On the 2nd of January 2015, societies around the world began their annual recuperation period, as they shook off the antics of their New Year’s celebrations and once again prepared themselves for the responsibilities of real life.
Thankfully, for game enthusiast and avid fans of the Call of Duty franchise, the post New Year’s gloom was abruptly postponed as Sledgehammer Games announced the official details of the highly anticipated Ranked Play game mode.
Within this statement, it was formally declared that the opening season for ranked play within Advanced Warfare is set to begin upon Friday the 9th of January and conclude on Jan. 31st. As well as this, Sledgehammer also confirmed the upcoming class system, revealing the seven different divisions; Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master and Grand Master.
At the end of each season players will be awarded exclusive gear as a result of their final division placement. This gear will be available for use throughout the following seasons of Ranked Play, Multiplayer and Exo-Survival.
In order for one to obtain the coveted Grand Master rewards, players will have climb their way through the ranks of each division, amassing a total of 100 points, as well as completing the best of three matchup challenge to secure promotion. Once in the Master Division, the top 100 players in division points will earn their right to the pinnacle rank of Grand Master.
In addition to this, Sledgehammer Games also disclosed the official details surrounding matchmaking, rules and settings. As the playlist attempts to recreate the competitive environment established by professional Call of Duty players, Ranked Play will consist of 4 v 4 matchups, with participating members facing off against opponents of similar skill levels. Depending upon the matchmaking predictions, players are reported to receive between 15-25 division points for victory, while a defeat will result in the loss of 10-20 points.
The available game modes within Ranked Play will also reflect the present eSports rulings, with Search & Destroy, Capture the Flag, Uplink, and Hardpoint featuring in the current rotation. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the eSports rules and settings within Advanced Warfare, a full list will be provided below.
Update: On the 6th January, Studio Head of Development & Co-founder of Sledgehammer Games, Michael Condrey, announced the restriction of Exo-Stim and Exo-Cloak from the official eSports playlist. After witnessing the universal decision to prohibit the use of these exo-abilities at UMG Orlando amongst the competitive community, Condrey and Sledgehammer Games agreed that Advanced Warfare became a more balanced and enjoyable game to spectate and play.
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