Patch: What are game patches?
A patch is an official update released by the game developers to fix issues and keep things running smoothly.
In large-scale games—especially online or competitive ones—bugs and glitches are pretty common due to how complex these games are. That’s why developers regularly push out updates with patches to address those problems.
It’s almost expected that new games—or even major updates—will come with some technical hiccups. Take Cyberpunk 2077, for example. At launch, it was packed with bugs, but over time, CD Projekt Red rolled out enough fixes to significantly improve the game’s performance and reputation.
Pathes In Online Games
In games like Valorant, which are broken into acts and episodes, developers aim to space out patches throughout each act. Typically, you’ll see about four updates per act, which helps minimize how often players need to download new files every time they log in.
The size of each patch varies depending on what’s being fixed. Smaller updates that address minor bugs might be less than a gigabyte, while more substantial fixes—like resolving crashes or frame rate issues—could require a larger download.
Patches are always free for anyone who owns the game, but you’ll need an internet connection to download them. Once the patch is installed, the game usually restarts to apply the changes, and then you’re good to go.
