Marvel Rivals lets you lose more than you win. Is the rank system ‘too forgiving?’

Climbing the ranks in any competitive game is supposed to feel like an achievement, but it’s raising some eyebrows in Marvel Rivals. Some players are questioning whether the ranked system is a little too generous—allowing people to move up even when they aren’t winning consistently.

A recent discussion on the Marvel Rivals subreddit kicked off with one player calling the system “the most forgiving ranked system ever made in a competitive game.” According to them, the game naturally pushes players up the ladder as long as they keep playing, even if they aren’t winning much. Their claim? A 44 percent win rate is enough to keep climbing.

That’s a bold statement, but there’s no actual data to back it up. Marvel Rivals doesn’t publicly share the inner workings of its ranking system, and while people love to throw around terms like “loser’s queue” after getting a few losses in a row, there’s no hard evidence for it.

Unlike traditional ranked systems where a win gives you points and a loss takes them away in equal measure, Marvel Rivals is more nuanced. Based on community observations, here’s what seems to influence your ranking according to what I’ve experienced and what another player on the thread:

• Winning against stronger opponents with weaker teammates grants more points.
• Winning against lower-ranked enemies while having higher-ranked teammates gives fewer points.
• Losing to better opponents costs fewer points.
• Losing to weaker opponents results in a bigger penalty.

On top of that, individual performance affects how many points you gain or lose. As one player pointed out, you might only get a small boost if you perform poorly in a win. But if you play exceptionally well in a loss, your rank won’t take as big of a hit.

This means that if you consistently play “above your level,” the game will push you up the ranks—regardless of your overall win-loss ratio. But if you’re not performing well, even victories won’t help you climb as fast as you might expect.

Part of the issue isn’t just how the ranking system works—it’s how players perceive it. One commenter noted that the frustration often comes from two different groups:

1. Players who can’t maintain a high enough win rate to climb.
2. Players who feel they aren’t ranking up fast enough.

The second group, in particular, gets caught up in expectations. Watching Bronze to GM streamers rank up in no time makes people believe that’s the norm, but in reality, climbing is a slow process for most. And when you’re stuck in a losing streak, seeing your hard-earned rank disappear can be frustrating—especially if you’re solo queuing and dealing with uncooperative teammates.

There’s no doubt that Marvel Rivals’ ranking system is more lenient than others. Players who put in enough time will eventually move up, even if they aren’t dominating every match. But that doesn’t mean it’s unfair.

Some argue that the system allows players to reach ranks they don’t “deserve,” leading to inconsistent matchmaking at higher levels. “I’m talking about the most bottom-feeding NPCs imaginable,” the original Reddit poster vented, blaming the ranking system for pairing them with players who don’t belong in their skill bracket.

On the flip side, a more forgiving system might actually be a good thing. Not everyone plays competitively with the goal of reaching the top—some just want to have fun and improve. A system that rewards effort and persistence rather than demanding a near-perfect win rate could make ranked play more accessible.

As for me? I’d love to hit a higher rank, but I’m happy bouncing between Gold Two and Plat Three for now. There’s plenty I still need to learn, and with new characters added every six weeks, I might find a main that clicks even better for me. Marvel Rivals’ ranked system might be forgiving, but that doesn’t mean climbing is effortless—you still have to put in the work.