Ranked in Marathon

[p]Put your survival skills to the test, climb the competitive ladder, and prove you’re a top Runner on Tau Ceti in Ranked mode.  [/p][p]Your first chance to play Ranked is this weekend, March 21 at 10:00 AM PT – March 24 at 10:00 AM PT. [/p][p]Ranked mode is in beta for Season 1, and as a feature that’s still in development, we’re looking for substantial feedback from you all to continue shaping Ranked mode into the best version it can be. [/p][p] [/p][h3]Overview [/h3][p]Ranked is designed to test everything you’ve learned in Marathon, including looting, PvP success, and strategic risk taking. You’ll earn score based on your performance on a run, with your score target determined by a new item: the Holotag (more on that below). [/p][p]You’ll earn Ranked Points (RP) by meeting your score target in a run. Over time, you can climb through six ranks (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Pinnacle) with three tiers each (Bronze 3, Bronze 2, Bronze 1, etc.).. At the end of the season, you’ll secure rewards based on the highest rank you earned during the season, even if your final standing is lower—we don’t want the fear of losing rewards to stop you from playing. [/p][p]Each season will bring a unique set of rewards you can only earn from playing Ranked.  [/p][p]Season 1’s rewards will include: [/p]

• [p]A Ranked emblem for the highest rank you achieved that season, plus...[/p]
• [p]Pinnacle[/p]
  • [p]Gun Style[/p]
  • [p]Title[/p]
• [p]Diamond[/p]
  • [p]Gun Style[/p]
• [p]Platinum[/p]
  • [p]Gun Style[/p]
• [p]Gold[/p]
  • [p]Runner Shell Style (Destroyer)[/p]
  • [p]Title[/p]
• [p]Silver[/p]
  • [p]Player Background[/p]

[p]We’ll share the full details on these rewards and how to secure them as the season progresses.[/p][p]Additionally, each time you earn a new rank each season, you’ll get a loot package, which contains gear and room keys to randomly-selected zones. 
 [/p][p][/p][h3]Ranked Availability [/h3][p]You must be Runner Level 25 to queue for Ranked. [/p][p]Ranked opens up for play on the weekends, with each weekend featuring a different planet-side zone: Perimeter, Dire Marsh, or Outpost. The first weekend will be on Perimeter. [/p][p]All crews sizes will be matched together for Ranked—so bring friends to help, or go as a lone wolf to test your skills against opposing crews. [/p][h3] [/h3][p][/p][h3]Bet on Yourself: Choose Your Stakes [/h3][p]When you queue for Ranked, you have two options: Low Stakes and High Stakes. [/p][p]These are separate Matchmaking pools, with different requirements for entry.[/p]

• [p]Low Stakes Queue (Ranked)[/p]
  • [p]Minimum gear ante: 3,000[/p]
  • [p]Minimum Holotag tier: Bronze[/p]
• [p]High Stakes Queue (Ranked+)[/p]
  • [p]Minimum gear ante: 10,000[/p]
  • [p]Minimum Holotag tier: Platinum[/p]

[p]Note that the first weekend of Ranked will only have Low Stakes queue available to give people a chance to start climbing the ladder and prepare for High Stakes. \[/p][/p][p]Let’s breakdown gear ante and Holotags. [/p][p] [/p][h3]Gear Ante [/h3][p]The gear ante is the minimum requirement on your equipped gear’s value in credits. [/p][p]For reference, the 3,000 gear ante is about the equivalent of a set of Enhanced (green) gear with a few Deluxe (blue) pieces. The 10,000 gear ante is about the equivalent of a set of Deluxe gear with a few Superior (purple) pieces. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Having a gear ante ensures everyone in your match is putting a minimum amount on the line to compete—no being matched with a teammate going on a naked knife run, or downing enemy Runners with just Sponsored Kits. [/p][p] [/p][h3]Holotags [/h3][p]In addition to the gear ante, you must bring one Holotag in your backpack to queue for Ranked. You can purchase Holotags using credits in the Armory, or if you defeat an enemy Runner and exfil with their Holotag, you can use it for your future runs. [/p][p]There are six tiers of holotags: Bronze, Silver, and Gold (Low Stakes) and Platinum, Diamond, and Pinnacle (High Stakes). You can purchase up to your current rank of Holotag tier in the Armory. So if you’re Gold, you can purchase Gold, Silver, and Bronze Holotags; if you’re Platinum, you can unlock Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, etc.
 [/p][h3]How Does Scoring Work? [/h3]

