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Valorant has had a fantastic year so far. Episode 8 was a lot of fun with the introduction of Clove and the new map, Abyss, and the game has also landed on consoles for the very first time. Right now we are in the early stages of Episode 9, and Riot has confirmed that Valorant update 9.01 has been delayed while also explaining why.
There is plenty to look forward to during Episode 9. Riot has begun teasing a new agent, and the developer has also confirmed the map rotation schedule for Premier. If you haven’t already, you can check out the update 9.00 patch notes to see all of the changes, nerfs, and more implemented with the beginning of Act 1.
The second patch of Episode 9 Act 1 was expected to come out next, but Riot has confirmed that Valorant update 9.01 has been delayed.
Why Valorant update 9.01 is delayed
Taking to Twitter, Valorant’s global community manager, Jo-Ellen Aragon, confirmed that update 9.01 “will not be deployed the week of July 8”.
The patch was originally slated to drop on July 9th, but there’s no mention of when it will come out now. However, assuming it has only been delayed by a week, the update should come out on July 16h/17th depending on your time zone.
As for why the patch has been delayed, it is because Riot Games are undergoing their annual mid-year summer break. On Riot’s official website, the developer posted the following statement:
“We’re taking the first week of July off to rest, recharge, and stretch our wrists. This will be our fifth year taking a summer break, so we’ve got the drill down now.
“Patch timelines may shift to accommodate, and, if so, individual game teams will share the specifics. In the meantime, some teams like our live operations, anti-cheat, and security teams will be staggering their breaks to make sure everything keeps running smoothly.”
So there you have it. The update has been delayed because Riot employees are understandably taking their summer break. Update 9.01 will hopefully arrive the week after originally intended.
As for what can be expected in update 9.01, all we know right now is a bug fix shared by the game’s product management lead, Coleman Palm:
For more Valorant, check out our 18 tips on how to get better at the game along with our guide for how to appear offline if you don’t want certain friends knowing you’re playing. We also have guides for how to chat with the team, all, and private, along with how to add friends.
