The ranked game mode of Overwatch for PC players is here! We reveal everything you need to know about the latest feature of the hero shooter.
The ranked system is live – the first season begins
Last night at witching hour, it finally happened. Since today, June 29, 2016, Overwatch finally has a ranked game mode (at least on the PC version!). Without significant downtime of the servers, players could immediately jump into the new game mode after installing the patch. Those brave enough to prove themselves and how good they really are at Overwatch (and especially: how well they can work in a team) can now venture into the “Ranked System”. Console players, however, will have to wait until next week.
But how does it all work and what has changed since the beta?
To get started, you must have reached at least level 25. The first 10 games are now placement matches. Your starting rating will be determined based on your performance during these games – it will be somewhere between 1 and 100. Even during the placement matches, you can earn “Competitive Points” in the event of a victory, which can later be exchanged for golden weapons – a new form of character customization. Since these weapons are not available in loot boxes, they remain an exclusive reward for players of the ranked mode.
Otherwise, little has changed fundamentally in the game. On the “Capture” maps (Lijiang Tower, Nepal, and Ilios), a “Best of 5” is now played instead of a “Best of 3”, and on the other maps, there is a forward and backward round. The team with the best performance wins. The “performance” is determined by the progress on the individual maps. Capturing control points and escorting the payload is rewarded with victory points – the team with more points wins. In the event of a tie, there is a “Sudden Death”, meaning an extension on the respective map to determine the final winner.
A season in the ranked game mode lasts approximately 3 months. However, the first season is slightly shorter and ends after just 6 weeks – on August 18. Then, depending on the achieved rank, there will be a hefty amount of “Competitive Points” on top.
If you don’t yet feel fit for the ranked game mode, check out our numerous guides on the different heroes and learn some tricks and tips:
