Operators who haven’t played Rainbow Six Siege in a while or want to breach into competitive gameplay must ensure they understand how the ranking system works. Put that Kinetic Breaching Tool down, soldier, as we explain Rainbow Six Siege’s Ranked 2.0 in detail.
In this guide, we’ll thoroughly detail topics such as matchmaking requirements, the differences between Ranked and Quick Match, and the Ranks players can work through. We also put together essential tips to climb the Ranks in Siege, earning Charms and other shiny rewards along the way.
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Rainbow Six Siege Ranking System
What Is Ranked 2.0? How Does It Work?
Before the Operation Solar Raid update (Y7S4) on Dec. 6, 2022, Siege’s Ranked game mode used Matchmaking Rating (MMR) to match up players and teams. Once Ubisoft unleashed “Ranked 2.0,” the system was split into two distinct systems: Skill and Rank. We’ll outline both systems to help you fully understand Ranked 2.0.
How Skill Works In R6 Siege
In Rainbow Six Siege, your Skill is a hidden value (previously known as MMR) used for matchmaking purposes. In essence, the game compares the average Skill of both teams in a Ranked match and determines their win probabilities based on all available player performance data.
Ubisoft has outlined the algorithm used to assign a Skill value: an estimation of their skill (μ) and the uncertainty of this estimation (σ). The more games played, the more information becomes available, lowering the uncertainty and increasing the confidence in the Skill value.
If that sounds a bit confusing, Ubisoft explained how Skill works in a thorough example that you can read in this blog post. But to put it simply, a player’s Skill is updated based on the outcome of a match. The amount of Skill increase with a win or Skill decrease with a loss is based on whether the outcome of a match was expected or unexpected. An unexpected outcome results in a larger Skill increase or decrease.
How Ranked Works In R6 Siege
Everyone starts at Copper V Rank when a new season begins. There are no placement matches, so if you meet the account level requirement of Ranked, you can just jump in. Each Rank requires 100 Rank Points (RP) to progress.
If you win a match, you gain RP, while losing a game means losing RP. The amount of RP lost or gained is determined by the average Skill rating of your team compared to the enemy team, and the difference between your actual Skill and current Rank.
Ubisoft provided an example of how a top-tier player will experience RP gains and losses, especially at the start of a new season, which you can read below:
“Player A is a Champion player (+5000 Skill) that just started playing this season (Copper 5 Rank). This player, since we don’t reset Skill anymore, will be matched from the start of the season against players of the same Skill but since their Rank is very far away from their Skill, each time this player wins a match, they will be rewarded with a lot of Rank Points (during Y7S4 this will be around 80 RP which is the maximum) in order to progress quickly towards their real Rank, similarly, each time this player loses a match, the Rank Points they lose will be minimal (during Y7S4 this will be around -9 RP which is the minimum) as they are very far away from their real Rank. For this player, this gain/loss difference will continue like this for the large majority of their climb towards their real Rank and should see a decrease in their gains and an augment in their losses at around the Diamond Rank.”
A note on dropping down in Rank: There is a Demotion Shield in Ranked 2.0. This feature prevents you from dropping a Rank if you have more than 0 RP at the start of a match. For example, if you have 5 RP at Gold II and lose a match, the Demotion Shield will prevent you from dropping down to Gold III, even if you’re meant to lose 12 RP for the loss. However, if you have 0 RP at the start of a match and lose, you’ll drop to a lower Rank.
Now that you have a good idea of the two underlying systems in Ranked 2.0 let’s move on to how this translates into day-to-day Rainbow Six Siege Ranked matchmaking.
How Does Ranked Matchmaking Work?
You’ll queue up for Ranked in Rainbow Six Siege with your friends, and then behind-the-scenes calculations kick in to find opponents that should allow for a balanced match with players of similar Skill levels.
Players and teams are primarily matched in terms of the hidden Skill rating, and the number of RP they earn is based on how far away their current Rank is from their real Skill value. The closer a player’s Rank gets to their real Skill, the fewer Ranked Points they earn.
Thanks to Ranked 2.0, increasing your Rank is a much smoother process. Ubisoft’s goal was “steadier progression,” and while some don’t love the system, others do. The developer appears to have met its goals, reducing the number of one-sided matches and attracting more players to the competitive game mode. This is evident from Ubisoft’s progress updates and findings, though they will continue to “adjust and improve [Ranked] based on our findings throughout the seasons.”
With Ranked 2.0 matchmaking, Ubisoft also removed the Squad MMR restrictions, allowing you to play with your friends regardless of experience and skill. This was possible thanks to the separation of Rank and Skill, which allows Ubisoft to stop exploit attempts without the need for those party restrictions.
Level Requirements
You can start playing Quick Match and standard modes at account level 1. However, your account must be at level 50 to compete in the Ranked game mode for the first time.
How Does Ranked Gameplay Differ From Quick Match?
