Introduced on December 6, 2022, as part of Patch 5.12, Swiftplay is a worth playing game mode in VALORANT. The game mode was in beta testing up until patch 6.0’s release date of January 10, 2023. Now, it has become a permanent mode.
Each VALORANT game mode is unique in many ways, as is Swiftplay. If you don’t have much time to play the first-person shooter, it’s a better option than Unrated. With the exception of a shorter match duration and a few economy enhancements, the rules for VALORANT Swiftplay mode are identical to those for Unrated. Amazingly, this mode awards a great deal of XP after each match.
Stick to this article till the end to get a detailed guide to the new VALORANT mode and how you benefit from it.
How to play Swiftplay mode in VALORANT?
Playing the Swiftplay mode is as simple as playing the unrated mode.
Swiftplay is a typical 5v5 VALORANT game mode that lasts about 15 minutes. The rules and gaming mechanism are the same as those of the Unrated. There is a single spike carrier, and teams play as defenders and attackers, with a switch between them after four rounds.
The first team to win five rounds will win the match. Like in Unrated, you can choose an agent that you own. Notably, the economy has been streamlined and made favorable for this mode.
Economy
Swiftplay is quite fast-paced, and hence the developers have designed the economy system for this particular mode accordingly to fit the game’s requirements.
At the beginning of the match, you and your teammates get 800 Creds, and the Creds reset to the same amount after switching sites (after 4 rounds). In the subsequent round, you will have a minimum of 3,200 Cred if you lose and 800 Cred if you win. More Creds can be earned from the following ways:
- Kill – 200 Creds
- Plant Spike – 300 Creds
- Round Win – 0 Creds
- Round Loss – 0 Creds
- Round Loss (1) – 500 Creds
- Round Loss (3) – 1,000 creds
This is a Swiftplay-tailored economy, and you don’t have to worry about not being able to buy an expensive gun two or three times.
Map pool
Swiftplay’s map pool was the same as Unrated’s map pool until patch 5.12. However, after patch 6.1, Lotus (the new map) and Split also joined the map pool. That is, the VALORANT Swiftplay map rotation includes all nine maps, i.e., Fracture, Bind, Breeze, Icebox, Pearl, Haven, Ascent, Split, and Lotus.
Features of Swiftplay
Here is the list of key features of VALORANT Swiftplay mode as mentioned in the 5.12 Patch Notes.
- Swiftplay is the condensed version of Unrated mode.
- First to 5 rounds wins, with 4 rounds half.
- Spike mode victory conditions apply (single spike carrier).
- Credit amounts are assigned at the start of the round.
- 800
- 2400 (excluding the 600c bonus for winning the pistol)
- 4250
- 4250
- Weapon and credit carryover are permitted.
- Winning pistol round gives 600 credit bonus.
- Standard Kill (+200c) and Spike Plant (+300c) bonuses.
- 2 Ultimate points are awarded at the start of each half.
- Sudden death overtime.
- Match is approximately 15 minutes.
How much XP does Swiftplay give per game?
XP (Experience Points) is one of the most sought-after reward points in VALORANT. Gamers can use their hard-earned XP points to progress through battle passes and agent contracts.
While you can gain XP by upgrading to Battle Pass, the best and only free way to do so is by playing matches and completing daily and weekly missions in different game modes.
The first-person shooter offers a variety of game modes, and in all except Deathmatch, you can earn XP by completing tasks and missions. Swiftplay can indeed offer much more than the competition, particularly Spike Rush, which was previously highly praised for giving out more XP.
XP offered by VALORANT Swiftplay mode
- For each round played – 100 XP (max. 900 XP as the maximum number of rounds is 9)
- For each round won – 200 XP (max. 1000 XP as first to 5 round wins)
Thus, you can earn a maximum of 1,900 XP (in the case when the score is 5-4) and a minimum of 500 XP (in the case when the score is 0-5) per game, excluding the additional XP that you can gain through daily and weekly missions.
