Valorant Patch 12.10 is here, and while it might look like a smaller update on paper, it delivers a feature the community has been asking for since the game launched. Riot has finally added a way to watch your friends’ replays.
If you are trying to rank up, coach a friend, or just want to prove that your teammate actually did whiff that easy clutch, you no longer have to rely on third-party recording software. This update also brings fresh content for players grinding the new Skirmish Ascension mode and kicks off the Masters London Pick’Ems for esports fans.
Let’s look at exactly what changed, how the new replay system works, and what you need to know about the new maps.
How to watch friend replays in Patch 12.10
The biggest addition in this patch is Replay Friend Sharing. You can now pull up a friend’s career page and watch their replays directly within the client. This feature supports Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay, and Premier modes.
If you play Custom games, there is a catch. The lobby owner has to manually check a box to enable replay recording before the match begins. You also have to remember to turn this setting on again every single time you start a new Custom match. It is a slight annoyance, but having the option at all is a massive win for teams looking to review their scrims.
Riot unlocked all agents for Skirmish Ascension
If you have been playing the fast-paced Skirmish Ascension mode introduced a couple of patches ago, you just got a nice upgrade. Riot unlocked the entire agent roster for both 1v1 and 2v2 Skirmish modes. You can now play anyone you want, even if you have not unlocked them on your main account yet. This makes Skirmish the perfect place to test out new agents or practice specific utility without risking your rank or spending Kingdom Credits.
Two new Skirmish maps just dropped
To keep the 1v1 and 2v2 modes feeling fresh, Patch 12.10 introduces Skirmish Map D and Skirmish Map E. Both maps are instantly available in all Skirmish queues and Custom games.
The big design shift here is the addition of ramps. Riot added these ramps to create more aggressive peek angles and force players to think about vertical movement during duels. If you rely heavily on holding flat, predictable angles, these new maps will force you to adapt your crosshair placement.
Free rewards for Masters London Pick’Ems
With VCT Masters London kicking off, Pick’Ems are officially live in the client and on the web starting May 27. You have to predict which teams will survive the eight-team Swiss groups.
If you get a perfect 2-0 run prediction, you earn bonus points. Even if your bracket gets ruined on day one, Riot is handing out an exclusive title just for participating. Top performers on the global leaderboard will earn extra rewards, so it is worth locking in your picks before the matches begin.
Stealth bug fixes for Harbor and Miks
While there are no major agent balance changes this patch, a few annoying bugs got squashed.
For Miks players, Riot fixed an issue where the M-Pulse healing effect would awkwardly linger on enemies after they left the zone. They also patched a bug where M-Pulse could cancel your weapon equip animations, which was getting players killed in tight situations. If you spam alt-fire, the ability will no longer activate in the wrong form.
Harbor mains also get a fix. If you were spamming the cast button during Reckoning, the ultimate would sometimes just disappear early. That is fixed now, so you can aggressively push your ult without worrying about it fizzling out.
Finally, Riot confirmed they patched the buy-phase spawn kill bug. Players were finding ways to accidentally shoot enemies from spawn before the barriers dropped. Riot quietly pushed this fix live during Patch 12.09, but officially documented it today.
What to do next
If you play Skirmish, jump into a Custom game and learn the ramp angles on Maps D and E before you queue up. If you care about free cosmetics, go to the Esports tab right now and lock in your Masters London Pick’Ems to secure your participation title. And if you are an IGL or a coach, remind your Custom lobby owners to turn on the replay toggle before your next scrim.