In addition to being more competitive in general, Ranked varies quite a bit from Quick Match. For example, you can only play the Bomb game mode in Ranked, which means no Protect The Hostage nor Secure Area.
There are some other critical differences in the Ranked format, which we’ve outlined below.
- Attackers/Defenders swap at Round 3 in Quick Match and Round 4 in Ranked.
- Best-of-four in Quick Match and best-of-six in Ranked.
- Best-of-one in Overtime and best-of-three in Ranked.
- Ranked features a Map Ban phase, while Quick Match does not.
- Ranked features an Operator Pick/Ban phase, while Quick Match does not.
The round duration is the same at three minutes, but the length of matches differs. You can expect Ranked matches to last between 15 and 40 minutes on average, while Quick Match experiences have a lower average duration of between 10 and 25 minutes. Ranked also has a specific map pool that is consistently updated, so not all Rainbow Six Siege maps are available in Ranked mode.
Rainbow Six Siege Ranks
Below is a list of all Rainbow Six Siege Ranks and subdivisions. The Emerald Rank was introduced to the ranking system with Operation Solar Raid (Update Y7S4).
- Copper (V, IV, III, II, I)
- Bronze (V, IV, III, II, I)
- Silver (V, IV, III, II, I)
- Gold (V, IV, III, II, I)
- Platinum (V, IV, III, II, I)
- Emerald (V, IV, III, II, I)
- Diamond (V, IV, III, II, I)
- Champion
In addition to acquiring enough Ranked points, the highest Rank (Champion Rank) also requires players to complete 100 Ranked matches.
How To Improve Your Rainbow Six Siege Rank
If you’re playing Ranked, chances are your sights are set on reaching the “Champion” Rank, or at least Emerald or Diamond. But it’s not just about bragging rights, because you’ll also unlock rewards like Charms, Alpha Packs, and Operator Card backgrounds.
We’ve outlined five essential tips to help you reach higher competitive ranks and, if you so desire, potentially enter esports tournaments.
Practice In Unranked—Not Quick Match
Earlier in this guide, we outlined the differences between Quick Match and Ranked. Those differences apply between Quick Match and Unranked play, with the latter following the same rules as Ranked.
While Quick Match is faster if you just want to get through as many maps as possible, we suggest you use the Unranked playlist for practice. With Unranked, you can only play the Bomb mode, which features the same general map pool. This means your practice matches are as close to Ranked mode as possible.
Study The Maps
Each Rainbow Six Siege map is unique, with diverse options for breaching as the attackers and clever ways for the defenders to prevent a bomb plant. We recommend studying maps to find weak points and using Operator skills to surprise the enemy team. When you gain experience in each map, you’ll find your favorite entry points or corners to peek around for some swift takedowns.
We recommend building up as much personal map knowledge as possible so you can react quickly in a Ranked match. For example, you may find a preferred spot on the Bank map in the Top Square section or love breaching via the Garage system. Learning these “callouts” for each map can help you achieve victory, especially when you also follow our next tip.
Communicate!
In any team-based competitive multiplayer game, communication is key to winning. Learn to communicate clearly with your friends, long-term teammates, and random players you’ve been matched up with in-game.
A critical aspect of communicating in Siege is to learn all the map callouts in the Ranked playlist. For example, you could help your team score an easy kill if you can call out that an enemy is “at VISA” on the Consulate map.
Even better, you should communicate with your team when using a specific gadget or performing a specific action. For example, attacking teams may count down via voice chat before breaching, helping everyone synergize their movement.
Practice Makes Perfect
The more you play, the better you will become. You can and should hone your skills to climb the Ranks efficiently. We suggest first practicing your aim and equipment usage with different Operators in the Quick Match game mode or Unranked until you feel confident in your core ability and reach account level 50.
Once you have the basics down, you should practice advanced breaching or defending tactics, preferably with your Siege buddies. After all, playing Ranked mode with friends is the best option, especially when all the practice pays off and you execute a perfect tactic.
Mix Up Tactics
Rainbow Six Siege players and teams who are serious about climbing the competitive Ranks should have several viable tactics on each map.
Let’s use the Clubhouse’s garage area as an example. Teams should learn to quickly adjust to a specific breaching tactic and stack with more defenders in the next round. In the next round, you should have another tactic in your back pocket, like attempting a breach from the kitchen/main stairs area.
Mixing up tactics for both the attacking and defending squads is an excellent way to win more Ranked matches and earn a ton of RP in the process. Remember to discuss and plan tactics with your team and clearly communicate the plan of action.
Are You Ready To Climb The Ranked Ladder?
Improving your Rank in a highly competitive game like Rainbow Six Siege is both stressful and thrilling, and it may lead to some moments of frustration. So, if we can provide you with one final tip to finding success, it’s this: remember that it’s just a game and you should be having fun. Whenever you’re feeling even slightly tilted, tell your teammates that you need a break and will join them tomorrow. After all, you will likely end up playing and communicating better once you’ve cooled off.
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