execute flexibility. These tweaks follow player feedback from recent tournaments, where initiators like Tejo dominated pick rates.

Ranked and Premier Updates

The ranked reset at Act 3’s launch incorporates a Rank Shield system, preventing demotions between major tiers (e.g., Platinum 1 to Gold 3) to reduce ladder anxiety. Premier mode introduces a revamped overtime system for tied matches, alongside updated leaderboards tracking regional standings.

Community Reactions

Discussions highlight polarized opinions on Fracture’s removal, with some praising its strategic uniqueness and others welcoming Sunset’s return for its mid-range duels. Pro teams like Paper Rex face adaptation challenges, having relied on Fracture as a staple map.

Valorant Season 2025 Act 3 launches June 3–4, 2025. Players can pre-load the update 24 hours prior, with server maintenance expected to last four hours.

How To Watch Replays in Valorant?

Sonu Banerjee
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How To Watch Replays in Valorant?

Following months of constant requests from the community, Riot Games has finally delivered, and the highly anticipated Valorant replay system has officially arrived with the game’s 11.06 update.

The long-awaited Valorant replay system gives players the ability to revisit their matches and watch replays across multiple game modes, whether it’s for deeper analysis, creating highlights, or watching a match from the enemy’s perspective. However, the system isn’t without its limitations.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how to watch replays in Valorant with this newly-added feature.

How To Watch Replays in Valorant?

Watching match recaps in Valorant with the new replay system is fairly straightforward and intuitive.

First, you have to head over to your career page and go to your match history. From there, locate the specific match you want to review, and with just a click, you’ll be able to download the full match replay.

Wait for the download to finish, and you’ll be able to jump into the match VOD right away!

Valorant Replay System Limitations

At the time of its release, the Valorant replay system will have certain limitations associated with it that Riot Games has already acknowledged.

For starters, players will only be able to watch replays from the following game modes:

  • Unrated
  • Competitive
  • Swiftplay
  • Premier

Most importantly, you won’t be able to download or watch replays of other players. This means you still can’t view your favorite pros’ matches from the game client or experience VCT and Valorant esports in general from a specific player’s perspective.

Lastly, players will only be able to download replays from the patch that is currently live. For instance, if you played a match on patch 11.06, you won’t be able to download or watch its replay once patch 11.07 is released. As soon as a new update goes live, all replays from the previous patch become inaccessible.

Valorant Replay System Release Date

As confirmed by Riot, the Valorant replay system will be available in-game for players to use starting September 16, 2025, with the 11.06 update.

Valorant Reveals Prelude To Chaos 2.0 Skin Collection

MongolZ Beats FaZe to Reach FISSURE Playground 2 Playoffs

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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MongolZ Beats FaZe to Reach FISSURE Playground 2 Playoffs

The MongolZ is in the playoffs of the Fissure Playground 2, having beaten FaZe Clan with a 2-1 scoreline. The Asian side had a field day against the FaZe roster that is on its last legs and is now heading to Belgrade Arena for the LAN playoffs.

VETO

  • The MongolZ removed Train
  • FaZe removed Overpass
  • The MongolZ picked Mirage
  • FaZe picked Inferno
  • The MongolZ removed Dust2
  • FaZe removed Nuke
  • Ancient was left over

Map 1: Mirage; Pick: MongolZ; Winner: MongolZ

MongolZ on their most successful map, went 5-0 up before FaZe managed to get a point on the board. The catastrophic start to the map put FaZe in comeback mode, who somehow struggled and pulled in 5 rounds to close the half with a respectable scoreline. Starting the second half with a pistol round win, FaZe failed to level the score till MongolZ rallied to map point. FaZe started mounting a comeback and were on the verge of nearly pulling it off in the final round of regulation as Tekno’s kill on broky sealed the map for them. Senzu standing up when it mattered, 21 kills from him stood vital for their team to push it to the next map.

Map 2: Inferno; Pick: FaZe; Winner: FaZe

Following a tough loss in the first map, FaZe started strong, going 5-0 up on Inferno. MongolZ recovered late into the half but ended their defense with a 5-round deficit as FaZe edged out with a 7-5 scoreline. While MongolZ managed to recover the game to a degree before FaZe Clan took back control of the game as both teams traded rounds for a while before FaZe hit map point first, failing to capitalize on their lead, the Asian side took the game to overtime. MongolZ kept troubling FaZe in overtime, but the latter managed to push the series to a 3rd map, with frozen bringing home the final back with a 3K. Rain with 26 kills proved to be instrumental against MongolZ, with the rest of his team stepping up when it mattered, and now they are a map away from playoffs, having lost the opening map of the series.

