VALORANT Season 26 Act 2 and New Battle Pass Launch Set for March 18

VALORANT Season 26 Act 2 launches March 18 with a new Battle Pass, rank reset, and the debut of Agent 30. Get the full maintenance and release schedule.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 26, 2026, 7:38 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Esports Insider

The Arrival of Agent 30

The centerpiece of the Season 26 Act 2 update is the addition of the game's 29th active agent (designated as Agent 30). Multiple teasers have already appeared in-game and via trailers for the Masters Santiago tournament. Coordinates found in recent promotional materials suggest the new character hails from Croatia. While their abilities remain under wraps, the community expects a full gameplay showcase on March 15, just three days before the official patch. Interestingly, the long-missing "Agent 8" remains absent from Riot's current roadmap, leaving fans to wonder if that lore mystery will ever be solved.

Battle Pass and Competitive Reset

As with every new Act, players can expect a fresh Battle Pass priced at 1,000 VP. While the specific skin lines and cosmetic themes have not yet been fully revealed, the pass will include the standard array of weapon skins, player cards, gun buddies, and sprays across both free and premium tracks. Crucially, the launch of Act 2 will trigger a rank reset. Players are encouraged to finish their current Act 1 contracts and competitive climbs before the March 18 deadline, as the transition will lock in previous progress and require new placement matches.

Maintenance and Regional Rollout

To ensure a smooth transition, Riot Games will disable the competitive queue and take servers offline for maintenance starting on March 18. The downtime is expected to last roughly four hours per region. The rollout follows a staggered schedule: