Valve's September 22, 2026 update added Rush, a queued 3v3 mode, and changed Premier map selection. The two queues now resolve a match differently: Rush uses tower-control rounds through random arenas, while Premier lets both teams shape a four-map pool before one map is drawn. Valve's Rush Hour announcement explains the mode and map vote.

Rush separates the round win from the match win

Rush sends teams through a gauntlet of randomly selected battle arenas; Valve says no two matches use the same sequence. A team wins a round by controlling the tower when it eliminates the opposing team or when the timer expires. Winning the match requires completing the gauntlet and capturing the enemy castle. The tower settles the round; the castle is the match objective.

Valve describes Rush as queued 3v3 and says players have a limited budget and time to clear the objective. The announcement gives no equipment or economy guide. The arena sequence is random each match, so a team cannot select one exact arena before queueing. The official post also says Rush wins appear on a friends leaderboard. It does not connect that win total to Premier rating, so the leaderboard is a way to compare Rush records with friends rather than a Premier rank signal.

Premier votes on four maps, then draws one

The new Premier process replaces bans down to a single map: each team votes to pick two, then the game randomly selects one from those four. Valve says the change is meant to let map-specific practice pay off. It gives both teams a say in the possible pool, but not a guarantee that their favorite map will be played; the stated rationale is not evidence that competitive results improved.

Premier teams can coordinate their four picks, while Rush players should expect to adapt to the selected arena and its tower objective.

A schematic shows two teams selecting two blank maps each, creating a four-map pool before one random selection.
Concept diagram of the article's Premier map vote: two map picks per team feed a four-map pool, then one is selected at random.

Sound and crosshair settings also changed

Holding reload performs a silent reload that takes longer than a regular reload, and un-scoping a sniper rifle is now silent. The update also increases the visibility of blood and bullet impacts, which changes what players see during fights without altering Rush or Premier rules.

A new Crosshair/Scopes tab groups the controls. Crosshairs are resolution independent, the update adds new shapes, and the default changes to Dynamic Quad. The selected style is not tied to one display resolution, and players can review the crosshair and scope options together in that tab. Valve says the new default better represents weapon accuracy; the notice does not provide an independent accuracy test. Players who want to see the changed options can open the tab after updating rather than assume a prior default still applies.