Riot Games is lifting the rank restrictions for flex queue with patch 10.15.
Starting with patch 10.15, players of all ranks will be free to play together in flex queue games. The system follows the same logic used for Clash, where players who join the tournaments can do so without limitations due to rank.
When players are climbing in ranked games, the system has limited which ranks can play together.
Iron, Bronze, and Silver can play together without limitations. Silver players can join Gold players in the queue, and Gold players can have Platinum teammates. At the higher levels, the system gets more complex, Platinum I can queue with other players two tiers above them, including the Diamond IV and Diamond III ranks.
The system looks to keep matches balanced with players of similar skill on both sides. It’s not perfect, and some players might find themselves stuck in games with significantly higher-ranked players. League of Legends is constantly seeking to improve its matchmaking algorithms.
Other measures include premade and autofill parity, both are currently active and have dramatically improved the ranked experience for many players.
While atch 10.15 removes the rank restrictions from flex queue, it’s not like Challenger players can carry their Silver friends to high elo. The game takes into consideration the skill level of every player, and based on the average, matches them up with equitable opponents. The system will always favor the most skilled players, so opponents will be closer to the level of the highest-ranked member of any given flex team.
Flex queue allows players to create parties of two, three, and five players. Parties of four are disabled, allegedly to prevent the players from picking on the fifth member. It’s unclear if the rank restriction is removed for parties of all sizes or only for parties of five.
Notably, this change means that teams that intend to compete in Clash will be able to train and practice together without the need for custom games.
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