Why The Master League Is Critical For Street Fighter 6
This week Street Fighter 6 announced an addition to the game’s online ranked system that should even out the higher levels. The new Master League adds additional stratification to the Master rank of the games ladders and provides a clearer look into who’s actually the best in the game.
Like most online games, ranked is a way to see where you stand up against the rest of the world. In Street Fighter 6, the rank distribution stopped at Master. However, unlike Iron-Diamond, there are no numbered tiers (1-5) so once you get into Master rank, you’re in. Also, there’s no demotion from Master rank so it represents the pinnacle of Street Fighter 6’s progression.
With that said, without further stratification, the skill gap can wildly differ at the top. Someone who’s just barely squeaked into Master would then end up playing pro-level players consistently. And because you can’t fall out of Master, it could make for a frustrating experience for those with room to improve.
The Master League is looking to change that. When two players at Master rank face each other, they’ll be competing for “Master Rate” or MR. These subpoints will go towards who can obtain the coveted “Legend” rank, truly the best of the best. One other thing that separates MR from the standard League Points is that they’ll reset every three months. So each quarter (which also currently coincides with DLC fighter releases), the grind begins again. What we don’t know is how many players will receive this rank, what rewards come with it and if there’s tiers to Legend rank.
Something like this is massive for the top flights of the game. Players at the highest end of the ladders don’t often have the largest pool to play against. This gives the elite of SF6 something to strive for every few months, and creates more of a true representation of pro/semi-pro level. You’d theoretically be matched with players around your MR and thus, making matches more even and enjoyable.