Map 3: Ancient; Pick: Decider; Winner: FaZe

MongolZ disassembled the FaZe defense in the first half, leaving them little to no room for a comeback moving into the second. Total annihilation for the first 7 rounds, followed by both teams trading rounds, led to an 8-4 scoreline favoring the Asian side. The second half was equally poor for FaZe as they failed to post a single round till MongolZ were already at a series point. Two rounds later, MongolZ shuts down the FaZe offense effortlessly and booked their spot in Belgrade.

Rain has been extremely reliable for the side tournament long, and as reports suggest, he will be making way for Twistzz. Little do we know about the direction this FaZe roster is heading, but it will be interesting to see how they manage the team after this event. As for the Fissure playground, they are hanging by a thread, and the next match will either send them through or send them home.

Valorant Reveals Prelude To Chaos 2.0 Skin Collection

Sonu Banerjee
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Valorant Reveals Prelude To Chaos 2.0 Skin Collection

The fan-favorite Prelude to Chaos skin bundle is finally making a return to Valorant!

Riot Games teased the comeback with a short video posted on its official X account on September 15, giving players a glance at the iconic skin collection.

As confirmed by prominent Valorant leaker and dataminer ‘ValorLeaks’ shortly afterward, the video was indeed a teaser for the upcoming Prelude to Chaos 2.0 collection.

The devs have yet to announce an official release date for the Prelude to Chaos 2.0 collection in Valorant. Leaks suggest that the bundle will be available for purchase from the in-game store starting September 18, 2025.

Not much else is known about the highly anticipated Prelude to Chaos sequel at the time of writing. However, since the first edition of the collection included a Vandal, it’s safe to assume that the Prelude to Chaos 2.0 bundle will feature a Phantom skin as its primary attraction.

For the uninitiated, the original Prelude to Chaos bundle featured skins for the following weapons:

  • Shorty
  • Stinger
  • Vandal
  • Operator
  • Melee

In the 2.0 iteration, these weapons are unlikely to return, except for a melee skin. Fans are speculating that the new bundle will introduce fresh additions like a Guardian or a shotgun skin.

Similar to the original bundle, the Prelude to Chaos 2.0 collection is expected to be Exclusive-tier, meaning each skin will likely cost around 2,175 VP, while the melee is likely to be priced at roughly 4,350 VP.

Valorant Devs Reveal Massive Ban Wave and Adds Replay System in 11.06 Patch Notes

Sonu Banerjee
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Valorant Devs Reveal Massive Ban Wave and Adds Replay System in 11.06 Patch Notes

The long wait is over, and the replay system is finally arriving in Valorant with the game’s next update!

As confirmed by Riot Games, the highly anticipated replay system will finally be added to Valorant with its upcoming 11.06 update. It will enable players to watch their own replays across Unrated, Competitive, Swiftplay, and Premier games, but there’s a catch!

Players will only be able to check their replays from the patch that is currently live. For instance, if you played a game on patch 11.06 and you want to view the match replay on patch 11.07, you won’t be able to. Once a new patch hits the live servers, all replays from the previous one will no longer be accessible.

Additionally, you won’t be able to check out other players’ replays. This means that players will still be unable to tune into pro VODs from certain player perspectives or watch replays of the VCT or Valorant esports matches in general.

Alongside adding the replay system, the devs have also revealed a massive ban wave that took place over the past six months. According to Riot, the most recent crackdown removed over 40,000 bot accounts during this period.

Valorant 11.06 Patch Notes

Without further ado, let’s check out the detailed patch notes of the Valorant 11.06 update:

ALL PLATFORMS

COMPETITIVE UPDATES

  • Our last banwave hit 40,000 bots over the last 6 months!

BUG FIXES

  • Agents
    • We have fixed a rare bug where in a very very specific set of circumstances, Yoru and Reyna, after turning invisible, would reappear in their original location after the invisibility ended.

PC ONLY

GENERAL UPDATES

  • Replays
    • Replays are now available for your Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay and Premier games. Jump over here for more details!

PERFORMANCE UPDATES

  • The RawInputBuffer setting has been removed and is no longer configurable. The setting will be enabled at all times for players because it is more performant.

CONSOLE ONLY

KNOWN ISSUES

  • The highlight behavior for dropped weapons and the Spike is incorrect and will highlight when players are merely nearby rather than when directly looking at them. This will be resolved in Patch 11.07!

