Players can view the entire match from the perspective of any of the ten players, rewind, and adjust settings to analyze "essential in-game information."
"Replays were designed as a tool to show a complete view of your recent matches." This statement from the VALORANT Team marks the end of a years-long community wait and the beginning of a new era for tactical gameplay analysis. With the release of Patch 11.06, Riot Games has finally delivered its most-requested feature: a built-in replay system. But the update isn't just about looking back; it's also a major step forward in cleaning up the game, with the announcement that a massive wave of 40,000 bot accounts has been banned.
The headline feature is unequivocally the launch of the full replay system. After being the subject of community memes and requests since the game's launch five years ago, players can now download and rewatch their matches from any player’s perspective. This landmark addition is aimed at helping players "analyze your own play... to better understand what went right or what went wrong." Alongside this, Riot announced a significant enforcement action: a ban wave targeting 40,000 bot accounts over the last six months, a direct follow-up to recent increased penalties for AFK and queue-dodging players.
The system is integrated directly into the game's client, requiring no external downloads. To access it:
Once inside, players can view the entire match from the perspective of any of the ten players, rewind, and adjust settings to analyze "essential in-game information" like abilities and shots.
Despite its strength, the system has a few significant limitations that players should be aware of:
No Sharing: Replays cannot be shared with other players and only function on the account that downloaded them.
No Clipping: There is no built-in function to clip or save segments; players will still need external software to create highlight videos.
Past Games Excluded: The system cannot access any matches played before Patch 11.06 went live.
Mode Restrictions: Replays are available in Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay, and Premier, but are not available for Esports matches, Tournament mode, or Custom games.
As of the launch on September 15, 2025, the replay system is PC-only. Console players have a confirmed release date set for November 11, 2025, at 9:00 AM PT. The feature will be stable on PCs thanks to this phased rollout before moving on to other platforms.
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Riot Games provided a significant update on its ongoing battle against malicious bots and disruptive behavior. The announcement that 40,000 bot accounts have been banned in the last six months is a clear message that the developers are cracking down on activity that ruins the competitive integrity and experience for legitimate players. This work is in addition to the more severe penalties for queue-dodging and AFK that were added in the last patch.
There are no changes to agent balance in Patch 11.06, therefore the competitive meta is unaltered. However, a rare bug was fixed involving Yoru and Reyna. Under a "very very specific set of circumstances," these agents would reappear in their original location after their invisibility periods ended, rather than where they actually were. This fix resolves a potentially game-breaking glitch.
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The introduction of replays is more than a quality-of-life feature; it's a foundational tool for competitive growth. It will empower casual players to review their mistakes, allow aspiring pros to deeply analyze their gameplay, and streamline the coaching process.
A more knowledgeable and experienced player base is being supported by Valorant, which is increasing its strategic depth by offering a server-side record of every activity.