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Penalty for leaving Swiftplay match
The VALORANT penalty system is quite rigid. Any unhealthy activity in-game can result in several repercussions. Small and irregular bad behavior usually results in a warning notice; however, you can be banned for frequent misbehavior such as leaving ongoing matches, queue dodging, and engaging in friendly fire, regardless of previous warnings and alerts.
These ban rules apply to almost every mode in VALORANT, including Swiftplay. In Unrated and Competitive modes, however, account restrictions for unhealthy activities are typically more severe.
The ban can last from a few minutes to several days, and in extreme cases, it can be permanent. As a result, you must exercise caution when playing the new Swiftplay mode. Keep a healthy environment within the game and especially avoid “AFK” (Away From Keyboard) activities.
According to Riot’s official VALORANT Bans and FAQs page, based on your in-game behavior history and their intensities, you can face the following penalties for the corresponding time period:
| Penalty | Duration |
|---|---|
| Warning | N/A |
| XP denial | 1 Match |
| Rank rating deduction | 1 Match |
| Queue restriction timer | 3-240 minutes |
| Ranked restriction timer | 7-14 days |
| VALORANT game ban | 7 days-permanent |
Here’s why you should play Swiftplay mode
Swiftplay’s shorter match duration is the main benefit of the game mode; in contrast, Unrated’s lengthy match duration is now something you should avoid if you don’t have much time.
In Unrated, the first to 13 rounds wins the match, while in Swiftplay, the first to only 5 rounds wins the match. The new mode allows you to do everything that you can do in the standard VALORANT mode.
Notably, VALORANT beginners who have just started learning to plant the spike, aim properly, and use agent abilities should prefer the Swiftplay mode as they can grasp more strategies in less time. Also, if you are preparing for competitive matches such as local and official tournaments, Swiftplay can help you a lot.
Pro tips to play Swiftplay mode in VALORANT
There are no discernible differences between Swiftplay and Unrated. If you are already a pro in the Unrated/Competitive mode, you can adopt similar strategies to play the new mode as well. However, you must put in more effort from the start of a match as there aren’t many rounds to make a comeback.
Here are some tactics and tips you can follow to boost your performance in Swiftplay:
- Buy Frenzy (pistol) in the first round of a half and Spectre (SMG) in the next round. These are highly efficient and relatively cheaper weapons. You can save Creds for abilities and armors in initial rounds.
- Play with team coordination.
- Mind your footsteps while walking.
- Try to win the first two rounds. It will make it harder for opponents to come back.
- Keep XP missions in mind and complete tasks accordingly to increase your XP gain rate.
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How Swiftplay is different from Spike Rush?
Spike Rush was the most popular game mode for enjoying VALORANT battles on a tight schedule before Swiftplay was added to the shooter game. Players often compare these modes because they are both relatively short and follow the 5v5 spike mode.
Despite some similarities, these modes differ in terms of rules, features, and other aspects.
Here is a quick comparison of Spike Rush and Swiftplay that can help you decide which one to play more:
| S.N | Spike Rush | Swiftplay |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | First to 4 rounds wins. | First to 5 rounds wins. |
| 2 | 3-round half | 4-round half |
| 3 | All attackers carry the spike and anyone can plant it. | Single spike carrier. |
| 4 | You don’t have access to the buy store to buy a desired item. You get randomized weapon loadouts. | You have access to the buy store. |
| 5 | No economy system. | Streamlined economy system. |
| 6 | Agent abilities are automatically unlocked at the beginning of every round. | You will have to buy specific agent abilities by spending creds. |
| 7 | Added powerup Orbs. | No additional powerup Orbs. |
Please keep in mind that this is not an official comparison chart. The points mentioned are only for a quick comparison of the modes, and some may have gone unnoticed in this table.
Conclusion
Our final words about the VALORANT Swiftplay mode are highly positive. As explained previously, this mode is ideal for practicing the standard VALORANT game and thus performing admirably in Unrated and Competitive modes, especially if you are a beginner or an esports athlete.
The mode is set to last approximately 15 minutes, which is three times less than “Unrated.” In other words, you can play three Swiftplay matches in the time it takes to play a single unrated match.
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