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TheOriginalGory's avatar
TheOriginalGory
Rising Newcomer
1 day ago

Detailed Proposal to Improve Ranked System – Prioritize Individual Performance

Yes, I've wrote the following text using an AI platform, but the main idea is from my thoughts and notes, hope EA and Respawn can give a look at it.

Dear Respawn Entertainment & Apex Legends Development Team,

I am a dedicated Apex Legends player currently sitting in Diamond IV during Season 28 (April 2026). I have been playing since the early seasons and truly love the game, but I have identified a structural issue in the Ranked system that is negatively affecting competitive integrity and player enjoyment, especially for solo and duo queue players.

1. The Core Problem: Performance vs. Visible Rank Mismatch

  • Passive climbing / Carry dependency: It is too easy to reach and stay in Diamond+ by being carried or through low-impact third-parties, without the mechanical skill, movement, or decision-making expected at that tier.
  • MMR Friction: Matchmaking frequently pairs players with the exact same visible rank (e.g. Diamond IV) but drastically different real skill levels (some playing at a clear Gold/Platinum mechanical level).
  • Low individual accountability: The current system heavily rewards team placement and kills/assists regardless of personal contribution.

This creates inconsistent lobbies, frustration for skilled solo players, and devalues the meaning of Ranked badges.

2. Proposed Solution: “Skill-First” Ranked Formula

I propose evolving the existing Season 28 RP system by shifting 55-60 % of RP progress toward verifiable individual performance, while keeping the Battle Royale identity intact.

New RP Formula: RP Net = [Team Positioning RP] + [(Kills + Assists) × Value per Position × Individual Multiplier] + [Personal Damage Bonus] – [Entry Cost]

Key Components:

  • Team Positioning RP: Keep exactly as it is today (+125 for 1st place, +95 for 2nd, etc.). Survival and smart rotations must still be rewarded.
  • Kills + Assists: Keep the current scaling values based on final squad position (higher value in top 5).
  • Individual Multiplier (the core filter): Calculated as a rolling average every 10 matches. Compares your Personal Damage Average (plus weighted damage in final-circle fights) against the expected average for your current visible rank. Range: 0.75× (underperformers) → 1.35× (consistent high performers). This makes it statistically much harder to climb or stay in a rank you are not actively contributing to.
  • Personal Damage Bonus: +1 RP for every 300 damage dealt (capped at +40 RP per match). The bonus scales higher the better your final placement, heavily rewarding high-impact damage in late-game fights instead of early poke or cheap third-party finishes.

3. Strengthening Hidden Skill MMR & Matchmaking

To complement the RP changes, refine the existing hidden Skill MMR:

  • Primary metrics: Damage Per Minute (DPM), Percentage of Team Damage dealt, adjusted K/D by position, and the Individual Multiplier from the last 10–20 games.
  • Clustering: Within the same visible rank (e.g. Diamond IV), prioritize matchmaking players with similar Individual Multipliers and hidden MMR. This would dramatically reduce the “Diamond badge but Platinum skill” problem in random queues.

4. Expected Benefits

  • Ranks become a true reflection of individual skill rather than time played or carry luck.
  • Solo and duo players get much fairer and more consistent games.
  • Players are incentivized to improve their own mechanics and game sense.
  • Long-term increase in player retention and competitive health of the Ranked mode.

I believe this would be one of the most impactful Ranked improvements since the current system was introduced. All the required data (damage, final-circle contribution, etc.) is already tracked by the game, so implementation is technically straightforward.

Thank you for reading this detailed, data-driven proposal. I would be more than happy to provide match samples, my own stats, or discuss any part of it further. I only want Apex Legends to continue being the best battle royale experience possible.

Best regards,

1 Reply

  • Everything you've proposed is 100% on target, but they will never do it because "team." Every single shooter I know of right now is so wrapped around the axle with their team-based identity that most of them, this one included, won't even do a single player mode. At least not permanently. Bots, if you count that, doesn't even qualify anymore. Tragic. Nope, it's all about the team, and the disconnects that occur when individual performance and team outcomes are out of whack - which is almost always - make the entire game seem meaningless, and the ranked mode makes it even worse. IMO. If anyone could explain to me why I still keep queueing up in this game then I'd give 'em a million dollars.

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