How Does Valorant Ranked System Work: Fully Explained

Whether you’re grinding solo or queueing with friends, understanding the Valorant rank system, MMR mechanics, and queue rules is key to climbing. Here’s everything you need to know about Valorant’s ranked mode.

All Valorant Ranks and Tier Structure

Valorant’s ranking system divides players into nine ranks, each with three tiers (except Radiant). Each rank (except Radiant) has three divisions. Example: Iron 1 → Iron 2 → Iron 3 → Bronze 1 and so on. The hierarchy is structured to reflect skill progression:

Rank	Tier	Key Notes
Iron	1-3	Entry-level fundamentals
Bronze	1-3	Focus on aim and basics
Silver	1-3	Common plateau for casual players
Gold	1-3	Tactical play becomes critical
Platinum	1-3	Consistency is king
Diamond	1-3	Mechanical mastery required
Ascendant	1-3	Added to balance high-rank congestion
Immortal	1-3	Top 1% of players
Radiant	-	Regional Top 500

Your progress hinges on rank rating (RR), which is earned through wins and performance. However, Valorant’s ranked mode also uses hidden MMR to match players of similar skill levels.

How the Valorant Ranked System Works

Placement Matches

Once you unlock ranked mode at level 20, you’ll need to play five placement matches. These games determine your starting rank by evaluating your performance and previous match history (casual MMR).

• If you’re new, the highest rank you can get is Gold or Platinum.
• If you were Immortal or higher last season, you can start at Ascendant 1 at most.

Act Rank and Episode Resets

Valorant ranks reset over time:

• Acts last about two months, and you need to play one placement match at the start of each Act.
• Episodes last six months (three Acts), and you’ll need to play five placement matches at the start of a new Episode.

After a reset, your new rank is usually three ranks lower than your previous one due to Valorant’s soft reset system.

MMR (Matchmaking Rating) and RR (Rank Rating) in Competitive Mode

Your Matchmaking Rating (MMR) is Valorant’s behind-the-scenes skill score. It influences:

• RR Gains/Losses: Outperform your MMR? Earn up to 30 RR per win. Underperform? Lose more.
• Queue Times: Higher ranks (Immortal/Radiant) face longer queues due to smaller player pools.
• Rank Restrictions: Players can’t queue together if their ranks differ too drastically (e.g., Silver and Gold can play together, but Silver and Platinum cannot).

RR determines tier promotions. Lose too much, and you’ll face demotion warnings. However, the RR gains tighten massively for Immortal and Radiant ranks, meaning consistent performance is non-negotiable.

How Do You Climb Through the Valorant Ranks?

It is not enough to just win matches in Valorant, as the game uses algorithms to determine how you won these matches. The more complex a game is, the greater the skill required; therefore, the higher you move in the ranking. Imagine you are near the verge of losing to your opponent but somehow miraculously defeat them. This victory is going to increase your RR and allow you to move up the ranks. up in the tiers within the ranks.

Something to keep in mind when playing Valorant and moving up the ranks is that you can slip down in ranks, too. You may also find that your points reset. A reset happens when you have been inactive for more than 14 days. When it comes to dropping in ranks, this is normal, as it is based on your win-to-lose ratio. The more games you win, along with more advanced skills, the higher you are going to be.

In your Valorant profile, there will be one of three arrows indicating whether you moved up, down, or neutral. Green arrows indicate your movement up, red arrows indicate your change down, and grey arrows indicate a breakeven status. In other words, you move neither up nor down in ranking.

Valorant is a game that is both strategy and skill-based. To progress from tier to tier and rank to rank, Valorant factors your performance in individual matches and overall gameplay.

How to Unlock Valorant Ranked Mode

To play ranked (Competitive Mode), you must reach Account Level 20. Riot Games added this rule in Episode 4, Act 1 to ensure players have enough experience before jumping into competitive matches.

You can level up by playing Unrated, Spike Rush, or other game modes. If you want to level up faster, check out our guide on leveling up quickly in Valorant.

Valorant Rank Distribution

Most players are in Silver, with fewer players in the high ranks, as Riot regularly adjusts the distribution to balance competitive integrity.

Party Restrictions on Queuing With Friends

Valorant’s ranked mode allows groups but with restrictions:

• Below Ascendant: Players can queue with friends within 3 ranks (e.g., Silver can play with Gold).
• Ascendant/Immortal: Restricted to 1 rank difference.
• Radiant: Only solo or duo queues.
• No 4-player parties (only solo, duo, trio, or full 5-stack).
• If your team has big rank differences, RR penalties apply: 25% RR penalty for groups with major rank gaps. 75% RR penalty if a Radiant player is in the party.
• 5-stack teams bypass some restrictions but face larger rank disparities. However, RR gains diminish if ranks vary too much.

Double Rank Up in Valorant

If your MMR is much higher than your current rank and you dominate your games, you can skip a rank and move up two divisions simultaneously. This is called a Double Rank Up. There’s no special trick for this; just play well and win consistently.

Rank Decay: Does Your Rank Drop if You Stop Playing?

• Your rank does NOT decay over time; if you stop playing, you won’t lose your rank. However, your MMR can drop if other players get better and move past you.
• Radiant & Immortal players can lose leaderboard spots due to inactivity.

Proven Tips for Playing Valorant and Ranking Up

• Master 2-3 Agents.
• Flexibility matters, but specialization wins. For example, a Sage with perfect wall placements beats a mediocre fill player.
• Avoid RR Penalties.
• Dodge AFK penalties by staying active, as frequent leaves tanks your RR and trigger queue bans.
• Queue at Peak Times to avoid long waits.
• Evenings and weekends reduce queue times and increase serious teammates.
• Use Tracker.gg to review win rates and identify weak maps.
• 5-Stack smartly.
• Full squads improve coordination but face tougher opponents, so remember to balance friendship and strategy when looking to climb.

Why Lower Ranks Struggle and How to Escape

Bronze and Silver players often plateau due to:

• Overpeeking: Trading kills > ego challenges.
• Poor Economy Management: Save with teammates instead of forcing buys.
• Silent Comms: Callouts win rounds. Even a “B main, 2” helps.

Climbing requires fixing these habits, and watching and learning from pros like TenZ can assist with this.

The Radiant Rank Is the Ultimate Test

Reaching Radiant demands more than raw skill:

• Counter-strat mid-match.
• Tilt loses RR faster than aim.
• Radiant players average 15+ kills with 70%+ headshot accuracy. Crazy!

Fun Facts About Valorant’s Ranks

• Beta ranks were different. Originally, Riot planned ranks like Mercenary, Soldier, Veteran, Hero, and Legend.
• Radiant used to be called “Valorant.” Riot changed it to avoid confusion with the game’s name.
• April Fools' Day 2021: Ranks were replaced with "Love Rank," and RR became "Love Rating." (Purely cosmetic!)

Your Rank Journey Starts Now

That’s everything you need to know about Valorant’s ranked system! Remember, Valorant’s ranked system rewards patience and adaptability, so if you want to rank up faster, consider our Valorant rank boosting services. Whether you want to improve your skills or reach a higher rank, we’re here to help. Let’s get started today!