Halo Infinite’s multiplayer has been hitting some stumbling blocks lately. It was recently confirmed that the game has a lower tick rate than CS:GO, which accounts for lots of the issues players have been having, and one Redditor even discovered that ranked MMR (known as CSR in Halo) might be affected by unranked matches. Changes to Halo Infinite’s ranked multiplayer are on the way, however.
According to a new Halo Waypoint blog post, 343 Industries will be rolling out an update next week – the afternoon of Tuesday, February 22, if all goes as planned – that will address “rank inflation, inaccurate skill assessment, uneven player skills, and more.”
The post states that Halo Infinite’s skill rating system has actually been analysing multiplayer player data since launch, and that this update will be the first of many planned backend updates when it comes to tweaking ranked matchmaking. As time goes on, the analyses will gain a more accurate picture of player data and behaviour, and 343 can make adjustments to provide a better matchmaking experience over time.
When the update rolls out next week, all CSR and ranks will be reset so that players can start fresh with more accurate placements and matchmaking that better reflect their actual skill level. Players will find themselves placed at a rank a full tier lower than they were previously, the post says, because the old system gave too much CSR, allowing for incorrectly inflated ranks.
Previously, the highest rank you could be placed after completing your ten placement matches was Diamond 1, but because these changes are being pushed through mid-season, the cap is being raised to Diamond 5. This will benefit high-level players, who will have to spend less time clawing their way back into Onyx.
343 thinks that this update will bring ranked matchmaking that’s fairer, balanced, and more accurate than the old system. The team is keen to make clear that this is only the start of work on Halo Infinite’s ranked matchmaking, and that it will be implementing changes in the future as it receives more data and player feedback. “If you encounter anything out of the norm in your ranked experience after this update, please let us know by continuing to provide feedback here on Waypoint, Twitter, Reddit, etc.,” the post concludes.
Check out our Halo Infinite ranks guide if you’re curious where you might be placed after the update.