New Ranked Update Is Cooked

It was mostly casual players who were struggling right now, where they were being held back after reaching Diamond, as they were often forced to face 3-stacks in solo queues. Besides, this is a two-week test, and we'll see what the mood and results are like.

Personally, I'm hoping that matchmaking will finally be simplified in solo queues, because currently, solo q above Diamond is a disaster, and pubs are just a fight for survival, as the fun there ended long ago when matchmaking was tightened.

I completely agree with you. I hope this update doesn't even last two weeks and they abandon it quickly, because we'll have to play a different game for the next two weeks.

MrWhittum​ if you would post your / your friend's stats and show that you actually play past D4 I would believe what you say at least in your case.

Meanwhile what I see for 10+ seasons in Apex in terms of Diamond+:

1. people reach D4 and quit because lobbies get significantly harder and you 90% of a times  no longer can get positive RP on your own
2. most people in D4 still play the same low IQ game style as in Plat, only thing different is that D4+ 3stacks at least teamwork a bit vs running 3 different directions like soloq teams usually end up doing = illusion that you are good in Diamond
3. you can see a lot of examples regarding people IQ in official Discord = people keep posting stuff like "aggro" "win 1v1s" "high KP games" etc. and they keep posting that forever because that is not what will work 9 out of 10 times in Diamond lobbies

IF people would start using their heads, willing to improve in Diamond+ lobbies I would agree that upcoming change would hurt people's development.

BUT given current situation I actually see it as solution because Respawn are unable to deal with Cheaters who mainly occupy Master+ ranks, high Diamonds and in many cases people are also boosted into those ranks by cheaters (times where you see clear duostack with 0/low input and some random 3rd just owning everyone in 1v3).

So in a way those few who actually team up as intended will lose, but all of them will at least not face organized cheaters and boosters. Which actually might work.

Will it improve quality of games = 100% no. It will just give empowerment to people who actually are either good enough solo and more so give more RP to most players who will not lose maybe a bit less vs hackers while playing same bad game style but gain RP / rank = basically boost themselves over D4.

i will try and add pics of our rank, but i don’t think rank is part of it. it’s about taking a game that is meant to be played with friends. and turning it into yet another solo, soulless grind to try and play with crazy randoms. the one issue i have with your comment is this. 

you say “people reach D4 and quit because lobbies get significantly harder”, which is the whole point of ranked. as a casual player it’s the most fun to try and grind in those diamond lobbies, where there is actual learning opportunities and skill required to stay in that rank. 

the idea that now i have to stop playing the game because randoms are too hard to deal with is crazy yk? im not an octane push maniac unlike some, im not a wraith walljump movement god, i want to play with my friends and not deal with those people. ive seen time and again those same people in diamond and above. running off, getting KP and dying. 

BIG ISSUE: i play with a team, and don’t play any other time. i’m casual player who will be hurt by this update. sorry but rank aside, taking a team/squadron based game and removing that will lose casual players. 

why can't you now then have fun and grind solo? what's the issue? you only enjoy killing other solos as team?
they should make one split for teams and one for solo, or seperate the queue completely

i also play solo, it's significantly harder than running as team, i don't think you know

BIG ISSUE: i will join on this update and grind, you can leave if you want

Here just a snap on your "learning opportunities"
there is nothing better on these preds except they play 24/7 3 stack... seperate them and you'll see if they can even keep up

Easy kills on platinum players will end, so pros and 3stacks will cry for this change. 

It was predictable. As soon as this test begins, there will be an avalanche of crying threads on Reddit.

MrWhittum, I agree with you completely and I mostly solo queue.

It's very discouraging that solo queue players are trying to have the final say in Ranked. 

I couldn't imagine having a group of friends to play with and the game prevents me from doing so. 

Solo queuing is a choice. Players choosing to solo queue shouldn't remove the free agency of players who choose to stack. 

Additionally, if this change is permanent, after the test run, players who want to play with friends will have to play Pubs after reaching Diamond. This change might result in more stacked teams in Pubs and more disgruntled solo queue players who play Pubs. 

I like the idea of trying new things, but overall I don't think stacked teams should be punished in a team based game. 

Lastly, the devs need to add more social networking features to the game. For example: a longer list of previous players you've played with, a chat system to compile a team, a revamped Clubs feature, a voice chat party finder, etc.. I believe more social features need to be added to the game to corner solo queue players into finding a team. IMO, if you give solo queue players 10 different type of hammers to put the nail in the wall and they still decide to use their hand then they should feel the pain. Adding the Play with Squad feature to the game was a great addition, but more is needed.  

As I said at the end - I don't think this will overall improve the game, but at the same time it might make it a bit more bearable. Basically going from total **bleep** to just really bad.

Also good to hear that you grind Diamond lobbies, if that is really the case - respect to that.

Finally to address what you and many here are saying - don't you think that you kinda trash talk, segregate "soloq players"? Basically making another class of "humans":
1. 3stack pros/sweats that need to be contained and separated from basically everyone (agree unless cheating is fixed and then they will not be that crazy to play vs)
2. 3stack casuals (like you / people who post comments like this) - basically the best kind of players (not skill wise but overall)
3. soloq casuals or sweats that are just 3rd world humans playing Apex

I e.g. have been soloqing since season 7 99% of the time. Why? Because at first I didn't know about LFG discords / forums -> then I tried a few available (in comparison to other games in Apex you actually have very limited choice and it dwindle e.g. teams.gg no longer exist) -> I have 3500 people in my block-list from Apex lfgs mainly because they lack of D4+ skill but more importantly they just don't commit, don't want to learn, want to play ranked casually, drop 20 bombs every game or die trying...basically I have to give up time and time again as over the years I have had 3 teams that managed to stick around up to 2 months, then just moved separate ways because:

a) that's how Apex players are
b) many know that soloq lobbies are easier and decide to grind those vs 3stacking despite result being the same = can't get through Diamond
c) people just have other stuff to do

To sum up: if Respawn can't fix cheating and game exploits that are done mostly in 3stacks, can't fix community to be more grind, skill development oriented or stick with pubs vs playing ranked as pubs just to get badges...best thing they can do is to separate 3stacks as leaving things as they are clearly will not provide better experience - as we see game over past 20 seasons has become more and more casual, full of hackers, boosted players and Diamond+ lobbies are the worst.

Have fun and grind solos vs having fun with your friends, cracking jokes and grinding together... hmm... i guess if you don't have friends to play with it makes sense. or if you value winning in a game more than a human connection i guess 🤷 but what do I know

Couldn’t agree more

dumbest decision they’ve made