Solo Queue Ranked Feedback
This is my first time posting feedback here, but as a long-time player who loves this game, I feel the current direction for high-tier Ranked is a mistake. To give some context, I’ve solo-queued th...
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I'm going to be honest.
I reinstalled Apex. I did. I got bored and I said F it... let's go again. 🤷♂️
Before I spazzed out and called it quits some days ago I got demoted back to Plat4.
Yesterday I grinded to Plat1. At first I didn't use my mic and I played the way I prefer. After reaching Plat2 I decided to mic up with barely any luck. I played for several hours and only came across a couple of players who were talking. Even then, it hit was a hit or miss.
The issue with solo queue players is they don't take Ranked seriously. They play uncoordinated and sporadic and then expect to rank up. They don't talk and when they do it's complete nonsense. One phrase solo queue players hate to hear is "let's play zone". I've already sent Mako videos of my gameplay which show players are not playing competitively. So the solution is not to punish the players who do play ranked seriously and coordinated. The solution is that solo queue players need to help themselves.
Even with the solo queue test it doesn't change that fact that solo queue players in Plat still have to deal with stacked teams. I've been Valk landed on and chased around by stacked teams a lot. The difference for me is that I don't see it as a negative. As a solo queue player I need to mic up, make some friends, use PwS, etc. Give me two teammates who want to compete and I'll go up against anybody in this community, including the so-called pros. They're not pros, they're people.
This same logic applies IRL. If I decide to go play basketball at a city park and participate in a tourney, I don't care who I'm up against. Give me a coordinated team and I will compete. But if I have to play with random people, we better get it together instantly and compete. If we lose because we're not good enough, then so be it. I'm not going to call the mayor's office and tell them to not allow certain people at the park for any reason. It's all recreational and for fun.
As long as players are not cheating they should not be restricted, and everyone else needs to up their game. IMO, solo queuing should be difficult after reaching Diamond. It has always been that way, most seasons. Additionally, solo queue players in the current system shouldn't be able to reach Pred tier. That doesn't make sense.
I have no pity for solo queue players, including myself.
We all can decide to not be solo queue players in a instant by using the current social networking features and being good teammates. If it gets to hot in the kitchen, then get out. 🔥🔥🔥🥵 Go play Pubs, Wildcard, Mixtape, or Training modes. 🤷♂️
"Go play Pubs, Wildcard, Mixtape, or Training modes."
But did you know that for a very long time Pubs and Wildcard have often been more difficult and much less "fair" than ranked games at the platinum/low diamond level? And that's the point: there's no escape from ranked modes above D4, because Pubs and Wildcard are often just as sweaty and unplayable. SBMM in unranked modes is a joke, and everyone knows it. When Wildcard first launched, it was a really fun mode for the first few months. Now it's a slaughterhouse for 3stacks playing Axle and Conduit. This season, playing Wildcard/Pubs, I've dropped to a K/D of ~ 1,0 (in previous seasons, I kept a K/D of 3.0 in those modes), while in ranked I have currently K/D of 5.47 after a 30+ games to almost P2. I'll skip ranked anyway after D4 for obvious reasons, but at this point, after hitting D4, it's better to smurf ranked games again on another account than switch to unranked modes on my main account because SBMM is **bleep**.
I don't need solo q for ranked to be a permanent change, but I expected this test to take place and some conclusions to be drawn. It's just that Respawn simply got scared (any explanation will do, as long as it doesn't tell the truth).
As I mentioned earlier, I'm hoping for easier matchmaking for solos in the next split, and we'll see what happens then (this is a long-announced change by Respawn). Regardless of what you say, the truth is that solo q players shouldn't be constantly forced into playing against 3-stacks. I wouldn't mind if it happened once in a while, but since D4/D3 it's practically the norm. For example, Valorant protected such players, and CS as well. I didn't fight playing solo against a 5-stack team.
Over time, as Apex's base crumbled and the remaining players were mostly skilled players, such unbalanced matchmaking has become commonplace in every mode.
I've been playing this game for too long and use a tracker, so I have eyes and see what my lobbies look like. A few years ago, the situation was completely different.
Times change, and does skill level increase over time in every game? Sure, of course it does. Only then do you analyze various situations and make changes to avoid a situation where, day after day, month after month, you're stuck in a lobby where everyone is a god. The game doesn't know if you're a regular player sweating 12 hours a day, or a casual player with good skills who plays a few hours a week. The game will treat you the same, putting you in a lobby where you barely move before you die. And that's the problem. The game used to be fun, long, and you had time to react. Respawn sped up everything possible, and many people can't keep up anymore. It's easy to say "change the game," but would you send everyone away with that? Who will you be playing with in a year, two, or three? Sometimes you need to look at things from a broader perspective, not just from your own level.
To sum up - I myself am not in favor of the solo q change being a permanent change and I know that there will be more disadvantages than advantages, BUT looking from the perspective of how the game changes from year to year to the ADVERSE of solo players - some actions MUST be taken to prevent this player base from dying out completely over time.
From my side, that's all on this topic. You'll have your supporters, I'll have mine. Everyone should speak for themselves. I've expressed my opinion. You can respect it or ridicule it; that's your decision.
Have a nice day.
I reached D4 last night.
After playing in Diamond for several hours, with a uncoordinated stack I met using PwS, I understand your perspective more. It's tough competing against coordinated stacks for sure, in any game mode.
One game we had four Pred-tier teams farming the lobby. What's glaring is that coordinated stacks move faster and more confident throughout the match. Coordinated stacked teams are so much better at picking the right fights, skirmishing, rebounding, controlling space, and playing zone.
What's also glaring is the less coordinated teams make themselves easy to eliminate by not playing zone and gaining superior positioning. For example, my Octane teammate wanted to fight and skirmish anyone he saw without playing position. As a result we struggled most games. We were late to zone every match and dealt with gatekeeping. Eventually, we lost confidence and disbanded. Afterwards I solo queued several matches with no success and stopped playing so I wouldn't be demoted. My experience solo queuing was 100x worse then playing with my previous uncoordinated stack.
I'm not sure what that best solutions are anymore. Although, my overall theory for less coordinated teams is to be more coordinated and direct with decision-making. If sharks are in the water then you've got to fight back with greater intensity or get out of the water. 🤷♂️
I'm in favor of solo queuing in Ranked, it could be a solution. I just dislike that it effects the players who want to play with friends. Although, preventing coordinated stacked teams in casual modes is a slippery slope.
P.S. - Now that I hit D4 on PS5 I'm going to finish my Diamond climb on Switch 2, I'm currently Plat2. Wish me luck!!! 😁
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