In a preview, Age of Empires 4 is currently testing the new ranked mode. We summarise the most important information for you.
What is the first season?
Those who have already internalised all the races and their best strategies and strongest units in the new Age of Empires may be longing for a new challenge. For all master strategists and those who want to become one, there will soon be the 1v1 Ranked Seasons. Here you can compete against players of your skill level and earn higher ranks and rewards by winning.
A preview, a kind of closed beta for the first ranked season, started on 27 January 2022. Fittingly, there was also a lot of (new information) about how Age of Empires 4’s new ranked mode will work. We summarise the most important for you.
This is how you get your rank
In order to be assigned a rank, you must first prove yourself in a number of placement battles. In the current preview, you’ll have to take on opponents five times in 1v1 ranked mode to complete your ranking. The wording in the official blog post suggests that the number of matches required for placement could also change.
Once you have completed your final placement battle, you will be awarded a rank. Of course, this is not final: if you win or lose more ranked matches, you can move up or down in rank.
Behind this is a points system that awards you a new rank when you reach a certain number of points. Victories allow you to gain points, while a defeat costs you some points. In the ranking menu you can see at any time how many points you still need to reach the next higher rank.
As this is a ranking season, your rank will probably only be valid during this season. When a new season starts, you will probably have to get ranked again and then fight your way up.
These ranks are available
Currently there are 7 different ranks or divisions, which in turn are divided into 3 levels. So in total there are 21 different rankings possible. These are the ranks at a glance, starting with the highest rank:
- Conqueror
- Diamond
- Platinum
- Gold
- Silver
- Bronze
And here you can see the symbols of the respective ranks, which will then also be displayed in your profile:
Within each rank you can be placed at level one, two or three. Level three is the lowest ranking and level one is the highest. So the highest rank you can currently achieve is Conqueror 1, and the lowest is Bronze 3.
These are the rewards you can earn
But why go through all the trouble of fighting placement battles and constantly having to fight your way up? For some, maybe just the challenge would be enough, but there are also various rewards for reaching ranks.
When you reach a rank at the end of the season, you get exclusive rewards for that rank. So there are special rewards for silver, diamond and all the other available ranks. These are monuments for your city, as well as crests and portraits for your player profile. However, it is not yet known exactly which rewards will be available. It can also be assumed that the higher the rank achieved, the more valuable the rewards will be.
A reward in the broader sense is that your current rank will be displayed in your player profile as well as in loading screens and game lobbies. So you can brag a little about your hard-won rank.
Can I take part in the preview?
If you have not yet received an invitation to the preview season, we are sorry to disappoint you: Participation is then no longer possible. You will have to wait until the spring update for the first ranking season for all players. This update will also bring further improvements and changes.
If you would like to participate in similar events in the future, such as the ladder preview, you can sign up for the (Age of Empires 4) Insider Programme. To do so, you must be at least 18 years old and have a free Xbox Live account
