The V26 Act 5 Night Market is over: it ran from September 22 to October 6, 2026 (from 00:00 UTC on September 23), announced by Riot on September 15, 2026 on the official @VALORANT account on X. As of October 28, 2026, Riot has not announced a new date. With roughly one Night Market per act, the next one is expected during Act 6 (live since October 14, 2026, until January 6, 2027) – unconfirmed. Before that, the Night Market ran from July 16 to July 29, 2026. Riot usually announces the date about a week in advance; it typically opens with the shop reset at 00:00 UTC (2:00 am CEST).
Status: Night Market ended – next date open
The Night Market is open! Confirmed window: September 22 – October 6, 2026. Open the shop in your client and reveal your six cards – your offers stay unchanged until October 6.
The Night Market has ended. The V26 Act 5 Night Market ran from September 22 to October 6, 2026. The next one is expected in the current act (V26 Act 6, until January 6, 2027) – Riot has not announced a date yet. Until then, practice in the Night Market simulator or check your daily shop with the store checker.
Last window: September 22 – October 6, 2026 – announced by Riot on September 15, 2026 on X (@VALORANT: “Night Market returns Sept 22 – Oct 6”). As soon as Riot names the next date, a live countdown to the start returns here.
Just like in the game: six random skins with real artwork and realistic discounts. The perfect way to see which offers are worth it.
🃏 Open the Night Market simulatorPast dates & the next Night Market
| Window | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Next date | Open | Not announced yet – expected during Act 6 |
| Sep 22 – Oct 6, 2026 | Ended | Announced by Riot on September 15, 2026 on X (@VALORANT) |
| July 16 – 29, 2026 | Ended | Ran exactly two weeks |
The Night Market doesn't follow a fixed calendar: Riot schedules it several times a year, usually a few months apart, staying open for one to two weeks. The exact date is only ever certain once Riot announces it.
The key rules in 20 seconds
All details, the skin pool and saving tips are in the full Night Market guide. To judge how good a discount really is, compare regular set prices in our Valorant bundles overview.
How Riot announces the date – and where you'll see it first
Riot deliberately treats the Night Market like a small surprise: there is no fixed calendar published far in advance. Instead, the announcement almost always follows the same pattern. About one week before the start, a short post appears on the official @VALORANT account on X, usually with a teaser video and the exact date. Shortly afterwards the notice shows up in the game client too, and once the event starts, the familiar card icon appears in the top right next to the shop.
For you this means: you don't have to launch the client every day to stay in the loop. That is exactly how it went for the last Night Market: on September 15, 2026, @VALORANT posted “Night Market returns Sept 22 – Oct 6” – so the date was set a week before the start. A bookmark on this page is all you need.
Why late September? The act rhythm explained
Valorant is organized into seasons, which are divided into acts of roughly two months each. The Night Market has been tied to this rhythm for years: it appears several times a year, usually a few months apart, and then stays open for one to two weeks. That is exactly where the September projection came from – which Riot has since confirmed.
The Night Market before last ran from July 16 to July 29, 2026 – exactly two weeks, in the middle of the act at the time. Adding the usual gap of around two months put the next window at mid/late September to early October 2026 – and that is exactly where the confirmed date of the last Night Market fell: September 22 to October 6, 2026. Riot has occasionally shifted the rhythm by a few days in the past, for example around major events like Champions. Only the announcement is binding – for the last Night Market it came on September 15.
Which skins can appear? The pool at a glance
To set your expectations correctly, it helps to know the rules Riot uses to fill the six cards. Fundamentally, only skins you don't own yet can appear – designs you already bought are excluded. According to Riot Support (as of March 5, 2025), the weapon pool is limited to the Select, Deluxe and Premium editions. Ultra and Exclusive weapon skins are excluded – the only exception so far: for the 5th anniversary in June 2025, BlastX, Glitchpop 1 and Singularity 1 were added once (official post by @VALORANT on X). Battle pass skins and gear items don’t show up either. Each market has 6 cards, no more than 2 offers for the same weapon (more only if you otherwise couldn’t get 6) and at least 2 guaranteed Premium skins.
Knives can show up too – according to Riot even Exclusive melee skins; community tracking has so far only seen knives with an original price of up to 3,550 VP. The age rule matters as well: a skin must come from an act that is more than one act ago, so it appears no earlier than 2 acts after release. Example: if a skin comes out in Act 1, it can show up in the Night Market of Act 3 at the earliest. In practice that is around 4–6 months – brand-new skins are never included. Our skin tiers overview explains how the price tiers differ; every detail of the selection process is covered in the full Night Market guide.
Quick math: what a good discount really saves
How much the Night Market is worth to you depends less on the percentage and more on the skin's regular price. As a rule of thumb, 1,000 VP equals roughly €10. A 40% discount on a 1,775 VP Premium skin therefore saves you around €7 – the same 40% on a cheap Select skin only about €3.50. That's why it pays to judge every card by its original price, not by the percentage.
Two tools help you put offers into perspective: our bundle database with all prices shows what collections cost regularly, and the skin value calculator converts any VP amount straight into euros.
