VALORANT Ranked Matchmaking Will Have Updated Rank Icons, Better Matchmaking and More

• VALORANT ranked matchmaking which is all set to launch will have updated rank icons, better matchmaking, and rank progression.
• The topmost rank name has been changed from 'Valorant' to 'Radiant' to avoid confusion.
• Rank progression will be added after some time along with patch 1.02 allowing players to keep a track of their gameplay.

The much-awaited ranked matchmaking has finally made its way to VALORANT. Though the core ranked mechanics and gameplay are still the same there might be a few changes with the rank iconography and the top rank name which has been switched from ‘Valorant’ to ‘Radiant’.

Based on the feedback received during the Closed Beta stage the developers have made the necessary changes towards ranked matchmaking, targeting a few areas to level up and enhance the user experience.

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Updated Rank Icons

The first visible change that the developers have introduced to VALORANT’s ranked matchmaking is improving the look of the rank icons. These are the two key changes made,

• Clarity pass for rank colours so it's easier to distinguish between each rank.
• Visual polish pass for each Match Rating.

And finally, the name associated with the topmost rank has been changed from Valorant to Radiant. This was the most requested change from the community when it came to ranked matchmaking as it led to a lot of confusion at times.

“We’ve decided to remove VALORANT as the name of our top rank to help reduce potential confusion of the game vs the rank.”

Upgraded VALORANT Iconography

VALORANT Matchmaking Enhancement

On the teamplay side of things, it is easier to play ranked matches in VALORANT along with teammates during placements (calibration matches). This is because the developers have relaxed the skill gap limit to a certain degree what this means is that “You can now matchmake with your friends during placements even if they have a fairly large skill discrepancy—to a certain extent.”

The ranked matchmaking has been better optimised to ensure complete fairness for all ranks except Immortal and Radiant. The developers ensure that players will be put in fair and balanced VALORANT matches regardless of their premade size. 

But this does not necessarily hold true for Immortal and Radiant players. According to developers for these specific tiers “There is still a slight advantage to being in a five stack vs playing solo.”

Better matchmaking experience during placements

Rank Progression

Players will be able to track their ranks through every VALORANT Act which lasts for about two months. This tracking feature will be available after patch 1.02 goes live providing players with visible information of their match history.

“Rank progress we are looking at tracking are stats such as how you’ve climbed in rank over the Act, your number of wins, along with your wins at your highest achieved rank.”

Talking about the future, developers state that there has been a demand for features that supports teams, in-client tournaments, fairer overtime handling, and leaderboards, all of which will eventually be addressed.

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With this, players are now free to go ahead and calibrate their ranks. They will soon be able to keep track of their performances as well which will help them better their game gradually overtime. Let’s see how many players stay true to being a silver surfer!