BUG FIXES

  • Fixed an issue with how New Player Tips were displayed on console.

Epic Starts Rolling Out Fortnite Thin Client

Aritra Patra
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Epic Starts Rolling Out Fortnite Thin Client

Epic Games has started rolling out its long-awaited “Thin Client” feature on Fortnite, a moment of gaming innovation that may redefine how live-service game players engage with those experiences.

The Thin Client technology, under development for more than a year, will enable future players to download selectively only the Fortnite game modes they intend to play, significantly minimizing the game storage space from its present 60-100GB to around 16-20GB for the main client.

The system works similarly to platforms like Roblox, providing users with essential features, including the lobby, cosmetics store, and Battle Pass interface upon initial installation. Players can then choose which additional content to download separately, including Battle Royale, Zero Build, Creative/UEFN, LEGO Fortnite, Fortnite Festival, and Rocket Racing modes.

This module-based strategy aims to rectify one of gaming’s most intractable issues: oversized game files that hog valuable storage space. Fortnite presently takes up anywhere between 18GB and more than 100GB, depending on the platform and downloaded features, prompting numerous users to uninstall other games or applications to make room for updates.

Phased Global Rollout Begins

The Thin Client feature is starting its phased rollout worldwide today, first debuting on mobile platforms and then spreading to PC and consoles.

The rollout is a notable departure from the initial timeline of Epic Games, which first planned for October 2024 before being pushed back to mid-2025 amid technical hurdles. The firm has since opted for prioritizing the assurance of the system seamlessly operating on all platforms prior to full rollout.

The Thin Client technology would set a new precedent for live-service games, some of which have come to massive sizes over the years. Games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare have become sizes greater than 200GB, providing storage management headaches for players.

KPop Demon Hunters Set to Join Fortnite Battle Royale: Leaks

Epic’s solution has specific advantages for console gamers, particularly Nintendo Switch users who commonly face storage constraints given the platform’s low internal memory. The tech also deals with download time and data consumption worries, which are specifically applicable to players who have slower internet speeds or data limits.

The Thin Client improves upon Epic’s past optimization work, such as a successful 2020 effort that had cut Fortnite’s PC file size from more than 90GB to less than 30GB by means of better compression methods. The new framework goes further in that it provides fine-grained control over installed content.

The technology offers capabilities like on-demand cosmetic downloads, keeping the base installation size low but allowing access to bought content. Optional visual stuff like high-definition texture packs is still a standalone download, allowing users to have full control over their storage space allocation.

The gaming public has reacted enthusiastically to the news, with many seeing it as a long-awaited fix for storage limitations. Industry observers indicate that this may pressure other big publishers to follow suit and use modular methods for their live-service games.

G2 Beats GamerLegion to Book FISSURE Playground 2 Playoffs Berth

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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G2 Beats GamerLegion to Book FISSURE Playground 2 Playoffs Berth

G2 Esports is in the playoffs of FISSURE Playground 2, having beaten GamerLegion with a 2-1 scoreline. Starting the series with a map loss, G2 came in clutch to win back-to-back maps and make it to the playoffs over GamerLegion.

VETO

  • GamerLegion removed Mirage
  • G2 removed Nuke
  • GamerLegion picked Overpass
  • G2 picked Ancient
  • GamerLegion removed Dust2
  • G2 removed Train
  • Inferno was left over

Map 1: Overpass; Pick: GamerLegion; Winner: GamerLegion

GamerLegion got on the board after a clean pistol round win from G2 and kept them on the back foot right from the second round of the map. G2 kept bleeding rounds up until the very end when they put together a few to close the half with a 4-8 deficit. The second half replicated a similar story, as after losing the pistol, GamerLegion converted their force buy to get back to their winning ways. G2 could barely put up a fight for the remainder of the half, leading to GL cruising past them with a rock-solid defense to close the half with a 13-5 scoreline. Tauson, with 19 kills, proved instrumental in GL taking down a giant in G2 and putting his team a map away from the playoffs.

Map 2: Ancient; Pick: G2; Winner: G2

After getting walked all over on Overpass, G2 came out swinging. The offence from G2 destroyed the poorly organized defense from GL, and the first half concluded with the latter managing only two rounds. Switching sides with a 10-8 scoreline, G2 didn’t let the risk of a comeback loom over their heads for much longer and closed it without letting GL win a single round in the second half. Compensating for the poor performance in the first map, MATYS came up clutch with a 20-6 scoreline to take the game to the final map.

