Ranked online multiplayer is arguably one of the tensest game modes – a game of risk versus rewards for every round (of game, or gunfire).

Previously, we’ve covered the insights applicable to all multiplayer game developers of Call of Duty’s skill-based matchmaking through their in-depth white paper.

In this article, we’ll cover the key insights that are applicable to all multiplayer game developers in regard to Call of Duty’s ranked matchmaking. The third part of its 2024’s deep dive into matchmaking.

Let’s jump into it!

Call of Duty’s Ranked Matchmaking: Architecture of Self-Described “Competitive Fairness”

Unlike casual multiplayer modes, Ranked Play prioritizes competitive integrity above all else.

Players compete in 4v4 matches to earn Skill Rating (SR) and progress through seven distinct ranks: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Crimson, and Iridescent. The top 250 players in Iridescent gain special recognition on public leaderboards.

Ranked Play matchmaking fundamentally differs from standard Call of Duty multiplayer in its approach to player matching. Where casual modes prioritize speed and low latency, ranked matches deliberately extend search times to achieve better competitive balance.

This means the median search time in Ranked Play is twice as long as casual modes, with high-skill players waiting significantly longer for appropriately matched opponents.

This extended search time serves a critical purpose. The system implements hard constraints absent from casual play, ensuring players aren't placed in lobbies with significantly suboptimal connections. The development team has created sophisticated backoff mechanisms that gradually expand acceptable match parameters while maintaining competitive integrity as search times extend.

Understanding Skill Rating vs Raw Skill

Call of Duty's developers feels their ranked system’s innovation lies in its dual-track approach to skill measurement. Skill Rating (SR) serves as the visible progression metric, while Raw Skill operates as the underlying mathematical representation of actual player ability.

This separation addresses a fundamental tension in competitive gaming. If SR purely reflected skill measurement, most players would see minimal gains from match to match, creating an unrewarding experience. Instead, all players begin each season in Bronze rank and climb toward their Target SR, which correlates directly with their measured skill level.

The system ensures that consistent participation will eventually align a player's Current SR with their Target SR.

For elite players who consistently win at rates exceeding 80%, the system implements SR inflation controls. These prevent the ranking system from rewarding playtime over skill by reducing SR gains when players significantly exceed their Target SR.

Dynamic Matchmaking Rules and Party Restrictions in Ranked Play

Ranked Play employs sophisticated time-based rule relaxation to handle varying population sizes. Initial searches attempt to create lobbies with minimal rank disparity. As search time extends, the system gradually expands acceptable rank ranges through multiple phases, explaining why players sometimes encounter opponents one to three ranks different from their own.

Socialization remains a priority through carefully controlled party restrictions. As players can only party with others within acceptable rank ranges, with restrictions becoming more stringent as party size increases or players reach higher ranks. These limitations acknowledge that parties create inherent constraints on matchmaking quality while preserving social aspects that keep players engaged.

How Does Skill-Based Matchmaking Work?

Skill-based matchmaking in Call of Duty operates through a multi-layered system that tracks player performance across numerous metrics. As previously stated, Skill Rating (SR) serves as the visible progression metric, while Raw Skill operates as the underlying mathematical representation of actual player ability.

Raw Skill serves as the foundation, representing a single value that captures performance relative to the entire player population. This metric must be predictive of future performance, summable across team members, adaptable to changing behavior, and stable against population fluctuations.

The calculation process analyzes performance after each match, adjusting skill ratings based on the likelihood of observed performance relative to expectations.

The system accounts for natural skill fluctuations due to experimentation or temporary performance variations by dynamically adjusting without overcorrecting.

What is the Difference Between Ranked Matchmaking and Regular Matchmaking?

The distinction extends far beyond simply displaying ranks and SR values.

Regular Call of Duty multiplayer prioritizes getting players into low-latency lobbies quickly, treating skill as a secondary consideration. Ranked matchmaking inverts these priorities, willingly extending search times for better competitive balance.

Regular multiplayer allows mid-match joining and spreads players across numerous playlists, fragmenting the available player base. Ranked Play prohibits mid-match joining and concentrates all competitive players into a single playlist. The smaller 4v4 format creates more matching opportunities from the same player pool while magnifying individual player impact, making skill balance even more critical.

Network latency receives special attention in Ranked Play too as to ensure fairness and integrity, with hard constraints protecting players from suboptimal connections.

The distribution of connection quality exceeds that of casual multiplayer despite the smaller population pool, demonstrating the effectiveness of extended search times.

Is Skill-Based Matchmaking Part of the Decision Making for Ranked Matchmaking?

Skill-based matchmaking forms an integral component of Ranked matchmaking decisions, working alongside SR and rank considerations. The system employs Raw Skill matching as a critical failsafe ensuring competitive integrity even when visible ranks might suggest imbalanced lobbies.

This multi-factor approach becomes essential because SR and actual skill don't always align perfectly. Players beginning new seasons start at Bronze regardless of skill level, while seasonal resets can temporarily separate displayed rank from underlying ability. Without Raw Skill consideration, these situations would create grossly unfair matches.

Data reveals this system working effectively across the skill spectrum. Bronze players in the bottom 25th percentile typically encounter lobbies of other Bronze players. However, Bronze players with higher skill levels more frequently see Silver, Gold, or Platinum opponents, indicating progression toward ranks appropriate to their actual ability. This pattern repeats across all rank tiers, demonstrating how the combination of SR, rank, and Raw Skill matching creates fair competitive matches.

Advanced Technical Considerations

Geographic and temporal population variations receive careful consideration through dynamic rule relaxation. Rather than fixed parameters, the system adapts to real-world conditions by monitoring search success rates and adjusting constraints accordingly. This ensures players in low-population regions or during off-peak hours can find appropriate matches without completely sacrificing competitive integrity.

The integration of party restrictions, dynamic rule relaxation, and multi-layered skill assessment creates a comprehensive system maintaining competitive integrity while preserving social gaming aspects. Connection quality improvements in Ranked Play, achieved through extended search times and hard latency constraints, demonstrate the system's commitment to fair competitive conditions.

Conclusion

Call of Duty's Ranked Play matchmaking system provide insights into the sophisticated engineering required for modern competitive gaming. The dual-track approach of visible SR progression alongside hidden Raw Skill matching solves fundamental tensions between player engagement and competitive fairness.

By prioritizing match quality over speed and implementing dynamic constraints that adapt to real-world conditions, the system creates an environment where ranks truly reflect competitive achievement.

Fortunately, Edgegap’s matchmaker is the sole widely available matchmaker with integrated latency rules. As it’s fully integrated in Edgegap’s orchestrator, it also taps in the world’s largest edge network – which allows your multiplayer to deploy its game server nearest users. Reducing latency by 58% on average and delivers sub-50ms latency to 78% of your playerbase. Alongside the expected ELO-ranking that provides a similar player metric to Call of Duty’s own Skill Rating.

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This article is based on and cites the original article by Activision Research published on their official blog. All rights in the original content are owned by their respective owners.