A new year is here and so is the new Episode 8 coming to VALORANT soon. There is a lot to be excited about in the new Episode 8 Act 1 as Riot is likely bringing a new sniper, the return of Icebox, and many more exciting features to the game. If you have been waiting to try out all these new changes, here’s the VALORANT Episode 8 Release Date.

Image Credits: Riot Games

What is the VALORANT Episode 8 Release Date?

All the VCT Leagues are set to kick-off in February. Thus, Riot is bringing a new patch well in advance. The VALORANT Episode 8 Act 1 is set to launch on the Jan. 10. Of course, the new Episode 8 in VALORANT will begin with its Act 1 and the expected release time is 2 PM PT (5 PM ET/10 PM BST).

However, as this is a brand-new episode, the exact release time is still subject to change.

The Ranked queue will also end early so that servers can go offline for maintenance before the upcoming update. The ongoing Night Market will also end a day before the release of Episode 8 Act 1. If players wish to buy new skins at a lower rate, they can do so during the remainder of this week.

Image Credits: Riot Games

Riot has already announced that there will be a new competitive map pool. In this, VALORANT Episode 8 will see the return of Icebox while Haven will be removed. It has also been rumored that the new gun Outlaw will be introduced in this episode. This gun has been mainly added to help balance the ongoing half-shield meta in competitive and ranked play. Additionally, it will be the first sniper added to the game since its release.

VALORANT Episode 8 Act 1 will also consist of changes to many agents. Currently, there isn’t much information provided on which agents would be buffed or nerfed in-game.