Global Power Rankings for League of Legends Esports Announced by Riot Games
Introduction of New League of Legends Rankings
Riot Games has introduced a comprehensive global ranking system for League of Legends, using Amazon Web Services (AWS) technology. This new system, known as the Global Power Rankings, will evaluate teams from top-tier League of Legends competitions worldwide.
Structure and Formula of the Rankings
The rankings will be based on an ELO-like model, incorporating both team performance and regional strength. Riot Games describes this as a “blended Elo metric,” which combines a team’s Elo score with the league’s Elo score to create a weighted average. Specifically, the team Elo is weighted at 80%, and the league Elo at 20%.
Real-Time Updates and Match Weighting
Unlike many other esports ranking systems, the League of Legends rankings will update after every game in a series, considering every match played during regional splits and international events. Additionally, Riot Games has introduced “Contextualised Match Weighting (K Factors),” which assigns more significance to international events and knockout matches compared to regional and group-stage matches.
Predictive Capabilities and Evaluation Periods
The Global Power Rankings also boast predictive capabilities, with tests showing a strong correlation between expected and actual match outcomes. To account for roster changes and ensure a broad sample of international matches, the system will evaluate League Elo over three years and Team Elo over two years.
Future Enhancements and Comparisons
While there is no official roadmap yet, Riot Games is considering future features such as incorporating in-game stats, player-based power rankings, and refining the K-factors for more accuracy. League of Legends is not the first esports title to have a dedicated ranking system; Valve’s CS2 rankings and HLTV.org’s rankings for Counter-Strike are notable comparisons.
Upcoming Test and Conclusion
The first significant test for the Global Power Rankings will occur this month, with daily updates during the League of Legends World Championship 2024. This new system aims to bring a more dynamic and accurate representation of team standings in the competitive League of Legends scene.
