VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched is a new 16-player mode launching with Patch 13.06 on September 22, 2026. Eight teams of two build hybrid Robo-Agents by drafting randomized abilities, then upgrade those powers as the match progresses. It is VALORANT deliberately letting its normal Agent rules get weird for a short, fast tournament instead of asking players to commit to a full standard match.
How VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched works
VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched puts 16 players into eight duos. The teams rotate through short 2v2 fights in a tournament-style format, losing health when they lose rounds until teams are eliminated and one duo remains.
Riot is aiming for matches of roughly 8 to 15 minutes, which makes the mode much closer to a rapid roguelike run than a normal Competitive game. Mixed-skill duos are allowed, so the mode is also built to be easier to jump into with a friend who is not at your rank.
You build a hybrid Robo-Agent
The core idea behind VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched is that you do not simply select Jett, Sage or another normal Agent and use their usual kit. Everyone plays a hybrid Robo-Agent, then chooses abilities from randomized draft options as the run develops.
That means one build can combine tools that would never normally exist on the same character. The mode is not trying to preserve standard VALORANT balance; the appeal is discovering a ridiculous combination, upgrading it and seeing whether the duo can survive long enough to make it work.
Abilities level up from 1 to 3
Abilities in VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched can be upgraded through multiple levels. Higher levels add stronger effects or unusual augments rather than merely shaving a small amount from a cooldown.
- Yoru’s Fakeout can gain an upgrade that lets the decoy shoot.
- Skye’s Trailblazer can become a gigantic wolf capable of deleting an opponent.
- Gekko’s Wingman can grow from the familiar little helper into a much larger threat.
- Other drafted powers can receive altered damage, mobility or utility effects as the run continues.
Those examples explain the “Glitched” part of the name. Riot is intentionally twisting familiar abilities into versions that would be completely unreasonable in normal Competitive play.
What are Glitches?
Glitches are another layer of unpredictability in VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched. They can modify familiar powers in unexpected ways, meaning two runs with a similar starting draft can still develop very differently.
The result should be less about memorising one perfect meta build and more about reacting to what the draft actually gives you. Strong players will still have cleaner aim and movement, but the mode creates enough build variance that adapting quickly matters too.
How many maps are in Gauntlet: Glitched?
VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched launches with four compact arenas inspired by existing VALORANT maps. Riot describes them as familiar but uncanny: recognizable pieces have been rearranged and rebuilt specifically for 2v2 fights rather than standard five-player site attacks.
That matters because a normal map would create too much dead space for two-player teams. Smaller arenas keep fights moving and make drafted abilities relevant almost immediately.
When does Gauntlet: Glitched release?
VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched releases on September 22 with Patch 13.06. The same update adds the Warden rifle and Agent Mastery, so this is much larger than a one-mode patch. Our Warden rifle guide covers the new weapon, while the Agent Mastery guide explains the progression overhaul.
Riot previously confirmed September 22 as the Patch 13.06 date in its official VALORANT update notes. If you want the full patch rather than only the mode, our Patch 13.06 overview has the rest.
Because the ability pool is randomized, VALORANT Gauntlet Glitched should also have far more replay value than a fixed arcade ruleset. One run can hand a duo a clean set of complementary tools, while the next forces both players to improvise around awkward picks and strange upgrades. That uncertainty is the point. Winning is not only about raw aim; it is also about recognizing which draft has the best synergy, deciding when an upgraded ability is worth building around and adapting before another duo does the same thing better.
