Video Games
How to play Valorant
Attack or defend a bomb site with a five-agent team; win rounds through the Spike objective or eliminating the opposition.
What you need
VALORANT on a supported platform, a Riot account and an internet connection
Set up the game
- Finish the in-game tutorial and choose Unrated to learn standard rounds without ranked stakes. Pick an agent and read that agent's abilities.
- This guide covers the standard five-versus-five Spike mode; Swiftplay, Deathmatch and special modes change the format.
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Playing Valorant
- At the start of a round buy a weapon, armor and abilities with available credits. Attackers move toward a site and plant the Spike; defenders try to stop or later defuse it.
- A team can also win a round by eliminating all enemies, subject to the planted Spike timer: a defender cannot ignore an armed Spike after killing attackers.
- Eliminated players wait for the next round. Teams switch attacking and defending sides partway through the standard match; the first team to the mode's required round count wins, with tie handling varying by queue.
A site retake after the plant
Your defense team hears that the Spike was planted at B. Rather than chasing a lone attacker on the other side of the map, regroup near B, clear likely hiding spots, and leave enough time for a teammate to defuse. A kill elsewhere does not stop the timer.
The planted Spike changes the defenders' job
Before the plant, defenders protect sites and can win by preventing the objective. After the plant, time favors attackers; defenders need to reach the Spike and complete a defuse. A round is not automatically over when its last attacker is eliminated if the Spike is already counting down.
Beginner decisions
- Enter a site with at least one teammate ready to trade an elimination rather than exposing yourself alone.
- Save enough credits for a coordinated future buy if the whole team cannot afford equipment now.
Common rule mix-ups
- Walking away after the last attacker dies while the Spike is still planted; defenders must defuse before detonation.
- Assuming an ability use replaces the need to clear sightlines and protect the planter.
Questions about this game
Do you respawn during a standard round?
Normally no; your next life starts with the next round. Other modes can differ.
Is the Spike the same as a kill target?
No. Its plant, detonation and defuse conditions can decide a round even when players remain alive.
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Sources and edition notes
Riot VALORANT standard Spike/Unrated structure, not Swiftplay or Deathmatch. Agent abilities, maps, buy values and overtime settings change with updates.
Sources and stated format checked October 13, 2026. This records a document check, not a claim of hands-on testing.
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