On Sunday, Riot Games officially revealed Summit, the next map coming to
VALORANT. Set within the iconic
Zhangjiajie mountains in China, the new battleground was introduced through a teaser trailer, following the publisher’s usual approach when announcing major additions to the game. As part of the reveal, Riot also organized a showmatch ahead of the Masters London final.
Ten VALORANT influencers competed on Summit, offering players a first look at its gameplay, architecture, and the strategic possibilities it may provide once it becomes available to the wider player base.
Summit will officially enter VALORANT’s competitive map pool on June 24. To help players adapt to the new environment, Riot Games has announced a temporary measure for ranked matches played on the map. During the first two weeks following its release, defeats on Summit will result in 50% reduced RR losses, while victories will continue to grant 100% of the usual RR gains. In addition, a dedicated queue called Summit Only will be available for seven days in the Swiftplay format, allowing players to familiarize themselves with the map more quickly before encountering it in competitive play.
A New Retake Mode
Riot has also announced the launch of Retake, a new 3v3 game mode built around one of VALORANT’s most decisive scenarios: retaking a site after the Spike has been planted. In this faster-paced format, the Spike is automatically planted a few seconds after the start of each round at a location visible to all players. One team must then defend the site while the opposing side attempts to retake it and secure the defuse.
Teams alternate between the roles of Planters and Retakers each round, with the first team to secure five round victories winning the match. The attacking side can prevail either by eliminating all opponents or by detonating the Spike, while defenders must either eliminate the entire enemy team or complete the defuse.
To increase variety from round to round, players select two cards each round that provide randomized equipment options: one card determines weapons and armor, while the other grants ability charges. These options progressively scale as the match advances. The mode will be played on a selection of individual sites taken from existing VALORANT maps, a rotation Riot plans to expand gradually throughout the Act. Like Summit, Retake will become available on June 24.