How to prepare for the next date
The best preparation starts before the announcement – that way you decide calmly instead of under time pressure. This order has proven itself: First, make a wishlist: which two or three skins are you actually missing? Since only skins you don't own can appear, the chance of the market filling gaps from your list is not that small. Second, check your VP balance: nothing is more annoying than having to top up points while a 47% discount is waiting – you'll find the sensible package sizes in our overview of Valorant Points prices.
Third: get an overview of your collection. The free Valorant-Spind app shows you the total value of your locker in VP and euros – so you can tell instantly whether an offer genuinely completes your collection. And if you want to bridge the wait, reveal six sample cards in the Night Market simulator. It uses real skins and realistic discounts – the perfect dry run.
To keep an eye on your collection value, use the skin value calculator as well. That way you go into the next Night Market not as an impulse buyer but as someone who knows exactly what they want – and what an offer is really worth.
Night Market, bundle or shop: where do you buy cheapest?
Some context that helps before any purchase: the daily shop shows rotating single skins at full price – handy when your dream design shows up, but never a bargain. A bundle is worth it when you like several skins of one collection: as a package you pay noticeably less than all parts would cost individually. The Night Market, in turn, offers by far the biggest discounts on single skins – but chance, not you, decides the selection.
The smartest strategy combines all three: must-haves from a favorite collection via the bundle, spontaneous single pieces from the shop only when they are truly special – and for everything else, waiting for the next Night Market pays off. That's exactly what this date page is for.
How the Night Market works in detail
The Night Market is Valorant's recurring discount shop, and understanding its mechanics leads to better buying decisions. Once the window is open, you get six random skin offers, each in its own flip-open card. Discounts typically range from around 10 to 49 percent off the regular VP price. Crucially: you cannot choose the offered skins – they're drawn from the pool of skins you don't yet own. So every player sees their own individual Night Market.
The offers are tied to your account and don't change within a window – once revealed, the six cards stay the same for the entire duration. So there's no point hoping for "better" cards or reloading. Which editions fill the remaining cards is also left to chance: besides the two guaranteed Premium skins, sometimes there are cheap Select Edition skins, sometimes more Premium pieces with a hefty discount. Exactly this mix of surprise and saving potential is what makes the Night Market appealing – it's a bit like a scratch card for your collection.
Strategy: which offers are actually worth it
A discount alone isn't a good deal – the real question is whether you actually want the skin. The smartest approach: think before opening about which weapons you play most. A Vandal or Phantom skin you hold every round is almost always worth more than a heavily reduced skin for a weapon you never buy. Don't be guided by the percentage alone: 49 percent off a skin you'll never use is more expensive than 15 percent off your new favorite Vandal.
Also pay attention to a skin's tier and effects. Higher-value editions often come with finishers, custom sounds and a Radianite upgrade – a discount on such a skin saves real money if you were considering it anyway. Set a budget beforehand and stick to it: the Night Market is deliberately built to tempt impulse buys. Whoever goes in with a clear idea – "I'll only grab a skin for one of my main weapons if the discount is right" – makes the decisions they won't regret later. You can calculate exactly how much a certain discount saves with our VP calculator.
The history of the Night Market
The Night Market has been part of Valorant since the early days and has grown into a fixed ritual of the community over the acts. Originally introduced as an occasional surprise, it has matured into a reliably recurring event that many players genuinely look forward to – not least because it's the only chance to get premium skins below their regular price. Over the years Riot has adjusted details, such as the card design and the range of discounts, while keeping the basic principle.
For the community the Night Market is more than just a shop: every opening is a little event discussed in streams, on Reddit and in Discord servers. Players share their best finds, lament the dream skins they missed and celebrate the one mega discount on a long-awaited knife. This social component explains why the date regularly causes a noticeable spike in players. If you want to know when the next window opens, you'll find the status and context higher up on this page.
Common misconceptions about the Night Market
A few stubborn misunderstandings surround the Night Market. The first: "I can influence the discounts by reloading or waiting." Wrong – the six cards are set the moment the window starts for you. The second: "Everyone sees the same offers." That's not true either, because the pool is drawn individually from your not-yet-owned skins. The third: "The Night Market always discounts the most expensive skins the most." In truth the mix is random, and often it's the mid tiers that offer the most balanced deal.
Another common thinking error is seeing the Night Market as a "must-buy". Just because a discount is visible doesn't mean you have to buy anything – a skipped Night Market costs you nothing, whereas a rash purchase costs real money for a skin that then lies unused in the collection. And finally: beware of alleged "Night Market prediction" tools or sites promising to know your upcoming offers. That's technically impossible, since the selection is only generated for your account when it opens – such offers are at best guesswork and at worst fraud.
Night Market worldwide: regional price differences
Because the Night Market discounts VP prices, the actual euro benefit depends on how much VP costs in your region. Riot adjusts VP prices to the respective purchasing power, which is why the same skin discount saves a different amount of "real money" in different countries. For you in Germany, the euro price of the VP packs counts – and this is exactly where it's worth looking at the pack sizes: larger VP packs have a slightly better VP-per-euro rate, so topping up before an expected Night Market can pay off twice.