• [p]You have a score target set by your team’s Holotag values [/p]

• [p]Loot valuable items to get score [/p]

• [p]Once you reach your score target, exfil to get Rated Points [/p]

• [p]If you exfil before you hit your target, you don't get Rated Points [/p]

• [p]If you die, you lose Rated Points based on your team's Holotag values [/p]

• [p]You can get bonus Rated Points, aka overperformance capacity, by looting enemy player’s Holotags or collecting Tag Chips from UESC and map events [/p]

[p]At the highest level, the points you earn are based on the value of loot your crew collects and exfils with on your run. When your loot meter fills up, it's time to exfil. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Want to go deeper? Buckle up. [/p][p]The Holotag you bring into the match sets two important values for your run: a score target and a loss penalty. [/p][p]The credit value of loot you find counts towards your crew’s score, excluding certain items like ammo and consumables. When your crew reaches its score target, any additional loot does not count, unless you loot enemy Holotags that grant you overperformance capacity and allow you to earn over your initial score target. [/p][p]Here’s the complete breakdown:[/p]

• [p]Score target = minimum total loot value your team needs to exfil with to earn Ranked Points[/p]
  • [p]Your score target is decided by your team’s combined Holotag value[/p]
  • [p]Starting loadouts don’t count towards your score target[/p]
  • [p]Exfil at your score target to earn RP[/p]
  • [p]Exfil with less than your score target, and your Rank has no change[/p]
• [p]Overperformance capacity = how much loot over that score target you can earn bonus points for[/p]
  • [p]This number starts at zero[/p]
  • [p]You can gain overperformance capacity by looting enemy Runner Holotags or Tag Chips, which drop from high-value UESC and in-run activities[/p]
• [p]Loss penalty = how much you lose by failing to exfil[/p]
  • [p]This number is decided by your team’s combined Holotag value[/p]
  • [p]You only lose RP if you fail to exfil[/p]

[p]Note that Holotags persist after exfil so you can use them on your next run. You can sell Holotags for full value after exfil. [/p][p][/p][p]Want to do the math? Here are the numbers: [/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]You can also find lootable Tag Chips during a Ranked match by defeating UESC and engaging with map events. Tag Chips count as valuable loot towards your score target, and they also grant overperformance capacity. Tag Chips auto-sell on exfil. [/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]This is a lot to take in, so to summarize: [/p][p]The better you and your team’s Holotags, the more Ranked Points you can earn from a run. Higher-tier Holotags require you to exfil with more loot to reap the benefits, and they bring a higher loss penalty if you die. But if you only bring in lower-tier Holotags, you’ll hit your score cap more quickly and have less potential upside per run. [/p][p]Or in professional terms... You need to risk it for the biscuit. [/p][p] [/p][h3]Up Next... [/h3][p]Your first chance to play Ranked starts on Saturday, March 21 at 10:00 AM PT – Tuesday, March 24 at 10:00 AM PT on Perimeter. This will be Low Stakes queue only to give people time to gear up and prep for High Stakes runs. [/p][p]Ranked mode is in beta for Season 1, and we’ll be watching closely for your feedback. Send us your thoughts in our official Discord, and keep an eye on our Marathon Development Team accounts on Twitter, Bluesky, and Discord. We’ll keep you posted on what we’re hearing and adjustments we’re making, both for Ranked and all things Marathon. [/p][p][/p][p]Good luck in your first Ranked runs! [/p]