I know this is spoken about time and time again, but I feel that I should give my opinion too. Valorant players have a love hate relationship with the ranked mode as a whole. For the lower ranks it is smurfs and toxicity, and for the higher ranks it is boosting and cheating.

Let’s start with the new changes:

1. Max rank placement of Platinum 3:

   • This change comes after the numerous complaints about radiant not being enough of a grind that riot has received from the Immortal/Radiant community. These players constantly placed in mid to high diamond and were easily able to climb to radiant after. This change made it so players would have to climb through Platinum and Diamond in order to receive Radiant. However, players are experiencing difficulty climbing back up to the ranks they achieved in prior seasons. Pros have been stuck in Platinum 3 as their hidden MMR rating is matching them against players of the same caliper making it hard for them to climb to their respective ranks. For players like me, A Diamond 2, we are grinding through gold and plat because Platinum 3 was reserved for those who were the top players of Valorant. Luckily some players have been able to make it out of the trenches and into Diamond and Immortal, for others, we haven’t been so lucky.

2. Immortal and Radiant becoming “one”: -There used to be a very distinct difference between immortal and radiant players. Players didn’t like that because those who were radiant achieved the rank and never played. The players who were grinding each and every day were not achieving what they felt they deserved. The new change allows for the loyal grinders to achieve Radiant and see themselves on the leaderboard. Immortal is essentially a “Radiant waiting room.” I like this change and hope to climb into immortal and possibly even radiant.

3. Rank demotion protection:

   • Players complained that there was no “buffer” for them if they had a rough day on the game and were about to demote. Making it so that regardless of your Rank Rating you always have 1 game before you demote. You are at 0 RR for that game regardless of how bad your previous loss was. This is your buffer before you either save your rank or demote. I liked this change very much as it was very hard to track how close I was to demoting.

4. Rank Rating:

   • One of the biggest complaints about Episode 1’s ranking system was the arrows. The arrows were a vague indicator of where you were in a certain rank. The system was very frustrating to players as they couldn’t track where they were in their rank. No indicator of whether they were close to promoting or demoting, and no concrete value of increase or decrease after a game. The new Rank Rating system makes it so players know exactly where they are in terms of demotion and promotion as well as concrete indicators of gain and loss after a game.

Now, lets talk about how we can change it:

1. I think that there should be a mmr reset. -Players should play their placements against players of similar rank last act, but shouldn’t be limited to who they play by their hidden mmr. This is the problem facing pros and high rank players because they can’t climb past platinum and diamond because they’re playing the same people they played in immortal and radiant last season.

2. Change the max rank placement to Diamond 2 or 3:

   • Players who showed their skill level in previous acts should be placed closer to their previous rank than just plat 3. I believe Plat 3 is too far down for the players who were in immortal and radiant because they can’t climb. Its too low for the players who were plat and diamond because they are pushed down the ladder because plat 3 is full of radiants and immortals.

3. Keep Immortal 1,2,3 but give immortal 3 a new badge

   • Players that close to radiant should be given a badge to differentiate them between those who are still climbing to radiant, with the leaderboard change radiant is only top 500 players and immortal is all those who are close but can’t get there just yet. Immortal 3 should be the place where the people who are on the tail of radiant should be ranked and immortal 1 and 2 should be for the players who are good enough but not quite enough to be the best of the best.

Let me know what you guys think about my suggestions and also if I missed anything, Thanks!