League of Legends ranks are quite hard to understand unless you know what is going on, especially as there are more of them than in any other competitive game you are probably used to.
So we’ve got the full rundown of how League of Legends rank distribution works, including how the new rank of Emerald affects the game state, player base in 2023 and ranked distribution mechanics!
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How many ranks are there in League of Legends?
There are 11 different ranks in League of Legends, with 31 different tiers:
- Iron
- Bronze
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum
- Emerald
- Diamond
- Master
- Grandmaster
- Challenger
Every rank up until Master Tier and above (the apex ranks) has four different tiers within it, ranging from four as the worst to one as the best!
This means that Gold 4 is one rank above Silver 1, Silver 4 is one rank above Bronze 1 etc.
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What is the current League of Legends Ranked Distribution?
The current League of Legends Ranked distribution is actually really well spread with the new addition of the Emerald tier above Platinum, but below Diamond. This means that there is no more overcrowding of any of the League of Legends ranks!
- Iron IV – 0.3%
- Iron III – 1%
- Iron II – 3.1%
- Iron I – 4.1%
- Bronze IV – 7.1%
- Bronze III – 5%
- Bronze II – 4.6%
- Bronze I – 3.8%
- Silver IV – 7.5%
- Silver III- 5.5%
- Silver II – 4.6%
- Silver I – 3.2%
- Gold IV – 8%
- Gold III – 5.6%
- Gold II – 4.5%
- Gold II – 3.1%
- Platinum IV – 6.5%
- Platinum III – 4.1%
- Platinum II – 3.2%
- Platinum I – 2%
- Emerald IV – 4.3%
- Emerald III – 2.3%
- Emerald II – 1.5%
- Emerald I – 0.79%
- Diamond IV – 1.2%
- Diamond III – 0.68%
- Diamond II – 0.46%
- Diamond I – 0.31%
- Master – 0.38%
- GrandMaster – 0.064%
- Challenger – 0.026%
Why was Emerald introduced in League of Legends?
Prior to the release of Emerald as the newest rank in League of Legends, the Riot Games MOBA title was notorious for having the majority of its player base that has a rank in any regular Summoner’s Rift game mode sitting in a low Elo rank.
This was mainly Bronze, Silver, or Gold. The aim with Emerald was to stretch out the playerbase from these low Elo ranks, moving everyone below Emerald up about half a rank, and only slightly affecting players in Diamond and Master.
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Anyone in Platinum I and Platinum II from the previous season would be able to reach Emerald III and Emerald IV with their MMR, which would leave more room in Platinum I and Platinum II for the ranks to slowly shuffle up.
This worked exceptionally well, as the current rank with the highest percentage of players now is Gold IV with 8%, whereas before it was Silver IV with 9.3%!
With reasonings for this change being internal and external, such as the ranked rewards being available when a player reached Gold, a large chunk of the player base wasn’t getting rewards!
But also almost every other competitive ranked game title out there has most of their player base in Gold, and Riot Games wanted to match that!
How to get to the top League of Legends rank (Challenger)
Reaching the top rank of Challenger in League of Legends is a challenging feat that requires immense skill, dedication, and hard work. Here are some tips to help you climb the ranks and potentially reach Challenger:
- Master your role and a small champion pool. Focus on becoming exceptionally skilled with a few champions in your preferred role.
- Constantly review your gameplay and identify areas for improvement. Watch replays, analyze your decision-making, and learn from your mistakes.
- Consider getting a League of Legends coach to offer advice, help identify your weaknesses, and give you drills to improve your mechanics and game knowledge. Many high-elo players have used a League of Legends coaching service to hit Challenger or break into professional play.
- Stay updated with the meta and adapt your champion pool and playstyle accordingly. Understand which champions, items, and strategies are currently strong.
- Maintain a positive attitude and focus on your gameplay. Don’t get tilted by toxic teammates or losses.
