Fortnite Ranked is a great way to measure yourself up against the rest of the player base, but how do we know what each rank really means? The Fortnite Ranked Distribution can help with that, a way to understand what the biggest ranks are.
Most games have a Ranked mode. However, not all of them are equal in terms of how they distribute players. A game could have ranks which are technically named like they’re the height of the game, but it’s where most of the player base is. The average Fortnite player would likely be in the biggest Fortnite rank, no matter what term is applied to the Rank. Essentially, we have to look at Fortnite Ranked distribution to get a sense of how Ranked is actually working, and what reaching unreal means.
Only the very best players make it into events like the FNCS Majors. However, Unreal and higher ranks could be completely different. Plenty of player have camped their way to Unreal without particularly increasing their skill level. How does the Fortnite Ranked distribution work and what does it look like?
Fortnite Ranked Distribution Explained
The Ranked distribution of any game is important for understanding what the skill level genuinely looks like. Most games have ranks like Bronze, Silver, and Gold, followed by higher ranks with better titles. While their names and placement would imply this is where most payers should be, there is often more of a tutorial stage with most players generally placing higher up. How does the Fortnite Ranked distribution look at the moment?
Thanks to tracking tools in the Fortnite API, we can get a good look at Ranked distribution. FortntieTracker provides these details by pulling them from the game. This is what Ranked distribution looks like right now.
As you can tell, the Ranked Distribution is fairly healthy looking. A lot of players are situated in Bronze, Silver, and Gold. These levels are particularly competitive, so it makes sense the average player is stuck around here. Beyond that, the ranks get smaller and smaller. As it gets harder to climb up the ranks in Fortnite.
Generally, once a rank gets to new division, it’s a bit of a jump in players. Platinum, Diamond, and Elite 1 each have more players than the majority of other ranks. However, the really high up divisions like Champion and Unreal are the smallest. While this would imply the Ranked system is doing a good job at filtering players, we do need to account for player activity.
Why Are Early Ranks So Much Bigger?
A big part of the Fortnite Ranked distribution data might be player behaviour. For example, these early ranks are often what players get assigned after one match. Which could mean their larger size is simply indication of Fortnite’s bigger player count. Not everyone plays Ranked. If they do a handful of games, they’ll get assigned these Ranks, and stay there for the rest of the season as they don’t particularly play these modes.
Beyond that, it could even explain the jumps in the first tier for each title. A player’s division decides what rewards they get for things like the Fortnite Ranked Cups. They also provide a bigger sense of accomplishment for ticking over than simply jumping divisions. This could mean players are more incentivized to stop once they reach the first Rank of a division. If they don’t particulary see themselves getting to the next division, then it might be simpler to quit at Platinum 1 then continue to play and get stuck in Platinum III, which for most people will feel about the same as achieving the first platinum.
What’s the Biggest Fortnite Rank?
The biggest Fortnite Rank at the moment is Silver I! This is pretty early as far as the Fortnite Ranks go. You don’t have to spent time learning all the major Fortnite strategies to climb to achieve this. For a lot of players, it’s what you unlock when you first take part in a placement match. Although, for others it does take a few games of grinding to get out of Bronze.
This early rank would be the biggest Fortnite rank. Partially because of players not taking part in Ranked, and partially from placement. As seasons get longer, players get more evenly spread as more of them use the Ranked mode.
Fortnite Ranked Distribution – Why is Elite so Big?
Out of the higher Fortnite Ranks, there’s some other divisions which stand out, including elite. The figures above match the Fortnite Ranked distribution for the mid-point of a season. The end point of a season looks similar, but with less difference between the ranks as players have more time to grind it out. This essentially peaks with Elite, which seems to be the stopping point for a lot of players.
Elite does seem to have a slightly lower barrier of entry. Since champion and unreal are both ranks which represent a real achievement, it makes sense for them to be tougher to get into. Elite is bigger than we’d assume though. It could be that the methods to grind up without having the kills can carry a lot of players as high as these ranks, but not up to the top of the game.
