Everything you need to know about the new Valorant game mode Escalation

A new limited-time game mode called Escalation is coming to Valorant (Image via Riot Games)
A new limited-time game mode called Escalation is coming to Valorant (Image via Riot Games)

Valorant will be introducing a new limited-time game mode called Escalation.

The limited-time mode was first leaked on the Valorant Arabic website. It is the second limited-time event in the game, with the first one being the Snowball Fight mode.

Escalation will be launching on 17th February 2021 with patch 2.03.

Fans have been wanting a new game mode for a while since Deathmatch was added back in Episode 1 - Act 2. Limited-time events such as Escalation and Snowball Fight are certainly interesting to play with.


Escalation mode in Valorant

Escalation is based on the death and respawn mechanics of the team deathmatch, with the added complexity of weapon changes for every level.

It draws inspiration from the popular CS: GO mode, Arms Race.

The format of Escalation mode is as follows:

  • It is a 5v5 game mode in Valorant.
  • There are 12 Escalation levels, and each level has a specific weapon or ability.
  • The first team to complete 12 levels or the furthest along in 10 minutes wins the game.
  • The team must accumulate 7 points in a level to proceed to the next one.
  • A kill on the current level earns 1 point, and a kill on the previous level earns 0.5 points.
  • Each player has an individual weapon level to complete.
  • The player has to earn at least 1 kill on a weapon to unlock a new one.
  • The team can move on to the next level, even if the player is on a previous weapon level.
  • Each Escalation game runs for about 7 to 9 minutes.
  • There won’t be any Agent-specific character ability, only the loadout abilities that will be available to all players.
  • Players will be invulnerable for the first five seconds of respawn.
  • Players will drop a health pack on death, which will expire after 10 seconds.

The loadout for each of the player levels is as follows:

  • Level 1: Either Raze’s Showstopper or Vandal/ Phantom.
  • Level 2: Either Vandal or Phantom.
  • Level 3 to 11: Assorted weapons and abilities.
  • Level 12: Shorty, classic, Knife, Shock Dart.

Valorant also teased the return of the Snowball Launcher as a level 12 weapon.

Players will earn 800 experience points for completing a match of Escalation and 200 more for winning.

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