Dota 2: MMR System explained

Dota 2’s Matchmaking Rating system can be slightly confusing, especially for new players in the game.

As gaming has grown, the competitive side has become more apparent. While the professional players are sometimes miles ahead of the rest of us, ranks, leaderboards, and competition between peers keep things interesting. When it comes to Dota 2, Matchmaking Rating (MMR) is how players know how good (or bad) they are.

Dota 2 is a confusing game for new people, so we break down the MMR system, rankings, how to get started on your journey, and how to increase your rank.

What is MMR in Dota 2?

MMR is "matchmaking rating". The term is used as a placeholder for the numerical value of a player’s ranking within Dota 2. When the game was initially released in 2013, the MMR system came soon after. The number links directly to who you are matched up with in ranked games.

MMR can be gained via winning games, with losses, of course, reducing your rating. On average, a win or a loss will either grant you 30 MMR or remove 30 MMR from your rating, respectively. However, partying up with other players will decrease the gain or loss to 20 MMR per game.

To unlock Ranked gameplay in Dota 2, players need to have played the game for at least 100 hours, meaning that they need to know a bit more than the basics. At that point, players will have to play a few games to “calibrate” their MMR. Some have reported that their MMR was calibrated within a few games, but the usual is playing at least 10 games of ranked.

However, there are times during major patches when the rating recalibrates. This can increase or decrease your MMR. Additionally, players can also reset their own MMR once per year, redoing their calibration in the hopes of climbing a few ranks.

MMR also exists in non-ranked gameplay for Dota 2. But this number is merely used to keep the normal games in balance.

Dota 2 MMR Ranks

At a base level, the ranking system in Dota 2 is quite straightforward. With a total of 8 tiers and 40 ranks, you would expect everything to be as simple as just committing to the climb. But it is much more complicated once you get into it. With that in mind, we start with the basics, the ranks.

• Herald
• Guardian
• Crusader
• Archon
• Legend
• Ancient
• Divine
• Immortal

Within nearly all of these tiers are 5 different levels or ranks, with players needing to climb from 1 to 5 to reach the next rank up. Immortal, the top rank, is slightly different. With no tiers inside the pinnacle Dota 2 rank, players set their sights on reaching the top 5000. Within this bracket, players are featured on the Dota 2 Leader Boards for their specific region.

Throughout the ranks there are numerous players, with the majority playing in the Archon MMR rating rank, but only by a small margin. Immortal, the highest rank, holds just under 2% of the entire Dota 2 player base. Oddly, the absolute lowest rank of Herald 1 holds the least number of players. Mainly because it is (almost exclusively) only used during the calibration period.

Player behaviour and communication scores are important

As with any online multiplayer game with a chat, Dota 2 is subject to a bit of toxicity from some players. Some of the best games that you will play will be the ones where your team (and you) are friendly, helpful, and delightful to play alongside. Those hard-fought wins and the painful losses feel a little better, everyone remains non-toxic towards one another.

This is where the report system links into your MMR and ranked gameplay. Player behaviour and communication score is, much like MMR, something that all players in Dota 2 have. The number determines a few things within the game. Certain score breakpoints unlock different features, including simply messaging, pausing, tipping, voice chat, and even coaching.

After every 15 games played, players receive a summary of their scores. These fluctuate depending on reports (or non-reports). So, to make the best of your MMR, it is best to avoid losing too much score, as you may end up in games with other similar players. Finding yourself in a low-priority queue for ranked could spell disaster for your MMR until you crawl out from the in-game doghouse.

Immortal reigns supreme

As the highest MMR rank in Dota 2, players are cut above the rest. In this rank of gameplay, a special matchmaking is enabled – Immortal Draft. This only activates at 8500 MMR in the Immortal bracket. Over the years, this number has changed, as people have grown their rating to insane heights. For Immortal Draft, playing with friends is disallowed, and players must be officially registered, too.

Alongside this, Immortal Draft games cannot be viewed on DotaTV, nor can the players’ match histories be viewed by anyone except the players themselves.

Ranked in Dota 2 is no easy journey. Even from Herald, if you can’t find your footing, things can be quite tough, and players need to communicate and work together to climb. Once you begin to get the hang of the climb (and sometimes fall), MMR becomes an interesting goal to inject a more competitive side into your Dota 2 games.