What is the Distribution of Players Across Ranks in League of Legends Season 10?
Here are the rank distribution statistics for League of Legends Season 10 across different tiers:
Soloqueue Rank Distribution
- Challenger – 0.019%
- GrandMaster – 0.062%
- Master – 0.36%
- Diamond I – 0.22%
- Diamond II – 0.36%
- Diamond III – 0.53%
- Diamond IV – 1.1%
- Emerald I – 0.84%
- Emerald II – 1.2%
- Emerald III – 1.7%
- Emerald IV – 2.8%
- Platinum I – 1.6%
- Platinum II – 2.3%
- Platinum III – 2.6%
- Platinum IV – 3.6%
- Gold I – 2.2%
- Gold II – 3.5%
- Gold III – 4.1%
- Gold IV – 6.0%
- Silver I – 3.7%
- Silver II – 4.8%
- Silver III – 5.1%
- Silver IV – 6.2%
- Bronze I – 4.0%
- Bronze II – 5.1%
- Bronze III – 5.3%
- Bronze IV – 6.4%
- Iron I – 4.4%
- Iron II – 6.3%
- Iron III – 7.3%
- Iron IV – 5.3%
Draft Ranked Flex Rank Distribution
- Challenger – 0.0030%
- GrandMaster – 0.0094%
- Master – 0.078%
- Diamond I – 0.11%
- Diamond II – 0.25%
- Diamond III – 0.54%
- Diamond IV – 1.3%
- Emerald I – 1.5%
- Emerald II – 2.1%
- Emerald III – 3.0%
- Emerald IV – 4.1%
- Platinum I – 2.8%
- Platinum II – 3.4%
- Platinum III – 3.6%
- Platinum IV – 3.9%
- Gold I – 2.9%
- Gold II – 4.3%
- Gold III – 4.6%
- Gold IV – 5.4%
- Silver I – 4.1%
- Silver II – 5.0%
- Silver III – 5.2%
- Silver IV – 5.7%
- Bronze I – 4.2%
- Bronze II – 4.5%
- Bronze III – 4.3%
- Bronze IV – 4.6%
- Iron I – 3.6%
- Iron II – 5.1%
- Iron III – 5.6%
- Iron IV – 3.1%
General Distribution Overview
Distribution:
- Iron: 4.6%
- Bronze: 21%
- Silver: 33%
- Gold: 27%
- Platinum: 10%
- Diamond: 2.3%
- Master: 0.034%
- GrandMaster: 0.028%
- Challenger: 0.011%
Data gathered on November 6th, 2020, a few days before the end of Season 10. Significant insights into the player base reflect the competitive landscape.
Top Percentage of Players
Diamond I and above are categorized as the top 10% of ranked playerbase, sometimes even 5% depending on the game mode.
Understanding League of Legends Ranking System: From Iron to Challenger
Understanding the rank distribution in League of Legends for Season 10 reveals significant insights into player standings. According to data provided by Riot Games:
- The majority of players fall into the Gold and Silver ranks. Gold makes up approximately 32% of the player base, while Silver s for around 26%. These ranks represent the average skill level.
- Additionally, the majority of players are located in the lower ranks, such as Iron, Bronze, and Silver. These tiers consist of a large percentage of the player base, indicating a wide range of skill levels.
- As ranks progress towards higher tiers, like Gold, Platinum, and Diamond, the player distribution becomes narrower. For instance, the rank distribution during Season 10 is as follows:
- Iron: 1.3%
- Bronze: 3.3%
- Silver: 10.3%
- Gold: 24.7%
- Platinum: 38.7%
- Diamond: 12.1%
- Challenger: 0.2%
Note: These percentages are based on solo queue data from all regions.
Moreover, the top echelons of the competitive ladder, including Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger ranks, constitute only a small percentage of the player base. Achieving these ranks requires dedication, talent, and perseverance.
A notable change in Season 10 is the introduction of a new tier, ‘Iron’, which has been added to the lower end of the ladder, below Bronze. This change aims to better differentiate players and provide a clearer progression path.
According to the cumulative chart, for example, if you are a Gold I player, you are in the top 24.9% of the player base. The cumulative percentages for the Iron ranks are as follows:
- Iron IV: 98.7%
- Iron III: 94.3%
- Iron II: 90.4%
- Iron I: 86.9%
- Bronze IV: 84.1%
- Bronze III: 77.6%
- Bronze II: 72.3%
- Bronze I: 67.1%
- Silver IV: 63.1%
- Silver III: 54.8%
- Silver II: 49.1%
- Silver I: 44.2%
- Gold IV: 40.9%
- Gold III: 33.2%
- Gold II: 28.6%
- Gold I: 24.9%
Historically, League has experienced a bottom-heavy rank distribution. Excluding Iron at the bottom and Diamond+ at the top, most competitive ranked games have rankings equivalent to Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum that are roughly similar in size.
How Does Player Skill Level Impact Ranking in League of Legends?
The impact of player skill level on rankings in League of Legends is primarily determined by Matchmaking Rating (MMR) and League Points (LP).
- MMR (Matchmaking Rating) plays an essential role in determining how many League Points you gain or lose after each match.
- It represents your hidden skill rating behind the scenes and influences matchmaking by pairing you with players of similar MMR.
- When your MMR is higher than the average for your current rank, you’ll gain more LP for victories and lose less for defeats.
- Conversely, if your MMR is not keeping up with your rank, winning games grants less LP while losing games will deduct more.
- The ultimate purpose of MMR is to align your rank with your actual skill level.
Players earn or lose LP based on their performance in Ranked games. LP serves as a measure of progress within the ranked system. Winning a game will grant you LP, while losing will cause you to lose some.
- The number of LP gained or lost depends on various factors, such as the skill level of your opponents and teammates, as well as your own individual performance.
- If you win over players with higher rank and/or MMR, you’ll receive more League Points.
Additionally, placement games take several factors into when determining your rank placement.
- While win-loss ratio plays a significant role, individual performance is also considered.
- Therefore, even if you don’t win all of your placement games, performing exceptionally well can still boost your chances of landing in a higher rank.
The League of Legends ranking system, which relies on fair matchmaking, consists of tiers, divisions, and LP.
- It has evolved to better reflect player skill and now includes ten tiers with four divisions for ranks up to Diamond.
- Each rank signifies a different level of skill, with higher ranks requiring better decision-making, strategy, and map knowledge.
It is noteworthy that players sometimes feel their rank doesn’t reflect their true skill due to inconsistent LP gains and matchmaking disparities.
- Some players struggle due to mental barriers and lack of macro play, affecting their climbing potential.
- Others attribute their success to specific habits or limitations, such as playing locked screen or one-tricking champions.
