VALORANT’s frustratingly unclear up and down arrows are no more.
Riot outlined several ranked updates debuting with VALORANT Episode Two tomorrow, offering a much-needed change to the ambiguous MMR system. Additionally, the regional leaderboard will now give elite players more incentive to climb the ranked ladder.
Senior producer Ian “Brighteyz” Fielding and competitive designer Jon “EvrMoar” Walker explained that their goal was to show players they’ve been listening by delivering an “easier to understand and fairer rank system, more rewarding recognition for your accomplishments, and a way to show who is the best of the best.”
Instead of up and down arrows being the only indicator of your ranked progress, Riot is introducing a Rank Rating (RR) system. VALORANT will now use a progress bar that shows your proximity to ranking up, but only for players between Iron and Diamond. Immortal and Radiant players’ ranks will shift to the leaderboard.
The maximum RR players can gain from a win will be 50, while the most you can drop from a loss will be 30. The minimum RR you can gain on a win or a loss will be 10. And the most you can increase on a draw will be 20 based on individual performance.
To demote, players will have to lose a match while at zero RR. Then, you’ll be placed at 80 RR in the lower rank. When promoting, players will start at 10 RR in the new rank—and you can expect a mini-celebration when promoting.
VALORANT’s new leaderboard system will feature the top 500 Radiant players per region. Immortal will make up roughly one percent of the region’s players and get cut down to only one rank (as opposed to three separate ones).
To make it on the leaderboard, players will have to play at least 50 ranked games and require at least one competitive match within a seven-day period. Banned players won’t show up on the leaderboard.
The VALORANT ranked season, as well as all the Episode Two content, kicks off tomorrow.
