Riot Games and VALORANT revealed the new map today, Corrode, at VALORANT Masters Toronto 2025, launching June 25th.
With patch 11.00 dropping on Wednesday, some important balance changes are coming with a solid game changer. Riot Games and VALORANT revealed the new map today, Corrode, at VALORANT Masters Toronto 2025, launching June 25th. Corrode is the 12th map for standard play, with Abyss being the latest addition. The latest map features a lot of defensive, intricate aspects, but a simple mid lane for both Attackers and Defenders—forcing players to think strategically and less ability dumping on sites. CGMagazine will be testing out Corrode this week, so stay tuned for our thoughts.
Streamers/influencers tarik and Disguised Toast debuted the map at the VALORANT Masters Toronto 2025 grand final showmatch, offering audiences a first look at Corrode. The two content creators faced each other in two teams, showing off some classic VALORANT shenanigans on the new map. Corrode features medieval streets repurposed with industrial equipment and layered defenses perched high above vast salt flats. Here is a list of Corrode’s key features:
● 2 Spike Sites
● 3 Lane Layout
● Layered defences and fall-back positions
● Reduced overwhelming ability aggression in map design
For those invested in the lore, the 5v5 map is set in a French castle town transformed into a radianite salt mining facility. Corrode is set in the climate-ravaged world of Omega Earth, making this the third map on Omega Earth (joining Pearl and Lotus). Senior Manager for Art Direction on VALORANT, Daniel McGowan, noted Corrode how “they wanted to showcase how First Light dramatically altered the planet’s climate. Following First Light, the waters surrounding Corrode evaporated, exposing vast salt flats and creating conditions for radianite supercell storms. The whipping winds from these storms drive salt crystallization across the map’s architecture, creating a unique visual identity.”
Riot Games is rolling out the new VALORANT map by providing its usual map launch benefits, as it joins the competitive map pool at launch. During the first two weeks, players lose 50% less RR for losses on Corrode, but still gain 100% RR for wins to help them get in and practice the map in a competitive setting without the fear of deranking. Additionally, Swiftplay will have a dedicated Corrode queue from the map’s launch on June 25 through to June 30.
Based on the mini-map, screenshots, and developer answers, I can see the vision for the latest map. Lead Map Designer on VALORANT, Joey Simas, commented on Corrode’s design goals: “With Corrode, we wanted to solidify everything we’ve learned so far while also taking on new challenges that our players are facing—like overwhelming Agent utility.”
Without fully testing out Corrode first-hand, the map looks balanced, with B Site favouring Defenders and A Site favouring Attackers. But A has so many angles, making it difficult for Defenders to place trips that cover the whole site. A Cypher cam would provide some very useful info, especially when the Defenders are retaking each site. There is a mix of super open corridors and spaces, and some super tight spaces—allowing players to take on different fights and use purposeful utility.
This act also brings players the 1,000 VP cost, Phaseguard Collection, a skinline that embodies cutting-edge technology and tactical precision. Weapons included in the collection are the Vandal, Outlaw, Ghost, Bulldog, and new melee skin—the Splitter. The new Battlepass will feature items such as the 5 Years: Kill All Radiants Card, Bonsai Gun Buddy, ATLAS // CMD Vandal, and more.
VALORANT Season 2025 // Act IV goes live on June 25, with the Phaseguard Collection available to players on June 26. Be sure to check back in to hear our analysis of Corrode, and visit our socials, @cgmagonline, to see some exclusive footage!
UPDATED: Thursday, June 26 at 9:00 AM
After playing a few matches on Corrode with the Phaseguard bundle skins, this is an Act worth diving back into VALORANT for. Starting with the feel of all the gun skins in the Phaseguard bundle, the melee weapon is okay. The stabbing and slashing animations threw me off because of the angles of each stab. The Outlaw and Vandal were pretty decent too, adding a small, invisible energy pulse with each shot. The Phaseguard Ghost skin is a must-buy. Someone at Riot Games must have been inspired by John Wick because the inspect animation and the way your Agent model holds the gun is almost exactly how John Wick holds his pistols. The pullout animation of putting on the silencer is also chef’s kiss!
As for Corrode, the learning curve is very steep. Saying this today, I am still trying to remember all the map callouts. Each site has multiple angles to hold or get on site, making abilities and utility more key. The devs were right in saying how fights will be less utility dumping someone on a known corner, meaning there will be fewer 50-50 fights. This could be one of the most balanced VALORANT maps to date, solely based on the layout. I would argue it looks more CT-sided on paper because of the layers and angles the defense can hold sites, but it felt more T-sided after playing various matches.
Corrode has walls in abundance, but can be useful, more so for attackers. Both A and B sites have wallbang-able walls where the spike can be planted, making post-plant tactics an option. Another tactic could be planting in a more open space, allowing teammates to play off-site and hold from multiple angles. Teammates could also hold from one angle, but still leave the enemies guessing which angle they are holding when retaking the site. Overall, I enjoyed the chaotic nature of Corrode without any gimmicks like the middle ropes on Fracture or the revolving doors on Lotus.
