All Valorant Competitive Ranks Explained

The tactical first-person shooter VALORANT by Riot Games offers a competitive platform for all participants to test their skills and teamwork to rank up from rank to rank. The game's ranking system is an honest portrayal of the player's performance but just as much a testament to strategy. Understanding how to move this rank system is the most important thing in obtaining progress and rewards: What follows is a brief overview of rank structure and the rise to every rank.
VALORANT features a total of nine ranks, with each rank having three tiers (except for Radiant, the highest rank). These ranks are as follows:
Players' task alterations are therefore separated into tiers according to their prowess in the game. To get to the next tier, players must gain Ranked Rating by winning matches. At each level, it gets tougher to compete and more challenging to strategize.


The ranking system of VALORANT operates with the help of the Ranked Ratings (RR). The players first play Placement Matches to help decide their starting rank. From this point, they win some matches and are promoted, or they keep losing some matches and drop down in ranks. Winning matches earns players RR points, whereas losing matches deducts RR from his/her rank standing.
To rank up into the next tier, players in a given tier must have 100 RR. For example, an Iron 1 player must gain enough RR to advance to Iron 2. Thereafter, the player will have to display consistent performance to stay in that rank or risk getting demoted again.
The ranks exhibit differences in player distribution. In February 2025, most of the players are among the low ranks: Iron (8.61%), Bronze (22.94%), and Silver (25.17%). As the players grind to get higher in rank, they would find themselves competing against stronger contenders in the likes of Diamond, Ascendant, Immortal, and finally Radiant (0.03%)-a lane where very few get into.

To begin the rank climb, players should be first able to set their very first step into the Ranked Competitive queue. This would be according to the home screen of VALORANT, whereby they will press the bright red ‘PLAY’ button. Then the next option is to select ‘Competitive’ from the left side of the screen. After a valid selection has been made, a red ‘Start’ button would pop up in the bottom-middle corner of the screen. And just by clicking it, this person would be given access to the Ranked Competitive Queue.
Climbing the ranks is never easy and harder within the upper tiers. Immortal and Radiant players are assumed to have achieved game mastery revolving around mechanics, tactics, and teamwork. Players at this tier gain RR based on personal performance and on performances that contribute to overall team victories.

Common challenges are more likely posed by the somewhat overcrowded Iron, Bronze, and Silver tiers, where skill distributions can be quite problematic. Riot Games essentially knew about this situation and has done work to balance the matchmaking system so that players are not stuck for too long in the lower ranks, thereby letting them improve and pass through the ranks faster.
Apart from the glory of getting to higher ranks, players get multiple other in-game rewards as they progress through the tiers, from gun buddies to other cosmetics. Such rewards are a fun motivation that keeps players inspired since they work hard to reach the highest level of VALORANT's ranking system.
Whether you're a fresher or steeped in the art of fighting your way to Radiant, understanding the rank system and striving for improvement are the very first steps on the road to being a true VALORANT contender. Happy climbing!