Yes, Valve is still cooking with Deadlock and they have rolled out a significant matchmaking update for it that splits the game into two distinct queues: Standard Mode and the newly introduced Ranked Mode. The changes aim to give players a clearer choice between casual games and higher-stakes competitive matches while tightening the rules around hero mastery and party restrictions in Ranked.
Standard Mode
Standard Mode serves as the lower-stakes option. There are no rank adjustments, no party size limits, and no skill spread restrictions. Players can queue with any group size and use the mode to practice unfamiliar heroes. The matchmaker will factor in limited experience with a hero when forming these games, making it the intended place to learn new characters without affecting competitive standing.
Ranked Mode
Ranked Mode is built for players who want more competitive matches against similarly skilled opponents. It uses a structured rank system with seasons, calibration, and stricter entry requirements.
Rank Structure
Ranks are divided into several tiers, each containing six subranks (I through VI):
- Obscurus (uncalibrated)
- Initiate
- Seeker
- Acolyte
- Sentinel
- Mystic
- Ritualist
- Emissary
- Oracle
- Phantom
- Ascendant
- Eternus
How To Unlock Ranked
To unlock Ranked Mode, players must have at least 60 wins in Standard Mode. In addition, Ranked only allows heroes that a player has won at least 15 games with in Standard. A minimum of three eligible heroes is required to queue. These rules are designed to ensure players entering Ranked already have a working knowledge of the characters they bring into matches. This is also quite a grind and might help slow down a lot of smurfing early on.
Seasons and Calibration
The first Ranked season began with this update and runs until October 7. At the end of each season, a player’s highest rank is permanently recorded in their Rank history. Future seasons are expected to last longer and may include mid-season splits.
Everyone begins the season with an 8-game calibration phase. Prior performance carries over in a soft reset to help seed players into appropriate early matches. The highest rank achievable during calibration is Oracle VI. Parties are not allowed during calibration games.
Party Rules
Ranked currently supports only solo or duo queues. Duo partners must be within one full Rank of each other (for example, Mystic and Ritualist). Eternus players can only queue with other Eternus players and must be within three subranks. Valve has noted these limits may be adjusted later based on feedback and population.
Rank Points and Progression
Wins and losses award or deduct Rank Points, averaging around ±250 points per game depending on match expectations and win streaks. Moving up a subrank requires 1,000 points. Advancing from the final subrank of one tier into the next full Rank (such as Mystic VI to Ritualist I) requires 2,000 points.
Once players reach Eternus I, subrank thresholds become dynamic and are adjusted daily based on percentiles rather than fixed point totals.
Loss protection is also included. Players receive five games of protection when sitting on the boundary of a full Rank, and two games of protection when on a subrank boundary.
Hero Selection and Pre-Game Phase
Ranked keeps the ability to queue with a preferred hero, but adds a new pre-game phase after the match is formed. During this short window, players can see the ranks of everyone in the lobby and make a single hero swap to any other Ranked-unlocked hero that has not already been taken. The system is intended primarily for improving team composition rather than pure counter-picking. Enemy hero swaps are not shown in real time.
Players can also adjust starting lanes during this phase. Zipline lane swaps are disabled afterward, and pausing is locked until two minutes into the match. Ranked games now ban three heroes instead of two, and the ban algorithm has been improved.
Abandons and Penalties
Players with active sanctions cannot queue for Ranked. Leaving before the five-minute mark voids the game for everyone except the leaver and their party, who take a loss and receive penalties. Leaving after five minutes still penalizes the leaver and their party, while the remaining teammates on that side can safely leave or continue; a win will still count if they stay and win.
Penalties begin with queue timeouts and escalate into low-priority matches.
Leaderboards and Ranked Hub
Leaderboard requirements have been raised. Global leaderboard placement now requires 75 games in the last 30 days (up from 50). Hero-specific leaderboards require 30 recent games on that hero (up from 20) plus at least 100 lifetime wins with the character.
A new Ranked Hub in the hideout tracks current and past seasons, global leaderboards, and personal rank history. Players will also receive a commemorative item for their highest rank at the end of each season.
Rollout Expectations
The new system is live immediately, but Valve has warned that the first week or more will be unstable. Many players still need to meet the 60-win and hero-win requirements, which means the Ranked pool will start thin. Queue times, match quality, and team compositions are expected to be inconsistent until the population grows and players finish calibration. The studio has also noted that a rewrite of this scale will likely surface bugs that need fixing over the coming days.
The update represents the biggest structural change to Deadlock’s matchmaking so far. By separating casual and competitive queues and tying Ranked eligibility to demonstrated hero experience, Valve is attempting to create a clearer competitive ladder while preserving a low-pressure environment for learning and playing with friends. How quickly the Ranked population stabilizes will determine how successful the new system feels in its first season.