Valorant Players Finally Get Replays

After five years of endless community requests, Riot Games has finally delivered one of Valorant’s most anticipated features. With the release of Patch 11.06, PC players now have access to the in-game replay system, a tool that allows them to download and revisit their own matches directly from the client.

The system is neatly integrated into the Match Details and Career pages, giving players the chance to review their performance without needing external recording software. From perfect clutches to frustrating mistakes, every moment can now be re-examined in detail.

How the Replay System Works

Replays are currently supported in Unrated, Competitive, Swiftplay, and Premier matches. Once downloaded, players can use several tools to analyze their gameplay, including:

  • First-person views for all players

  • A third-person observer camera

  • Player outlines for tactical reviews

  • Timeline navigation to jump between rounds and moments

Riot also confirmed that replays run independently from live games, ensuring there’s no hit to performance even on lower-end systems.

The Major Limitation

As exciting as this update is, there’s a catch that has sparked debate within the community. Players can only rewatch matches they personally participated in.

That means no downloading pro VCT matches for study, no reviewing a friend’s game for coaching, and no sharing replay files online. For now, the system is strictly personal use. Anyone wanting to showcase or analyze someone else’s match will still need third-party recording tools.

Many competitive games like Dota 2 already allow fans to access professional match replays, a feature that has been central to player learning and esports culture. Riot’s cautious first step leaves room for improvement, but fans are already pushing for broader functionality.

Other Key Changes in Patch 11.06

The replay feature wasn’t the only addition in this update. Riot has also rolled out several fixes and updates, including:

  • Mass Bot Ban: Over 40,000 bot accounts were banned in the past six months.

  • Agent Fixes: Bugs with Yoru and Reyna teleport abilities have been resolved.

  • Console Update: A fix for incorrectly highlighted weapons and the Spike will fully roll out in Patch 11.07.

  • Performance: The RawInputBuffer setting is now permanently enabled to improve responsiveness.

What This Means for Valorant’s Future

While the replay system is still limited, its arrival marks a major milestone for Valorant’s growth. For casual players, it’s a powerful tool to review mistakes and improve gameplay. For competitive players, it opens the door to deeper analysis, though its true potential will only be unlocked if Riot expands functionality to include shared replays and pro match downloads.

Still, after half a decade of waiting, Valorant players finally have what they’ve been asking for — a built-in way to study and learn from their own games.

 

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