- The game will introduce a new hidden matchmaking rating (MMR)
- Ranked Points will be replaced with Ladder Points, which will be decoupled from MMR
- Respawn is also introducing features to help combat cheating and smurfing
Alongside a new Legend and an overhauled Firing Range, Apex Legends’ Season 17 will also introduce a revamped ranked system.
Respawn Will Introduce New Ranked System
Fans of Apex Legends, mark May 9 on your calendars as it is when the game’s Season 17 is launching, bringing with itself a ton of new changes to ranked. These are going to be so extensive, that it’s more apt to say that Apex’s ranked mode is getting a complete overhaul, featuring a new ranking point, scoring system, and the complete removal of splits. Players will be able to train for the new multiplayer mode in Apex’s fully revamped Firing Range, also arriving on May 9.
Every ranked game starts with proper matchmaking, and Season 17 will bring in a new system based on a hidden matchmaking rating (MMR). This will also take into account the MMR of premade parties to better balance out the advantage squads have over solo players.
Furthermore, the older Ranked Points are being replaced with Ladder Points, which will work differently from the original system. Ladder Points will be required to enter a ranked game like Ranked Points, but the entry fee has been flattened across the board for all ranks.
The new system will also award points differently. They will be given to the entire squad based on their placement within the match. Teams would have to finish in the top 10 to go even or positive in Ladder Points, meaning that squads that finished below that, would lose Ladder Points. Players can earn Ladder Points through kills and assists.
Additionally, their performance based on their MMR and the difficulty of the lobby will also contribute to the amount of Ladder Points earned. Speaking of MMR, it will be completely decoupled from Ladder Points. This means that games should be built on players’ skills, rather than their rank or Ladder Points.
Season 17 will also completely remove splits. Instead, the ranked climb will begin at the start of each season with ten Provisional Matches. It’s hoped this would better gauge a player’s skill level as they enter the season. Respawn hopes that this would encourage players to engage with ranked more frequently throughout the season, rather than just the start of the split.
The company is also increasing the level requirement for ranked from 25 to 50. Through this, Respawn aims to slow down smurfs and give the devs more time to help detect cheaters. Speaking of cheaters, the company is implementing some new anti-cheat measures. In season 17, players will only receive kill points for unique kills, making it impossible to collude and kill the same opponent over and over.
Apex Legends Season 17 will see huge updates, not only to its ranked system but also through the introduction of its newest legend Ballistic. His interesting playstyle will be tested in the game’s new multiplayer, allowing for Season 17 to be one of the most important ones in Apex’s history so far.
