5 things Vanguard’s Ranked Play should steal from Halo Infinite
Vanguard’s highly-anticipated Ranked Play arrives in February, allowing players to climb the competitive ranks. Halo Infinite launched with a fantastic Ranked mode, so we’re counting down five things Vanguard’s Ranked Play should steal from Halo Infinite.
The Call of Duty League 2022 season has officially kicked off, and Vanguard players are desperate for a place to test their skill in a competitive environment and earn cosmetic bragging rights while doing so.
Ranked Play is confirmed to finally arrive alongside Season 2 in February, with Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games working together on the system. We were impressed by Halo Infinite’s Ranked Arena and its simple ELO system, so we’re counting down five lessons that Vanguard should learn from Halo.
Visible ELO system
Almost every game’s Ranked mode comes with a visible ELO system where players can see exactly how many points they have accrued, and where that puts them in the ranked ladder – but not Black Ops Cold War.
League Play in Black Ops 4 and Cold War included a confusing ‘Skill Divisions’ system where you’d be placed in Competitor, Advanced, Expert, Elite, and Master. But, it was almost impossible to tell where you were in that ranking or how close you were to moving up. Instead, Cold War’s League Play rewarded the time you put in, rather than performance.
Halo Infinite opted for the classic ELO system, where you’d earn points for wins and lose them for losses. It’s easy to see how close you are to the next rank, so there’s clear and rewarding progression there, and it would be a tragic mistake if Vanguard doesn’t include it.
Treyarch confirmed that Ranked Play would include “visible Skill Ratings,” and there would be no better way to please fans than to copy Halo Infinite’s.
Option to Solo/Duo queue
Ranked Play is tough, especially when you’re going against a sweaty four-stack who are strategizing and giving callouts.
Halo Infinite gives the option to queue in a Solos/Duos playlist, where you’re only playing against solos and duos such as yourself. This is something Vanguard should steal from Halo, allowing Ranked play to be as fair and equal as possible.
And of course, the teams of four would get their Open playlist too, where they could come across teams of any size.
Input-based matchmaking
Crossplay has become the norm for multiplayer games, where PC and console can battle against each other on the input of their choice. However, many controller players don’t want to play against mouse and keyboard players, and vice versa.
Halo Infinite solved this matter once and for all by allowing for input-based matchmaking. Here, players can decide whether they want to play against only controller players, only mouse and keyboard, or a mix of both in the Open Queue.
A controller’s thumbstick simply can’t replicate the accuracy of a mouse, but MKB players often claim aim assist is like an aimbot. Vanguard stealing this feature would appease both sides of the argument and give players the choice of who they match against.
Stick to the basics
There’s a lot going on in Vanguard’s multiplayer. Each weapon has around 70 attachments to choose from, as well as there being a ton of Scorestreaks, Perks, and Field Upgrades.
Halo Infinite’s Ranked Play is a streamlined version of the multiplayer, stripping the game to its basics where skill and teamwork become the most important aspects.
Vanguard’s Ranked Play should do something similar, only offering a handful of the weapons, attachments, and Equipment. Not only should Vanguard’s Ranked Play follow the CDL’s restrictions, but Treyarch and Sledgehammer should also take into account some of the CDL’s GAs (Gentleman’s Agreements) to make the mode as simple and skill-based as possible.
Worthwhile cosmetic rewards
Rather than being something Vanguard should steal from Halo Infinite, this is something that Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games could best them at.
A major part of a Ranked mode’s appeal is the unique cosmetics you can earn to show off your gaming prowess. Cold War’s League Play got there eventually, but Vanguard should come right out the gate with unique Operator skins, flashy weapon Blueprints, and Calling Cards that prove you’re one of the best there is.
Halo Infinite is sorely lacking in this department, and Treyarch and Sledgehammer could show 343 Industries how it’s done with some great cosmetic rewards.
And those are the five things we believe Vanguard’s Ranked Play should steal from Halo Infinite’s Ranked Arena.
You can also check out the recent news that Activision executives are reportedly discussing ending annual CoD releases.
Image Credit: Activision / 343 Industries