Ranked (games)
Ranked games are a competitive way of playing that places one on a ladder of tiers. Ranked games remain the same as normal games, but players seem to take them more seriously, showing off their talents against tougher opponents. To unlock or start playing ranked games in E-Sports, one must fulfill some requirements which are different in each E-sport. For example, in League of Legends a player must reach level 30 and own 20 champions. When these requirements are met, players can start playing ranked games.
Victories in ranked games earn players points, while defeats reduce points. In case players achieve consecutive wins, the points they earn for each consecutive win are increased. In the same spirit, in case of consecutive losses, players lose more points for each consecutive loss. The opposite is happening in the case of consecutive losses. The ranking system is different in each E-sport, but there are also many similarities.
Ranked games in League of Legends
In the League of Legends, one needs to play five placement games to get their first initial rank. This process is repeated when ranks are reset at the beginning of every season. There are 10 ranks in League of Legends listed below in descending order1:
Challenger
Grandmaster
Master
Diamond
Emerald
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Iron
Ranked games in Dota 2
In Dota 2, the ranking system is a way to gauge a player’s skill level and progression through competitive play. It is a hierarchy that spans from the novice to the elite, reflecting both skill and dedication. In Dota 2 there are eight ranks listed below in descending order:2
Immortal
Divine
Ancient
Legend
Archon
Crusader
Guardian
Herald
Each player tries, through their own performance as well as their team’s, to win as many games as possible to climb the rankings, which is more challenging in team games than in individual games because of the teamwork that is needed. For experienced players, climbing this ladder is more than just about winning games.
Matchmaking Rating in Dota 2 and League of Legends
Dota 2
Even if one has not played a single ranked Dota 2 match, their account will still have hidden matchmaking rating (MMR) or a rank, based on their unranked mode performances. Players will be granted a medal based on their MMR after calibrating. Each rank tier in Dota 2 will have five sub-tiers players need to advance through. Note that these MMR values used to highlight ranges can change anytime based on the rank distribution in one’s region, but the numbers should still roughly be around the given values. 3
League of Legends
In League of Legends, League Points are also determined by MMR. The MMR is invisible and works only behind the scenes. There is no physical way of seeing the MMR since it is only a guide used to place players in games alongside players of a similar rating. Each rank tier in League of Legends has four sub-tiers.4
In the authors’ view, ranked games are the most important category in e-sports because they identify the best players. Players strive to showcase their abilities and continuously improve in a highly competitive environment. As they climb closer to the top tiers, every player holds the hope and dream that one day they will compete at the highest level and, perhaps, even become a professional player.
1See for example https://dotesports.com/league-of-legends/news/league-of-legends-ranking-system-explained-17171
2 T Johns, ‘Dota 2 Ranks, MMR, Distribution and Tips to Increase Your Dota 2 Rank’ (DMARKET BLOG, 17 May 2024) <https://dmarket.com/blog/dota2-ranks/> accessed on 2 August 2024.
3 G Cakir, N Taifalos, and C Davie, ‘Dota 2 Ranks, MMR, and ranking system explained’ (DOT ESPORTS, 26 July 2024) <https://dotesports.com/dota-2/news/dota-2-mmr-and-ranking-system-explained> last accessed 7 September 2024.
4 M Kelly, I Tomakic, and H Andrews, ‘The ultimate guide to LoL’s ranking system’ (DOT ESPORTS, 3 March 2024) <https://dotesports.com/league-of-legends/news/league-of-legends-ranking-system-explained-17171> last accessed 7 September 2024.