Map 3: Inferno; Pick: Decider; Winner: G2

Hitting the scoreboard with a second-round force, G2 put up a streak of 6 rounds to build a decent scoreline before GL could make a few rounds come their way. As the scoreline was getting tighter, G2 pulled in the final few rounds of the half to edge out a solid lead of 8-4. The second half started well for GamerLegion as they levelled the scoreline before G2 could win a round. Levelling the score twice in the second half was far from sufficient as G2 managed to pull in the last 3 rounds of the map to win the series. Back-to-back scoreboard topper across both maps, MATYS’s 22 kills came in clutch for the team to qualify for the playoffs.

GamerLegion, despite their valiant effort, will need one more win to make it to the playoffs. Despite lacking any big names bar REZ, the team has been making the titans sweat, and from their recent form, all it will take is a good day to slay a giant.

KPop Demon Hunters Set to Join Fortnite Battle Royale: Leaks

Aritra Patra
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0
KPop Demon Hunters Set to Join Fortnite Battle Royale: Leaks

Netflix’s all-time hit animated movie, KPop Demon Hunters, is coming to Fortnite, according to several reputable Fortnite leakers. The partnership is one of the quickest from movie launch to game inclusion in Fortnite history.

Renowned Fortnite dataminers SpushFNBR, Loolo_WRLD, and HYPEX confirmed the collaboration on September 15, with SpushFNBR indicating that the information came from “a reliable source.” The collab will launch during the ongoing Chapter 6 Season 4, which ends on November 1, 2025.

Industry reports indicate an official statement may come within the next 1-2 weeks, with actual content falling between September 26 and early October 2025. This would take advantage of the movie’s unprecedented success while maintaining momentum prior to Fortnite’s next Fortnitemares event.

KPop Demon Hunters has broken Netflix viewing records since its release in June 2025, totaling over 280 million views and making it the platform’s most-watched original film. The movie’s soundtrack has been equally successful, with four songs charting on Billboard’s Hot 100 and the song “Golden” topping worldwide charts at number one.

The cross-promotion should have skins of the movie’s three heroines – Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, who make up the imaginary K-pop group HUNTR/X but fight demons in secret. Players should expect several cosmetic looks, from glitzy performance attire to demon-hunting combat gear.

Other content may include theme-based emotes using the group’s choreography, jam tracks with popular songs from the soundtrack, and items based on the film’s colorful style. There’s some speculation that HUNTR/X may top a potential future Fortnite Music Festival, especially after the ongoing Gorillaz festival finishes on October 10.

The crossover represents Epic Games’ continued strategy of partnering with culturally significant properties, following successful collaborations with Marvel, anime franchises, and major recording artists.

Fortnite x The Simpsons Season Confirmed: Release Date, Map Details & Iconic Characters Revealed

Satyam Kumar
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Fortnite x The Simpsons Season Confirmed: Release Date, Map Details & Iconic Characters Revealed

Fortnite is preparing for one of its most nostalgic and culturally significant crossovers to date. Fresh leaks suggest that the long-rumored collaboration between The Simpsons and Epic Games is finally becoming a reality, with an entire Fortnite mini-season set in the animated world of Springfield.

According to prominent Fortnite insiders such as @Loolo_WRLD and @Egyptian_Leaker, the upcoming mini-season—expected to launch following Chapter 6 Season 4—will revolve around the universe of The Simpsons. The four-week event is rumored to introduce a new, standalone map roughly the size of the current Reload map, designed specifically for a 40-player mini battle royale format. This marks a shift from traditional Fortnite gameplay and signals Epic’s ongoing commitment to innovate through themed experiences.

The new mode will reportedly include its own matchmaking lobby, bringing features like Boons into play while possibly replacing the core Battle Royale mode for its duration. While this could impact Fortnite esports dynamics, especially the FNCS (Fortnite Championship Series), the competitive edge won’t disappear—Reload Open Cups will continue, now likely set in Springfield’s zany terrain.

Though Epic has not confirmed which characters will appear, fans can likely expect iconic figures like Homer, Bart, and Lisa to make their debut as playable skins. Potential Points of Interest (POIs) on the map include fan-favorite Springfield landmarks such as Lard Lad Donuts and the Kwik-E-Mart, which could drastically reshape how players strategize and engage with the environment.

This move comes on the heels of other successful Fox collaborations including Peter Griffin and the Father’s Day cartoon dad bundle. With The Simpsons boasting over three decades of fandom, the crossover could draw a new audience into Fortnite’s expanding universe.

For players and pop culture enthusiasts alike, this may be more than a seasonal update—it’s a digital love letter to an American animation institution.

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