VALORANT Patch 13.05: Champions 2026 Pick’Ems live date and more

VALORANT Patch 13.05 officially kicks off the Champions season with Pick’Ems now live ahead of VALORANT Champions Shanghai. Players can make their predictions, earn points for correct picks, and score bonus points by accurately predicting each team’s exact placement.

Riot Games has also announced severe penalties for players caught stream sniping or using instalock tools.

Pick'Ems Champions Shanghai 2026

The VALORANT Champions Shanghai Pick’Ems will open on September 10, with the Group Stage predictions available both in-client and on the web. Players can earn points for their predictions, with bonus points awarded for correctly guessing exact placements.

Even if your predictions aren’t perfect, simply participating will earn you rewards. Make sure to lock in your Pick’Ems before the Group Stage kicks off on September 24.

Player Behavior Updates

Riot Games has begun rolling out penalties for stream sniping and the use of instalock tools. Players caught using these tools will receive temporary game bans, with repeated offenses potentially escalating to permanent bans.

What Comes Next?

Riot Games has also revealed an update coming with Patch 13.06 on September 22, which will revamp the Agent Gear progression system and change how players unlock items on the progression track.

Players will keep all the gear they’ve already earned, while Kingdom Credits will remain the currency used to unlock future gear. However, starting with Patch 13.06, each piece of Agent Gear will be tied directly to how much you play the corresponding Agent.

If you’re currently working toward Agent Gear for Agents you don’t normally play, now is the perfect time to grind those unlocks before the new system goes live.

For more details on the smaller updates, changes, and bug fixes included in the patch, be sure to check out the official VALORANT Patch Notes.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image by Riot Games