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Here’s how to start a bot match in Valorant, and when you can do it

Valorant bot matches

Valorant Patch 9.02 brought a lot of exciting changes to Riot’s colorful shooter including the ability to do bot training matches; here’s how to set up a game.

Valorant Patch 9.02 was a player behavior update that updated comm abuse penalties, fixed loads of bug fixes, and more. Players new to Valorant were also given an impactful update that may help them get a handle on gameplay faster.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to get into games that already have an established playerbase. While Valorant is seen as a bit more accessible than Counter-Strike 2, it still has a steep learning curve due to the number of agents and lineups players need to learn. Patch 9.02 makes a fresh start for Valorant players a bit easier by removing potentially toxic teammates and overly skilled opponents. It also adds another option for players to hide from Valorant’s toxicity.

How to play with bots in Valorant

Players can start a bot training match through the Practice menu. Alongside this, players will have the option to do one as part of the game’s onboarding process.

After first signing up for Valorant, or when starting the game for the first time on console, players need to go through Basic Training and practice in The Range. All new players will be required to play through the tutorial, which includes an optional Bot Training Match.

After going through Basic Training, Valorant players can do another bot training match in the Practice menu.

Some players have expressed that they’d like the opportunity to play against bots in custom lobbies as well. Sometimes playing against bots can help gamers get some practice in without feeling as stressed or pressured if they want a chill night of gaming. It can also help having bots when practicing certain lineups or strategies with new agents.

Are bots in Valorant good?

Valorant’s bots are not particularly good, though they can still kill stationary players.

Clips from bot training matches from Valorant players show doing many of the things that players shouldn’t ever do. The agents often stand still in open areas and don’t appropriately use skills. They also have slower reaction times.

Gamers have joked that it looks like Diamond lobbies. Of course, the point of Bot Training Matches are to get some practice in, not get destroyed by oppressive teams of bots.

Written by Olivia Richman X Twitter Logo

Olivia is a long-time esports and gaming journalist who has covered everything from EVO and Pokemon TCG tournaments to Amouranth's escapades. She has contributed major esports publications including Dot Esports, Upcomer, Inven Global, and more. You can find her doing Yoshi's down air in Smash Bros, freezing enemies as Mei in Overwatch 2, and running around with a cat on her shoulder in The Finals.

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