It's important not to be dazzled by pure VP numbers. A discount "from 1775 to 1065 VP" sounds like a lot, but the real value only emerges when you convert the VP into euros. That's exactly what our VP calculator is for: it translates VP prices into real money so you can compare offers fairly and base your buying decision on a solid foundation. You'll also find an overview of the worldwide price differences on our VP prices worldwide page.
The best saving tips around the Night Market
Whoever really wants to save at the Night Market thinks beyond the single discount. First: never buy VP in a hurry at the date itself, but top up in good time when a cheap pack is available – that way you avoid panic buys at unfavorable rates. Second: prioritize by usage. A skin for your most-played weapon brings you joy every match, a discount on a niche weapon gathers dust. Third: wait when unsure – the next Night Market will surely come, and an unbought skin is better than a regretted purchase.
An often overlooked saving lever is patience across several windows. Many premium skins show up in the Night Market sooner or later – whoever doesn't pay every regular shop price but deliberately waits for a Night Market discount saves noticeably over time. Keep a small wishlist and only strike when a desired skin appears with a decent discount. That way you turn the Night Market from an impulse trap into a real saving tool for your collection – and spend your money only on the skins you truly care about.
Night Market on console and mobile
With the console version of Valorant, many wonder whether the Night Market works the same there – and the answer is a clear yes. The discount window appears across platforms on the same principle: six random, individual offers from your not-yet-owned skin pool. Your progress and purchases are tied to your Riot account, so the mechanic is independent of whether you play on PC or console. There's no standalone mobile version of the full game here, which is why the Night Market at its core stays a PC and console experience.
Important to know: skins and VP aren't transferable between entirely separate accounts, and purchases follow the rules of the respective platform. Whoever plays across platforms should make sure to use the same Riot account so collection and VP balance stay consistent. The fundamental security rule applies everywhere alike: buy VP exclusively via the official channels of the respective platform – never via third parties promising "cheaper" points.
Why the Night Market is so tempting
The Night Market is psychologically cleverly built, and it helps to know the mechanisms to make smarter decisions. Revealing the six cards evokes the same feeling as opening a gift – the anticipation and surprise are part of the appeal. Add to that the artificial scarcity: the window is time-limited, and the thought "if I don't strike now, the offer is gone" creates pressure to act. Exactly this mix is fun but can also tempt purchases you can't justify later.
The best counterbalance is awareness: if you know that anticipation and time pressure influence your decision, you can deliberately step back and ask whether you really wanted the skin even at half price before it was on offer. A discount is only a win if you wanted the skin anyway. With this simple question in mind, the Night Market turns from an impulse risk into what it should be: a nice opportunity to get a desired skin more cheaply on purpose.
Bridge the wait: try the simulator
FAQ
What time does the Night Market start in Germany?
Riot unlocks the Night Market at a fixed moment – most recently 5:00 pm PT on September 22 in North America – that is 00:00 UTC and 2:00 am CEST in the night of September 23 in Germany. Riot lists September 22 (PT) as the start date; because of the time zones it effectively begins in the night of September 23 in Europe. The July 2026 Night Market opened exactly that way. On the final day it closes with the shop reset as well.
When is the next Night Market coming in Germany?
The Night Market launches worldwide at the same time, Germany included. The last one ran towards the end of Act 5, from September 22 to October 6, 2026 – announced by Riot on September 15, 2026 on X (@VALORANT). No new date has been announced yet.
When is the next Valorant Night Market?
No new date is set yet. The last Night Market ran from September 22 to October 6, 2026, the one before from July 16–29, 2026 – in line with the usual rhythm of roughly one Night Market per act. The next one is therefore expected during Act 6 (live since October 14, 2026, until January 6, 2027); Riot has not confirmed anything yet.
When was the last Night Market?
The last Night Market ran from September 22 to October 6, 2026, the one before from July 16 to July 29, 2026.
How do I hear about the date first?
Riot usually announces it about one week in advance on the official @VALORANT account on X. This page is updated immediately with every announcement.
How long does the Night Market stay open?
Usually one to two weeks. The July 2026 edition, for example, ran exactly two weeks.
Which skins never appear in the Night Market?
Ultra and Exclusive weapon skins (the only exception so far: the anniversary in June 2025 with BlastX, Glitchpop 1 and Singularity 1), battle pass skins and gear items. Brand-new skins are missing too: a skin appears no earlier than 2 acts after release. Knives are possible; so far knives up to 3,550 VP original price have been seen.
Can I reveal the cards without buying anything?
Yes. Revealing all six cards is free and comes with no obligation – you can simply look at your offers and buy nothing at all.
Do my offers stay the same for the whole event?
Yes. Once revealed, your six personal offers remain unchanged until the Night Market ends – they don't rotate in between.
What do I pay with in the Night Market?
With Valorant Points (VP), just like in the regular shop. As a rule of thumb, 1,000 VP is roughly €10 – see our VP price overview for package prices.