Rocket League Ranked Mode: How it Works
Like many other competitive online multiplayer games, Rocket League has a ranked mode that aims to match players with opponents of similar skill levels. This helps ensure that everyone has a fair and enjoyable gaming experience, regardless of their skill level.
Being matched against highly skilled players can be frustrating for new players who are still learning the ropes. On the other hand, experienced players can only enjoy dunking on less skilled opponents for so long. Rocket League’s ranking system, despite some issues with smurfing, does a decent job of placing players in fair matches.
Your rank in Rocket League is determined by your Match Making Rating (MMR). MMR is a specific number that adjusts based on your performance in games. If you go on a losing streak, you’ll be matched against lower-skilled opponents. Conversely, a winning streak will pit you against more skilled adversaries.
All Rocket League Ranks
As of September 2020, Rocket League offers 22 ranks in its competitive mode. These ranks cater to players across the spectrum, from beginners to professionals. Before the game went free-to-play in 2020, there were only 19 ranks. However, Psyonix introduced two more Grand Champion ranks and a new rank called Super Sonic Legend last year.
Here are all the ranks in Rocket League, in order:
- Bronze l
- Bronze ll
- Bronze lll
- Silver l
- Silver ll
- Silver lll
- Gold l
- Gold ll
- Gold lll
- Platinum l
- Platinum ll
- Platinum lll
- Diamond l
- Diamond ll
- Diamond lll
- Champion l
- Champion ll
- Champion lll
- Grand Champion l
- Grand Champion ll
- Grand Champion lll
- Super Sonic Legend
Aside from determining your opponents in competitive play, your rank also determines the tournament tiers you can participate in for Rocket League’s nightly tournament series.
How Rocket League Determines Your Rank
When you enter a competitive playlist in Rocket League for the first time, you’ll begin with a series of placement matches. These matches determine your initial rank. The number of placement matches required may vary, but it usually ends once you’ve won 10 games.
Experienced players may only need to play 10 to 20 games to be ranked, while new players may take longer. If you want to compete in multiple playlists, you’ll have to win 10 placement matches for each one.
Once ranked, you’ll also be placed in a division within your rank. Each rank has four divisions, and you must win two or three consecutive games to move up a division. Winning enough games in division four will earn you a promotion to the next rank.
Throughout a season, you can earn rewards based on your rank. However, you must win 10 games for each successive rank to earn the corresponding rewards. These wins must be in matches ranked at or above that specific tier.
At the start of each new season, players must play 10 more placement matches to determine their initial rank. Although your MMR doesn’t fully reset between seasons, there is a soft reset to allow for some movement up or down the rankings.
Players may be required to play additional placement matches if they take an extended break from the game. This ensures that returning players are matched at an appropriate skill level.
Understanding MMR in Rocket League
Match Making Rating (MMR) is a hidden value in Rocket League that determines the level of opponents you’ll face. It’s important to note that MMR doesn’t directly reflect your skill level, but rather seeks to place you in a competitive environment that matches your abilities. As you win or lose games, your MMR adjusts accordingly.
In competitive modes, your MMR is usually aligned with your player rank, with each rank encompassing a certain range of MMR values. However, there is an exception for Super Sonic Legend players who have a minimum threshold to maintain the rank. There is no upper limit to the MMR system, creating a vast difference between the lowest and highest-ranked players.
Quickplay modes have their own separate MMR system, but you cannot see your quickplay rank by default. However, you can use the Alpha Console mod, available through BakkesMod, to view your own and other players’ hidden MMR ratings in both quickplay and competitive modes. Alpha Console provides additional features and insights into Rocket League gameplay.