RS6 Matchmaking: Unranked vs Ranked | Comparison

In August 2019, Siege released a new permanent game mode alongside Operation Ember Rise, known as the Unraked playlist. Once a player got to Clearance Level 10, the Unranked playlist would become available to them for play. However, the release of this brand-new game mode wasn't received without criticism.

Firstly, the Unranked playlist failed to provide players with any obvious incentive to play it. That’s because it was an exact clone of the Ranked playlist in every way other than the fact that you wouldn't gain or lose any MMR points by the end. For a considerable portion of the competitive player base, the idea of spending close to half an hour on a game mode whose result meant absolutely nothing simply wasn't very likable.

On the flip side, though, the Unranked playlist gave players a game mode that bridged the gap between casual and competitive play. The fact that it was a feature almost identical to a Ranked game was the appeal of Unranked mode to some.

While there are merits to both sides of the argument, the positives that the Unranked game mode offers do outweigh the negatives. Hopefully, by the time you're done reading this, we'll have convinced you to give the playlist a shot.

What Are The Advantages of Playing Unranked Matches?

The reason why a decent chunk of players strays from Unranked is probably that the positive aspects of it are relatively subtle. However, we've compiled most of the benefits you can reap from the underrated game mode.

No Risk, No Pressure!

Have you ever been in a clutch situation where you whiff all your bullets on the final guy? Or maybe you could relate to that moment when your heart starts beating rapidly. You find yourself unable to think properly and commit the most basic error, which ends up in losing your team the round.

We all slip up in those high-pressure situations - it's human nature. But in Unranked matches, since there's nothing at stake other than one's reputation in front of their teammates, Rainbow Six: Siege players are able to play the game without the pressure of losing MMR points looming over their heads.

If you're someone who quickly chokes in stressful moments, you'll be greatly surprised by how much better you play after a few games of Unranked. This is entirely because you're able to think way better in those casual situations. Given the tactical nature of the game, it's imperative that your mental state is tuned the right way, so you can make smarter decisions when it's most important.

Improve Your Gameplay

Unranked is one of the best modes to warm up since it gives you the best feel for how a proper game will play out. Where quick matches fail to encapsulate the game's competitive aspect, Unranked seamlessly bridges the gap between casual and competitive.

As a defender, Unranked gives you an opportunity to find which angles you're best at holding at, where to lean vs. peak regularly, or what areas to reinforce and the best way to retake a bomb site. As an attacker, you can train yourself to time your entries and peeks with the proper utility or figure out what situations you should be swinging onto an enemy. If you're the type to lurk, then you can gain an idea of how enemies tend to rotate on specific maps.

You can focus on various aspects of your Unranked games as long as you practice what you learned in your ranked games. Practicing specific things in specific situations gives you the experience you need to successfully execute them in your Ranked games and is assuredly the best way to make your MMR skyrocket!

Testing Different Maps, Guns, and Operators

You've probably had that one Siege Operator you've always wanted to try, but you didn't because you weren't sure if you'd use them correctly. Or, maybe you were worried you'd be unjustly flamed even though you 'know how to play Tachanka'.

Fortunately, Unranked gives you an excellent idea of how you'd fare with that Operator. You can quickly assess whether your agent suits your playstyle and what gimmicks you can try out with them. In a nutshell, the Unranked playlist is undoubtedly the best environment to playtest and develop your comfortability with a particular Operator.

The same holds true for maps as well. If you're struggling to figure out where the best angles, Operator strongholds, and all those ratty little spots are, you should probably hop into an Unranked queue and find it out for yourself. On top of all that, you can also find the best places to use your utility are as well.

A nice way to practice your bomb site executes could be to play an Unranked match with your 5 stacks to perfect your timing if you really want to step your game up to the next level.

Quick and Easy

Unlike Ranked, the Unranked queue is a lot quicker to load into whilst being a lot more accessible. In Ranked, the matchmaking algorithm tries to find opponents of very similar skills on the enemy team, so queue times can drag on if not many players of your rank are logged into the game at that point in time.

While the Unranked playlist also incorporates skill-based matchmaking, it ensures you don't have to wait too long to find a match. Although this means you might join a game with a significant skill disparity between you and the opponent team, it doesn't affect the quality of gameplay as much since there's nothing at stake.

The Unranked playlist is also a great way of leveling up your Battle Pass, Clearance Level, and Renown currency when you don't feel like you're up for a stressful game of ranked. You could queue with your friends and play in whatever way you find fun while also contributing towards your seasonal Battle Pass and Renown gain.

Advantages of playing Ranked

Being the more competitive mode, Ranked is a different beast in itself. Hence it brings different positives on its own.

Better Quality of Gameplay

While you only need to reach level 10 to unlock the Unranked playlist, you'll have to grind all the way to a Clearance level of 50 to make the Ranked mode available to you. This is by design; Ubisoft ensures each new player has polished their skills and refined their understanding of the game before being eligible for Ranked.

This also means you're much less likely to have negative influences in your lobbies since most toxic members, hackers and trollers usually get removed or don't queue for Ranked at all.

Better Teammates

Extending upon the previous point, you're much more likely to get teammates who are just as serious about winning as you are. Unlike Unranked, the entire team's MMR is at stake. Hence, you can count on your teammates not to mess around.

People who play Ranked usually bring their 100%. Your teammates will most likely be playing their comfort Operators and place enough emphasis on building a proper team composition according to what others will be playing.

Furthermore, you can also rely on them to give proper callouts, communicate, and assist you in making optimal play. So even if you're not queueing with a friend, you can still confidently make plays with your other team members throughout the round, as most of them will be willing to comply.

Fairer Matchmaking

Ranked games have a far lower skill disparity when compared to Unranked games. While in Unranked, queue times are given preference over skill disparity of the lobby, this is not the case in Ranked matches.

What does that mean for the average Siege player? Well, you can rest assured that you won't have Diamond players plaguing your lobbies while you sit at Silver. The matchmaking algorithm ensures that you match against teams of the same rank. Furthermore, in case there is a significant skill gap between the two teams, the MMR gain is adjusted accordingly.

In most cases, however, you won't be running into any of the above issues since most players will play Unranked for the exact reasons you are. Overall, Unranked is a great playlist that everyone should be trying out, be it a desire to improve your skills or simply want to have fun.