As the competitive landscape of Riot Games' premier tactical shooter continues to evolve, a significant chapter is drawing to a close. The imminent arrival of Episode 4 Act 3 marks a pivotal moment, introducing fresh strategic elements and concluding the current competitive season. This update represents the culmination of the fourth major narrative arc, building upon a foundation laid since the game's explosive debut in mid-2020, which began with a modest roster of 11 agents and four maps. Over the subsequent years, the tactical sandbox has expanded remarkably, now featuring 19 distinct agents and seven intricate battlegrounds, including the complex Fracture map. The forthcoming act is poised to further enrich this ecosystem by introducing a groundbreaking new character, pushing the total agent count to an impressive twenty. This expansion underscores the developer's commitment to deepening the game's strategic meta and narrative depth.
The Arrival of Fade: A New Initiator Emerges
The centerpiece of the Episode 4 Act 3 update is the debut of Fade, the first Turkish agent to join the VALORANT protocol. Classified as an Initiator, Fade introduces a haunting and aggressive new playstyle. Her thematic design evokes a darker, more visceral counterpart to agents like Reyna, focusing on fear and manipulation. However, her core utility aligns more closely with intelligence-gathering specialists such as Sova and Skye. Her unique kit is designed to relentlessly hunt down opponents, revealing the positions of enemies who attempt to hide on-site and stripping away their informational advantage. The official gameplay reveal trailer, showcased alongside the sleek RGX 11z Pro weapon bundle and a new battle pass, has generated substantial excitement within the community. All this new content is scheduled to deploy simultaneously with the Act 3 update, heralding a significant shift in team composition and attack strategies.
Global Release Schedule and Server Downtime
The global rollout for Episode 4 Act 3 follows a well-established pattern by Riot Games. The update is scheduled to go live on Wednesday, April 27th, 2022, immediately concluding Episode 4 Act 2. Players are advised to complete any remaining battle pass tiers before this date, as the current pass will be permanently replaced. For the North American region, the maintenance window typically begins around 6:00 AM PDT. Based on recent precedent, the servers are expected to be offline for approximately four hours for the deployment of this major patch. Here is the expected release schedule for key North American time zones:
| Region | Time Zone | Expected Update Window (April 27th) |
|---|---|---|
| West Coast | Pacific Time (PDT) | 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM |
| Central US | Central Time (CDT) | 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM |
| East Coast | Eastern Time (EDT) | 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM |
For players in European regions, updates have historically arrived one day later. If this pattern holds, EU servers can anticipate the update going live on Thursday, April 28th, at approximately 5:00 AM GMT. Players worldwide can verify the precise maintenance status for their region through the official VALORANT server status page.
Competitive Queue Conclusion and Act Rank Finalization
With the end of an act comes the conclusion of the ranked season. The competitive matchmaking queue for Episode 4 Act 2 is scheduled to shut down prior to the update. For example, on Indian servers, the queue is set to end on April 27th at 7:30 PM IST (which corresponds to 7:00 AM PDT). Players are strongly encouraged to check the in-game Act Rank tab for the exact cutoff time in their local region. This marks the final opportunity to influence their Act Rank badge, which will be permanently displayed on their player card based on the highest rank achieved during Act 2. Following the maintenance period, the competitive ladder will be soft reset, and a new ranked climb will begin within the refreshed ecosystem of Act 3.
Looking Ahead: The Evolving Meta in 2026
As we reflect from the perspective of 2026, the introduction of Fade in Episode 4 Act 3 is now seen as a foundational moment that reshaped the Initiator role. Her ability to deny information and apply constant pressure created a new paradigm for executing site executes and retakes. The update set a precedent for agent design that balanced robust intelligence-gathering with potent offensive utility. The concurrent release of the RGX 11z Pro bundle also highlighted Riot's evolving approach to premium cosmetic content, offering cohesive, high-quality thematic sets. This act served as a crucial bridge, maintaining player engagement through fresh strategic layers and compelling new content, while setting the stage for the even more ambitious agent rosters and map designs that would define VALORANT's subsequent episodes. The game's continued growth from its 2020 launch to the expansive tactical experience it is today can be traced back to these consistent, impactful seasonal updates that regularly revitalize the competitive and casual experience alike. 🎯