TL;DR
- Riot data lead proposes shifting Bronze/Silver players to Gold/Platinum for better distribution
- Current system described as overly restrictive compared to Dota 2 and Overwatch
- Master tier would show raw rankings for top 1% of players
- Spongebob analogy illustrates need for balance between gatekeeping and generosity
- Changes aim to make Diamond feel more rewarding while maintaining Challenger prestige
While community feedback about League of Legends’ competitive ladder is constant, genuine proposals from Riot Games insiders carry significantly more weight in the discussion.
Nathan “Blaustoise” Blau, the gameplay data lead at Riot Games, recently used Twitter to analyze the current ranked mechanics and present his vision for meaningful improvements.
Blaustoise outlined four primary objectives for enhancing the ranked experience: minimizing the perception of artificial barriers to progression, concentrating rank distribution around the Gold tier, enhancing the satisfaction of Diamond-ranked players who aren’t at the absolute pinnacle, and increasing clarity for competitors in the Master division.
These goals address fundamental pain points that have frustrated the League community for multiple seasons, particularly the feeling that progression requires excessive grinding.
The data specialist explained how League’s current competitive structure creates unnecessary obstacles for players and proves considerably more limiting when measured against other major esports titles.
His proposal involves migrating substantial portions of the player base from Bronze and Silver into Gold and potentially Platinum ranks. This strategic realignment stems from observing that competitors like Dota 2 and Overwatch maintain much more balanced percentage distributions across their middle-tier rankings.
League’s competitive ecosystem currently experiences a significant bottleneck at the Silver tier, creating frustration for average performers.
Blaustoise crafted an insightful comparison using the Salty Spitoon and Weenie Hut Jr establishments from the Spongebob Squarepants “No Weenies Allowed” episode. He characterized the Spitoon approach as excessively restrictive while Weenie Hut proves too lenient. His objective centers on establishing an optimal middle ground.
“League remains BY FAR the most salty and Spitoon-like system. Season 9 represents CLEAR improvement over… whatever occurred during Season 8. However, League’s competitive structure still appears problematic,” Blaustoise stated.
Another substantial modification Blaustoise recommends involves establishing a precise one percent threshold for the Master rank population. Upon reaching Master status, competitors would receive a numerical position openly displayed, similar to Hearthstone’s Legend ranking mechanics. The Challenger tier would remain unaltered.
This transparency initiative would help Master-tier players understand their exact standing within the elite competitive landscape.
Although these concepts originate from an official Riot Games representative, their actual implementation timeline remains uncertain. Game development pipelines typically require extensive testing and community feedback before deploying systemic changes of this magnitude.
Players should monitor official patch notes and developer updates for any announcements regarding ranked system modifications. Understanding these potential changes can help competitors adapt their gameplay strategies accordingly.
Action Checklist
- Monitor official Riot Games communications for ranked system updates
- Analyze your current ranked performance metrics to identify improvement areas
- Study successful strategies from games with better ranked distribution like Dota 2
- Prepare for potential rank redistribution by focusing on consistent performance fundamentals
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Riot Games employee has some suggestions for fixing the ranked ladder Riot data expert proposes ranked system overhaul to reduce gatekeeping and improve player distribution