Update: Capcom just this week added a new system to the game which goes beyond Master Rank. This system is a new League for the top-tier players to test their mettle in. More on that below. Now, on with the original guide.
Being a competitive fighting game, Capcom has put a ton of time into tweaking and refining the online play of Street Fighter 6. It’s the core way most people will experience the game, so the devs wanted it to be perfect. As part o their various overhauls to make the game more approachable, the ranking system in Street Fighter 6 is fairly different compared to other games in the franchise. Keep reading to learn more about the ranking system and all its various minutiae.
Ranking System in Street Fighter 6 Explained
As you win and lose ranked battles, you earn LP, or League Points. The LP is cumulative, and when you hit a certain milestone, you will gain a new rank. Ranks matter less in Custom Rooms and Battle Hubs though, so keep that in mind. You can and will face much higher and lower-ranked players outside of casual and ranked online matches.
Generally, you need to lose two battles to lose the same amount of LP gained from one victory. Capcom has cleverly designed the system to allow players to have a much easier time in gaining Ranks. In previous games, it was much harder to gain ranks. In some games, you needed to win 70% of your matches or more to reach the top tiers. That has changed a fair bit as the game has been made a lot more accessible to new players. Now, the matchmaking system is balanced around the idea that the majority of players will have a roughly 50% win rate. This lowering of the skill floor allows new players to be more competitive. Although there is the problem of more experienced players now being able to dominate players that probably shouldn’t be in higher ranks, Capcom doesn’t seem to think this will be an issue.
With the basics out of the way, let’s get into some nitty-gritty.
How does your rank get decided?
Once you queue for Ranked matches, you will be put into 10 placement matches. How well you do will determine where the matchmaking servers place you in the overall rankings. After you complete these 10 matches and are given your starting rank, your progress will depend on which league you fall into:
- Rookie – You gain bonus LP from win streaks, and won’t lose LP on losses
- Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold – You gain bonus LP from win streaks, a one-time Rank-down protection is provided, and you won’t be demoted to a lower league
- Platinum, Diamond – There is no win streak bonus, demotion to a lower league is possible, but a one-time Rank-down protection is provided
- Master – There is no win streak bonus, no demotion is possible
Every rank in Street Fighter 6 has certain variables. In some ranks, win streaks are enabled. These allow you to earn bonus LP for performing exceptionally well, speeding up the grind to higher ranks.
What are the ranks?
The ranking system in Street Fighter 6 is broken up into a set of Tiers. Each tier denotes an estimation of your skill within the game, and is used as the primary means of matchmaking. Here’s the breakdown:
- Rookie
- Iron
- Bronze
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum
- Diamond
- Master
- Legend
There are five sub-tiers within each overall rank denoted by a Star rating from 0 to 5. Once you reach five stars in a rank, you’re about to head into the next tier. Anytime you see the “Rank-Up Opportunity” before a match, that means you’re on the threshold of a new rank if you win that battle.
The matchmaking in SF6 relies on pairing you with ranked and casual matches that are within your rank, as well as one tier above and below it. In short, if you’re a Bronze player, you’re going to face Iron, Bronze and Silver players until you rank up.
What’s beyond Master Rank?
Now that Street Fighter 6 has been on the market for a couple of months, folks in the higher tiers of play are a bit antsy. Master rank is fun, but a lot of players are already feeling the itch for a new goal to chase.
With the most recent patch, along with some balance fixes, Capcom added a new rank known as Legend. This special tier beyond Master is a unique ranking system that’s on a timer. Every three months, you will have your rank reset, but you have a new goal to chase. Capcom won’t reset ranks below Legend, so you don’t have to worry about losing that progress.
Legend rank uses a unique form of LP called Master Rate (MR). Every player that makes it to Master is granted 1,500 MR and your total score in each three-month season of MR totals will determine your overall rank within the game’s elite.
