Next VALORANT Act and Battle Pass Dates: When to Expect New Content and Updates in 2026

If you're wondering when the next VALORANT Act and Battle Pass is, you're probably staring at your current pass trying to figure out how much time you've got left.

Act 2 is tied to Patch 12.05 and it's looking like a March 18 rollout based on everything Riot has shared so far. We've gone through the Premier timelines and patch notes to piece together the full picture, so here's what we know about the new Act and the next Battle Pass.

Most recommended betting site

How VALORANT Acts and Battle Passes work

If you're relatively new to VALORANT or you've never really paid attention to how the content calendar is structured in esports news, here’s how it all works.

The Episode and Act structure

VALORANT's competitive year is broken up into Episodes, and each Episode is divided into Acts. Each Act typically runs for about two months before the next one takes over, and every single Act comes with its own dedicated Battle Pass.

What happens to the old Battle Pass

When an Act ends, its Battle Pass ends with it, and a brand new pass with a completely different set of rewards takes its place on day one of the following Act. There's no overlap period or grace window where you can finish off leftover tiers from the previous pass, so anything you haven't claimed by the time the new Act rolls in is gone for good. It's a clean slate every time, which is part of what makes keeping track of these Act transition dates so important if you're someone who likes to get full value out of every pass.

The date you're looking for and why we're confident about it

There are always rumors flying around with these kinds of updates, but the trail Riot left is actually pretty easy to follow once you know where to look.

Connecting the dots through Premier

Riot confirmed that Premier Stage V26A2 kicks off at the beginning of Act 2 in Patch 12.05, with matches starting on Wednesday, March 18. Since Premier stages are directly tied to Act transitions, that gives us a reliable anchor for when the whole rollout happens. Act changes, patch deployments, and Battle Pass refreshes all land together in VALORANT, so once you can pin down one of those dates, the rest fall into place. That means the next Battle Pass is most likely launching on March 18 as well, because Riot ties a new pass to every single Act transition.

Regional timing can vary

The one thing to keep in mind is that Riot doesn't flip the switch everywhere at the same time. Different server regions go through maintenance at different hours, which means some players will get into the new Act before others depending on where they're located. It's not a huge delay, but if you're planning to drop in the moment the new pass drops, check Riot's Service Status page on patch day so you're not sitting there refreshing the client wondering what's going on.

Where to bet on esports online

What changes when a new Act drops

Beyond the Battle Pass refresh, there are a few things that shift when VALORANT moves into a new Act, and it's worth knowing what to expect.

Fresh Battle Pass progression

The most obvious change is that your old Battle Pass progression locks the moment the new Act begins, and everything resets with the new pass. Any tiers you didn't reach or rewards you didn't claim on the previous pass are gone for good, which is why timing matters if you're trying to squeeze every last reward out of your current pass before the cutoff.

Premier and competitive resets

On the competitive side, Premier moves into its new stage alongside the Act transition, and Riot has already laid out the Stage V26A2 timeline with matches beginning March 18 and playoffs following later in the stage. It's a natural reset point for the game's competitive system, and it gives everyone a clear starting line for the next stretch of ranked and Premier play.

What to do before the current Battle Pass expires

If you've still got tiers left to complete on the current pass, now is the time to buckle down because that window is closing fast. Here’s your pre-patch checklist:

• Check your current Battle Pass progress and figure out which remaining rewards you care about, because that'll help you prioritize your play sessions over the next couple of weeks rather than grinding aimlessly
• Claim anything you've already unlocked so nothing slips through the cracks when the pass transitions, since unclaimed rewards disappear along with the rest of the pass
• Bookmark Riot's Service Status page so you're ready to check your region's maintenance schedule on patch day, because you don't want to queue up for a last-minute session only to find the servers are already down for the update
• Plan your final sessions around the March 18 date and give yourself a buffer of a day or two rather than leaving everything to the last minute, because staggered regional rollouts mean the cutoff might hit earlier than you expect

Mark your calendar for March 18

Season 2026 Act 2 is right around the corner with Patch 12.05, and the new Battle Pass comes with it just like every Act transition before. If you've got unfinished business on the current pass, the next couple of weeks are your last chance to wrap that up. Start grinding and claim your rewards before the new Act comes!

Betting site with great odds