Riot Games has launched a new VALORANT mode called Skirmish, revealed during the VALORANT Champions Paris livestream at FNS’s watch party. Riot says Skirmish is live now in customs and will appear in patch 11.07.
How Skirmish works
Skirmish lets teams of between 1 and 5 players fight on small maps for fast matches. The objective is simple – be the first side to reach 10 rounds won. There is no spike to plant or diffuse, it’s purely about getting kills 😤. Riot released three maps designed explicitly for Skirmish and confirmed that more modes are planned for 2026, although no further details were provided.
Players can view the official tweet showcasing gameplay below.
Introducing : Skirmish
Skirmish is a new game mode in customs providing 1v1 to 5v5 matches in 3 maps where you get into the fight right away. Skirmish is live now!
And yes, more modes are on the way in 2026 pic.twitter.com/4sKgoKI7Fo
— VALORANT (@VALORANT) October 3, 2025
VCT plans for 2026 and beyond
Riot also outlined esports changes tied to VCT. The publisher says VCT Masters will head to Chile and the UK, while Champions is scheduled for China.
Expanded tournament formats will appear in Kickoff and the first Masters event next year, and Riot will let the top Challengers team qualify directly for the VCT Stage 2 Playoffs, creating a path to Champions. More changes for VCT 2027 will be announced later, as partnered team contracts end in 2026. You can read about the expanded tournament formats online.
The final four teams at VALORANT Champions 2025 are still competing at Accor Arena in Paris through October 5th. Fans can attend in person or watch live on VCT’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
Skirmish changes how quick custom games can feel, and it gives players a clean, kill-focused option without the spike mechanics. Drop a comment with your first impressions and follow us on X and Bluesky to stay updated.
