Respawn has rolled out a temporary matchmaking change for Ranked in Apex Legends that further limits the matches that Masters and Predator players can join.

This change to the Ranked mode in Apex Legends  comes as the developer prepares to release Season 26 at the start of August and could have a significant impact on the competitive mode in the months ahead.

One of the main draws of Respawn's battle royale over the years has been Ranked. The mode offers a competitive experience, with players vying to move up the rankings to reach the top tier of Predator. While the challenge of moving up the ranks has kept many players engaged, it has not been without its issues. As a result, the competitive mode has gone through numerous reworks, as Respawn has attempted to find a formula that works for the majority of the player base. With Season 26 on the horizon, the development team has revealed its latest plan to potentially enhance the Apex Legends experience. 

According to Respawn, this plan involves a matchmaking test that impacts high-skilled players. Specifically, this test prevents Masters and Predator players from joining lobbies with squads below Diamond 1, and it is currently underway across all regions and platforms. The developer revealed that this matchmaking test is to “improve the skill distribution across Ranked matches.” In addition, it noted this matchmaking change was a common request among Apex Legends players, as many lower-ranked squads have complained of uneven skill distribution in Apex Legends lobbies  in the past.

Apex Legends Restricting Predator and Masters Players to Diamond 1 and Above Lobbies in Matchmaking Test X Post 🔗🖇️ 

It is worth noting that there is still the potential for players below Diamond 1 to encounter Masters and Predator players in Ranked during the test period. In a follow-up tweet, Respawn clarified that matchmaking would place teams based on the highest-ranked player in a squad. This means a Diamond 1 player could bring lower-ranked teammates into a lobby with Predator and Masters players. Nevertheless, the distribution of Apex Legends players  should be significantly altered if the test goes according to plan.

It will be interesting to see how this Ranked change impacts Apex Legends and whether it becomes a permanent fixture in the future. Respawn noted that it wanted to run the test at the end of the season to ensure a “healthy population” of Masters and Predator players. As pointed out by the developer, one potential downside of this change could be longer queue times for players in higher ranks, as the game will have a smaller matchmaking pool to draw from. If the queue times get unreasonably long, the test could end early. It should be noted that Respawn did not disclose a planned end time for the test.

Hopefully, this matchmaking test will improve the Ranked experience for players in the remainder of Season 25 of Apex Legends.  Respawn has already teased Ranked updates for Season 26, so it will be interesting to see if this matchmaking change will be part of them.

Source;Electronic Arts/GameRant  

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