Many new Valorant players struggle to work out how to activate the rank system and start playing ranked games.
In Valorant, a player has to meet certain requirements before they can unlock competitive (ranked) mode and activate their rank.
1. Account Level Requirement
- You must reach account level 20. This is what unlocks ranked mode.
- You earn XP whenever you finish a match, whether you win or lose.
- You can stack XP faster by completing daily and weekly missions.
2. Placement Matches Required for Ranked Mode
- How many placement matches you play depends on the timing: 5 when a new season starts, and only 1 when you move between acts inside a season.
- Based on how you perform in those matches, the game assigns you a starting rank.
Tips:
- Modes for Earning XP:
- You can build up XP by playing modes such as Unrated or Spike Rush.
- Spike Rush is quicker, but the XP it grants is lower than Unrated.
- Completing daily and weekly missions matters and shortens the process.
In short, a new player who plays regularly and keeps up with daily and weekly missions can comfortably unlock ranked mode and start playing rank matches within roughly 1-2 weeks.
Riot keeps the current requirements on the official VALORANT Competitive Mode FAQ.