With the launch of Apex Legends: Emergence on the 3rd of August, the Arenas game mode will be getting its first competitive offering. Ranked Arenas will give players the chance to compete in the round-based, 3v3 game mode, earning ranks just like in Ranked battle royale. The mode will also be getting several new maps.
Apex Legends Ranked Arenas: Rank & MMR
When Apex Legends Ranked Arenas launch next week, the ranking system won’t be exactly like it is in battle royale. Essentially, the mode will give players two ratings; a visible Rank, and an invisible MMR (match-making rating). The actual Rankings will be much the same as in Battle Royale; starting with Bronze and going all the way up to Apex Predator. The MMR, meanwhile, is a score tailored to each individual player which determines matchings.
According to Respawn, having a separate MMR, rather than solely using Rank, allows them to more finely-tune match-ups and Rank changes. “If you find yourself ranked Silver,” explains Respawn; “but you’ve been consistently playing at a Platinum level, our system will go ahead and start matching you against other players with Platinum-level MMRs. If you win these matches, you’ll get a lot more Arenas Points (AP), which will make your visible rank catch up to Platinum quicker. If you lose these matches, likewise, you’ll lose fewer AP, and your MMR will invisibly drop until you’re matched more evenly.”
When players start playing Ranked Arenas, they’ll need to complete 10 Placement Matches. These 10 matches will determine a player’s starting MMR and Rank. Since players go into their Placement Matches without either MMR or Rank, they should expect the matching to be unbalanced. (i.e., it’s entirely possible that you’ll be matched against players who are much better – or much worse – than you).
Once the Placement Matches are complete, players will start earning AP with every match. You’ll get more AP for a win than for a loss. (The exact amount depends on the difference between your Rank and MMR.) It’s important to note that there is no demotion protection in Ranked Arenas. (Players will still earn rewards at the end of the season based on the highest Rank they reached.)