How do overwatch ranks work? Here’s our updated guide to Overwatch’s ranked system for 2026.
If you're interested in Overwatch's ranked system, then read on for our guide to all of the different Overwatch ranks, how the system works, and more.
Overwatch ranks in order
- Bronze (Divisions 5 to 1)
- Silver (Divisions 5 to 1)
- Gold (Divisions 5 to 1)
- Platinum (Divisions 5 to 1)
- Diamond (Divisions 5 to 1)
- Master (Divisions 5 to 1)
- Grandmaster (Divisions 5 to 1)
- Champion (Divisions 5 to 1)
- Top 500 Challenger (Regional)
Overwatch ranking system explained
In Overwatch, there are nine ranks in total. These are Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, Champion, and Top 500 Challenger. The Top 500 Challenger rank features the best players in your specific region. Overwatch ranks are also known as "skill tiers."
Each rank has five divisions that go from 5 as the lowest to 1 as the highest. For example, if a Platinum 1 player ranks higher compared to a Platinum 5 player. This also means that Bronze 5 is the lowest rank possible.
Overwatch SR explained
- Bronze: Less than 1,499 SR
- Silver: 1,500 SR to 1,999 SR
- Gold: 2,000 SR to 2,499 SR
- Platinum: 2,500 SR to 2,999 SR
- Diamond: 3,000 SR to 3,499 SR
- Master: 3,500 SR to 3,999 SR
- Grandmaster: 4,000 SR to 4,499 SR
- Champion: 4,500 SR to 5,000 SR
In Overwatch, your rank is determined by your Hero Skill Rating (HSR). This is more commonly known as just "SR" by players. Bronze players have less than 1,499 SR while the best of the best have 4,500 to 5,000 SR. The game sometimes does soft SR resets.
How to rank up in Overwatch
To rank up in Overwatch, you must complete competitive matches. The game has a progress bar that you can look at plus modifiers that explain the reasoning behind how much progress is gained or lost. Our screenshot above and our table below go over all of them.
Overwatch Rank Modifier | Details |
|---|---|
| Winning Trend | Bonus for maintaining a high win rate. |
| Uphill Battle | You were not favored to win, but you won. |
| Demotion Protection | If you lose again, you will rank down. |
| Demotion | You lost a match while in Demotion Protection. |
| Losing Trend | Penalty for a high loss rate. |
| Consolation | You were not favored to win and you lost. |
| Reversal | You were favored to win, but you lost. |
| Expected | You were favored to win and you won. |
| Calibration | Your rank is uncertain. |
| Wide | Your group is wide, so you gained or lost less rank. |
| Pressure | You were pushed toward average at a high or low rank. |
| Leaver Compensation | A teammate left your match. |
Overwatch ranked rewards and skins
Overwatch's ranked system features special player icons, seasonal player titles plus weapon charms, and weapon variants as well. Crimson Wolf is this year's competitive weapon variant, and getting Diamond rank or above in either Role Queue or Open Queue results in the Crimson Wolf Doomfist skin.
Past ranked weapon variants such as Galactic, Gold, and Jade can still be unlocked, but they're only available via Legacy Competitive Points.
Overwatch Competitive Points
- 10 for a win
- 5 for a draw
- 0 for a loss
Competitive Points refer to an in-game currency that can be earned after winning or drawing ranked matches. You earn 10 of them for a win, 5 for a draw, and 0 for a loss.
Overwatch Top 500 Challenger leaderboard
On Feb. 10, the Overwatch team revealed that the Top 500 Challenger leaderboard can also be sorted by rank. Rewards in this tier are based on one's Challenger Score. Competitors can earn the Conquest Top 500 Challenger player icon as a reward starting Feb. 10 as well.
"New icons will be available at each Rank Reset, meaning that a new icon becomes available to earn every 3 seasons," Blizzard Entertainment explaind. "Placing in Top 500 Challenger during the Rise of Talon Season 1, 2, or 3 will grant the Conquest Top 500 Challenger player icon."
Overwatch Challenger Score explained
On Feb. 10, Overwatch increased Challenger Score payouts to favor higher ranks. Master ranks now award between 20 and 60 points per division. Meanwhile, Grandmaster ranks award between 100 and 200 points. Champion ranks award the highest payouts, ranging from 250 to 700 points.
Additionally, the game lowered the Challenger Score required to appear on the Top 500 Challenger leaderboard. Combined Role and Open Queue now require 2,000 points instead of 5,000. Individual roles now require 1,500 points instead of 4,000 as well. Overwatch also increased the maximum Heat Bonus from 40% to 100%.
That's all for now. Stick around on esports.gg for more Overwatch news, guides, and updates.
