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Good news for VALORANT fans in the Philippines, Riot Games is rolling out a dedicated Manila server with patch 11.04 on 19 August.

This will be the sixth server in the Asia Pacific shard, joining the likes of Hong Kong, Singapore, and others, and it’s set to make matches smoother for the growing Filipino player base.

Why a Manila server now?

Over the past five years, the VALORANT community in Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines, has grown massively. Up until now, most players in the country have been connecting through the Hong Kong server. While that’s worked, it hasn’t been perfect. Infrastructure limits have sometimes meant higher ping, occasional instability, and a less-than-ideal experience for competitive play.

The Manila server aims to fix that, lowering latency, reducing connection drops, and making games feel more responsive. For players chasing precise shots and split-second plays, this could be a game-changer.

What happens to the Hong Kong server?

Riot says there’s no need to worry. Player numbers across Asia Pacific are healthy, so matchmaking quality on Hong Kong isn’t expected to take a hit even if many Filipino players switch over. The Manila server is simply an extra option, if you prefer to stay on Hong Kong, you absolutely can.

Premier and competitive play

For those playing Premier or aiming for the pro scene, the new server won’t affect your eligibility. Top-performing Premier teams on the Manila server will still be in the Asia zone, under the Challengers Southeast Asia league.

A win for Filipino esports

With Filipino talent like Paper Rex’s Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza recently making history by lifting a VALORANT Masters trophy, this infrastructure boost could help nurture the next wave of stars, giving them the tools to compete without technical disadvantages.

The Manila server goes live 19 August, so if you’re in the Philippines, expect better ping, smoother matches, and a stronger connection to the game you love.