“Welcome to My World” Raises the Stakes for VALORANT’s 2026 Season

Jan 7

Riot Games has kicked off Valorant’s Season 2026 rollout with a new cinematic, “Welcome to my world…,” a lore-forward short that leans hard into the Alpha vs. Omega conflict and the costs of keeping Omega Earth alive. Framed as “why we fight back,” the video centers on the Omega side of the war and makes it clear that this isn’t just a smash-and-grab for radianite anymore, it’s personal.

The cinematic’s key beats spotlight an Omega squad under pressure. Chamber is shown critically wounded, Viper is furious at Brimstone’s command decisions, and Sage’s condition is portrayed as deteriorating in a medical setting. Elsewhere, the short cuts to quieter, human details, including Breach working with kids who use prosthetics, before ramping back into disaster imagery with collapsing structures and radianite exposure. It also escalates the mirror-match brutality, including a moment involving Sova’s eye, and hints at major fractures in Omega leadership as the faction doubles down on survival.

For players who want the practical “what does this mean for me” side, Season 2026’s first big patch is live as Patch Notes 12.00, and it is packed. Highlights include replays for custom Swiftplay and Standard matches (opt-in by the party leader), a hidden MMR update aimed at improving match quality, a major Breeze rework with reduced RR losses on the map for two weeks, a new limited-time mode called All Random, One Site, and a brand-new sidearm, the Bandit. Riot also lists agent updates, behavior, and penalty ladder changes, plus PC UI refreshes across the Home screen, lobby, and social panel.

Riot is also leaning into the storyline with an Alpha vs. Omega Conflict Event, a four-week global community competition where players pick a side, complete weekly challenges, and help their faction earn exclusive player cards, with top weekly point earners also eligible for physical merchandise.

Check out the new Valorant cinematic below.