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Valorant players are gearing up for the release of the next Episode and its first Act in Riot's massively popular multiplayer FPS. This will mark the start of a new chapter for the game, with fresh content being added to the lore, cosmetics, and possibly a new map that Riot has been hinting at for a while now.
Before each patch, players get to test the upcoming features in the Public Beta Environment (PBE) before it goes live in the main client. This allows Riot to iron out any crinkles and smoke out any bugs to ensure players get the best possible experience once the patch gets released worldwide.
The PBE schedule for the upcoming patches has recently been revealed for players to get acquainted with.
A look at the schedule of upcoming PBE patches in Valorant
In Valorant, Episodes mark the largest competitive time frame, containing three Acts and lasting for around six months. With every new Episode, players will get a new gunbuddy based on the highest competitive rank they had in the previous Episode. Their ranks also receive a soft reset, and players will have to play five placement games to calibrate their rank.
The upcoming update will mark the beginning of Episode 5 of the game. The schedule for all Episode 5 Act 1 patches for PBE was recently revealed in a tweet by the Valorant dataminer, Shiick. The tentative dates are as follows:
- Patch 5.00 - Friday, June 17, 2022
- Patch 5.01 - Friday, June 24, 2022
- Patch 5.02 - TBA
- Patch 5.03 - Friday, July 22, 2022
- Patch 5.04 - Friday, August 22, 2022
- Patch 5.05 - TBA
The dates mentioned above mark the first day of the PBE patches, which will open on Friday at around 4.00 pm PDT and end next Monday morning at 11.00 am PDT. The tweet also mentioned that these dates may change subject to various factors, and they are not "set in stone."
Talking about the game's Public Beta Environment, Riot states:
"You'll be able to break in new maps, assess new Agents, and more! Better yet, we'll try to squash any pesky bugs you find along the way to ensure our shiny new content is well-tuned and (hopefully) glitch-free before it goes live."
Fans can register for the game's PBE server and try out the new content beforehand. However, Riot has mentioned that the player's live account must have no restrictions or current bans and must be in the North American region.
What can players expect with Episode 5?
Not much is known about what the new Episode will bring. It has been speculated from hints that Riot has dropped over the last few months that Valorant will get its eighth map, which will have an aquarium or an underwater location as its theme. Fracture was the last map added, and this was back in September 2021 with Episode 3 Act 2.
Along with this, the game will also get a new skin bundle and battle pass, which will bring a bunch of new cosmetics that players can procure and flaunt. Players can also expect a brand new cinematic trailer that will herald the arrival of Episode 5.
