Now that Overwatch 2 PvP is released as free-to-play, here is our guide on Overwatch 2 ranking system and how to unlock competitive in Overwatch 2.
Overwatch 2’s competitive ranked mode has seen several adjustments. It’s similar to the original game, but it focuses on sustained solid performance across numerous bouts rather than victory in a single match.
Overwatch 2 includes two ranked modes: Role Queue and Open Queue, both of which need 50 wins or ownership of the original game to access. The role queue limits the makeup of your team to one tank hero, two damage heroes, and two support heroes. You queue for the roles you wish to play, play matches, and get an individual rating for each role. Open Queue, like Overwatch when it first launched in 2016, is a free-for-all. You can select any hero in any capacity and obtain a single global rank.
You must finish a number of matches at the start of each competitive season before receiving your rank. You will be unranked until you win seven games or lose 20 games, whichever comes first. If you participated in competitive modes in Overwatch 1, your rank will be similar to what it was but adjusted to reflect all of the new changes in the sequel.
This method replaces the placement matches from the original game. It encourages you to just play consistently throughout a number of matches rather than seeing each one as a school test in which you must give your all. Throughout the season, your rank will only be updated when you reach the seven-win or 20-loss barrier again.
Overwatch 2 ranking system
Ranks are divided into seven medals, one for each skill level. Each has five number divisions that climb until you reach the next highest tier. So, if you’re in Gold 1 and win seven games, you’ll be promoted to Platinum 5. The rankings are as follows:
- Bronze 5-1
- Silver 5-1
- Gold 5-1
- Platinum 5-1
- Diamond 5-1
- Master 5-1
- Grandmaster 5-1
The Top 500 leaderboard and rank symbol will be released two weeks into each season, and if the season features a new hero, they will be eligible to play in ranked. The Top 500 is a constantly changing list of the top 500 players. The Top 500 does not require a specific rank to qualify; it is a snapshot of whoever is at the top. However, you must first complete 25 matches in the Role Queue or 50 in the Open Queue. And, because there are only 500 players out of potentially thousands, it will be dominated by Grandmaster and Master players.
If you stop playing for a lengthy period of time, your invisible MMR, or matchmaking rating, will decay, or be decreased, to place you in easier games if you’re rusty. Blizzard said that during this time, your MMR will change faster than usual to bring you back on track.
How groups work in competitive
Overwatch 2’s competitive modes include various restrictions on group play. Players in the Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond skill levels can form groups with any number of persons within two skill tiers of them. Master players may also form groups of unlimited size, but they must be within one skill tier of them. Everything becomes more stringent in the two top positions. Grandmaster players can form groups with one other player in their skill category. And Top 500 players may only form groups with one other Top 500 player in their region.
How competitive rewards work
The competitive incentives in Overwatch 2 have also changed. There are competitive points available for purchasing your favorite heroes’ golden weapons (3,000 competitive points apiece), as well as titles to display on your name card in the following season. Each game you win earns you 15 competitive points, while each draw earns you five. At the end of the season, your greatest rank across Role Queue and Open Queue will award you with a chunk of competitive points via a competitive challenge.
Along with the associate title benefits, you’ll receive the following number of competitive points:
- Bronze: 65
- Silver: 125
- Gold: 250
- Platinum: 500
- Diamond: 750, Diamond Challenger
- Master: 1,200, Master Challenger
- Grandmaster: 1,750, Grandmaster Challenger
- Top 500: 1,750, Top 500 Challenger
You also earn titles after finishing a variety of competitive games:
- 250 games: Adept Competitor
- 750 games: Seasoned Competitor
- 1,750 games: Expert Competitor
We hope that you enjoyed this article on Overwatch 2 ranking system: How OW2’s competitive ranks work. If you did, we are sure that you will also enjoy our other articles, such as how to super jump as Mercy in Overwatch 2, or Overwatch 2 game server connection failed: How to fix it.
