VALORANT Will Let Players Use the Range While Searching for a Match

Riot Games is making a small but useful change to VALORANT's matchmaking system. Starting with Patch 13.06, players will be able to enter the Range while waiting for the game to find a match.

Previously, players had to stay in the main menu during matchmaking. With the new system, they will be able to use the waiting time to warm up their aim, practice with bots or test their settings.

Players Can Warm Up During Queue

Once matchmaking begins, players will be able to enter the Range without leaving the queue. When a match is found, they will receive a notification and can join the game.

The change should be especially useful for players who regularly spend several minutes waiting for ranked matches. Instead of sitting in the menu, they can use that time for a quick warm-up before the game starts.

Riot has discussed the possibility of allowing players to use the Range during matchmaking in the past, but technical and server-related concerns prevented the feature from being implemented earlier.

The feature will arrive with Patch 13.06 on September 22, 2026. The update will also introduce the new Warden weapon, the experimental Gauntlet: Glitched mode and other changes.

For players who like to warm up before competitive matches, the ability to use the Range while waiting should be a welcome quality-of-life improvement.