Ranked play is live in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 multiplayer. And Activision decided to explain how it works when it comes to ranked matchmaking, which is different from unranked or standard matchmaking.
Ranked Play arrived as part of Season 01, available to all players with 50 total wins in multiplayer.
Ranked matchmaking
While Activision’s Call of Duty team previously shared more details and a technical white paper on how matchmaking works in Call of Duty multiplayer, ranked matchmaking uses unique mechanics to take into account a player’s rank and skill while seeking the best possible .
connection.
Ranked play takes three major search parameters into account when matchmaking: the quality of a player’s connection, search time, and their relative skill compared to the rest of the available player population. When creating ranked matches, Activision deliberately allows longer search times to improve match quality.
Competitive Integrity Restrictions
These features cover all the ways developers maintain competitive integrity in ranked play. Restrictions are imposed to ensure a fair and competitive experience for all players. Game features such as equipment restrictions are designed to level the playing field, while matchmaking restrictions help balance pre-match lobbies.
Connection – As stated earlier, connection is a critical factor in the matchmaking process.
Rank, Skill, Performance – Players can progress through eight ranks. Ranked matchmaking attempts to group players of the same or similar rank. The range of eligible ranks will expand if there are not enough players available to create a high-quality match within the current target range.
Evaluating each player’s individual skills plays an important role in ranked matchmaking. The team begins its search for ranked matches with a small disparity in target skill level between players and expands the range of what is acceptable over time. Matching players of similar skill levels in ranked play gives everyone the chance to make an impact in the match.
Match Time – This factor aims to ensure that players spend more time playing and less time waiting for matches to start. Ranked match lobbies prioritize competitive integrity, sometimes resulting in longer match find times in order to create lobbies with properly matched players.
New to Black Ops 6
The fundamentals of Ranked Play remain the same: play competitive multiplayer matches using the same settings, maps, modes, and weapon restrictions as the Call of Duty League. Black Ops 6 Ranked Play comes with several simplified features, innovations and updates:
Crossplay: For ranked play in Black Ops 6, crossplay is active for all players. This allows the greatest
possible player population to maximize matching players with others of similar rank and skill. The developers continue to gather feedback from the community and work closely on all aspects, including addressing cheating reports with Ricochet, the anti-cheat technology.
Matchmaking: Ranked matches at launch
Ranked matchmaking will continue to place high-level players in matches tailored to their skills. As more players reach higher ranks, we will gradually begin to tighten our matchmaking settings.
Full groups of four can now play together in ranked play, regardless of their individual rank. However, skill matchmaking will be based on the highest ranked player in the group. Group skill restrictions still apply to groups of two or three players.
Updated ranking system
The 1-50 skill ranking and division system seen in previous versions of ranked play has been combined into a single ranking system. Earn SR and progress through 8 ranks: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Crimson, Iridescent and Top 250. The progressive ranking and victory star system seen in previous versions of ranked play has been removed to streamline experience and focus on skills. .
What is RS?
Skill Rating: Advance through the ranks by earning SRs by winning ranked matches. SR is awarded after each Ranked Match victory and the amount won is determined by the player’s distance from their projected rank, match performance, and margin of victory. SR is deducted after losses. SR determines your rank.
Update: Loss Forgiveness: Regardless of your rank, each player’s first loss of the day will be forgiven and will not deduct SR. This does not stack. Additionally, the three loss forgiveness matches granted when you are promoted to a new rank or at the start of the season now only count after losses.
Other new features
Map and Mode Veto: Before each Ranked Match, three combinations of maps and modes are presented in the lobby and Ranked Match teams, who can vote independently to veto any of the options presented. This gives players some control over what they play in Ranked Play and gives players and teams the ability to veto combinations of cards and modes that they may not be as familiar with or that they want to avoid. Once both teams have made their veto choice, the remaining option is selected. If both teams veto the same option, the match map/mode will be randomly selected from the two no-veto options.
UPDATE: Seasonal setback: End-of-season skill rank decline has been adjusted in Black Ops 6 ranked play to reduce the impact players feel at the start of their rank journey. With each new season, your rank may be reset based on where you finished the previous season, as follows: Players ranked Bronze or Silver are not affected by the seasonal setback and will be able to pick up where they left off each season without deduction of their skills. .
Gold or Platinum players will start the next season at Tier I Gold or Platinum respectively.
Diamond players and above will start the next season at Diamond I.
Ranked Play Rewards: Ranked Play features a variety of exclusive rewards that players can earn to show off their skill and commitment to the mode, including rank skins earned by reaching Gold rank or higher during a season , rewards earned for reaching certain career victory milestones, seasonal rewards. challenge rewards, a Top 250 competitor skin, and a #1 overall champion skin.
Coming soon: Forfeit: Later this season, vote with your team to end a match early if your team gets blown out or if you’ve lost a teammate. All teammates must vote for the forfeit for it to be successful and end the match. Lost matches count as a standard loss and do not result in skill penalties or suspensions. Once live, Forfeit will be available in the Options menu in a designated location in each mode:
Hardpoint: the winning team reaches 100 points
Control: After the 1st round
Search and destroy: after the 3rd round
