Black Ops 6 Update Adding Ranked Play

Key Takeaways

• Ranked Play is live in Black Ops 6 Season 1. The launch evaluation period includes updated restrictions.
• Exclusive rewards for Ranked Play in Black Ops 6 include emblems, operator skins, and blueprints.
• Competitive integrity features like map veto, quit penalties, and demotion protection are key parts of Black Ops 6 Ranked Play.

Activision and Treyarch have released a new update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 1 featuring the Ranked Play mode for multiplayer. The Ranked Play mode was introduced one day earlier than originally planned, and the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 developers outlined a slew of features and restrictions that players need to know about before getting started.

Black Ops 6 and Warzone Season 1 went live on November 14 with new maps, game modes, and weapons for players to enjoy. However, the launch was met with some controversy, as Black Ops 6 players noticed that legacy XP tokens could not be used in multiplayer. Fortunately, the November 19 Black Ops 6 update enabled the use of legacy XP tokens once more and fixed some lingering in-game bugs to improve the overall player experience. Just one day later, Treyarch shifted the release of Ranked Play for Black Ops 6, which was first planned to be released on November 21.

Ranked Play is available today in Black Ops 6 Season 1 for all players with at least 50 wins in multiplayer, and a “launch evaluation period” has begun with the release of the November 20 update. During the launch evaluation period, a large selection of weapons will be available in Ranked Play, and the Control game mode in Ranked Play will have three maps. Restrictions will be updated over time ahead of the start of the COD League Season on December 6, as the developers gather feedback. In addition, Rank Matchmaking restrictions will be relaxed, meaning that players who climb through the ranks from Bronze to Top 250 will still be able to find matches quickly. These restrictions will be tightened over time as more players reach those higher ranks in Ranked Play, however.

Black Ops 6 players have access to Search and Destroy, Control, and Hardpoint in Ranked Play with competitive 4v4 rules and restrictions from Call of Duty League in place. Certain weapons, attachments, perks, field upgrades, and streaks will be restricted, so players wanting to play Ranked Play may need to reconsider their options for loadouts. Competitive integrity features are deployed in Ranked Play as well, including map and mode veto, penalties and suspensions for quitting matches or disconnects, and demotion protection for the player’s first three matches during each Ranked Play session. What’s more, Ricochet anti-cheat systems are active in Black Ops 6 Ranked Play to collect player data and flag suspicious accounts that may show up in the mode.

With those restrictions in mind, Black Ops 6 players can earn exclusive Ranked Play rewards for climbing the ranks, including new emblems, calling cards, operator skins, and blueprints. More changes and additions to Ranked Play will come in Black Ops 6’s mid-season update, so Treyarch will likely share more details on what’s coming soon at a later date.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 1 November 20 Update Patch Notes

The definitive Ranked Play experience that we have been building toward since 2021 is coming to Season 01, starting a day earlier than expected: today. Ranked Play will be going live later today for all players who have achieved at least 50 wins in Multiplayer.

Launch Preparations

Launch Evaluation Period

We’re excited to release Ranked Play earlier than ever, and with this feat comes a special evaluation period where a larger selection of weapons will be available for feedback and use in Ranked Play and a third Control map will join the rotation.

• Ranked Play restrictions will be updated over the next few weeks to reflect the Competitive Ruleset as it falls into place ahead of the start of the COD League Season on December 6th, so that everyone can play just like the pros.
  • In the meantime, a wider variety of Assault Rifles and SMGs will be available in Ranked Play as Treyarch, the CDL, and our CDL Pro players evaluate and formalize the 2025 Season ruleset.
• A third Control map will also be available in Ranked Play that isn’t currently in v1.0 of the CDL Competitive Settings: Rewind. Rewind is not currently an official Control CDL map selection according to v1.0 of the CDL Competitive Settings. However, it will be playable in Ranked Play as we test additions to the map pool.
  • CDL and Ranked Play maps are subject to change in the future as competitive adjustments are made and new Black Ops 6 maps are released, including but not limited to the competitive fan-favorite Hacienda releasing later in Season 1.
• In addition to the Competitive Settings, we intend to closely follow Pro GAs during the Black Ops 6 Competitive Season and will share updates regarding our adjustments or omissions where necessary.

Launch Matchmaking

During the Ranked Play launch period, Rank Matchmaking restrictions will be relaxed, allowing players who climb into higher Ranks faster than the rest of the population to find matches.

• Rank matchmaking will continue to put high-Rank players in matches appropriate for their skill. As more players reach higher Ranks, we will begin tightening our matchmaking parameters.
• Full Parties of four can now play together in Ranked Play regardless of their individual Ranks. However, Skill Matchmaking will be based on the highest Rank in the Party. Party Skill Restrictions still apply to parties made up of two or three players.
• For more information regarding Ranked Play Matchmaking, keep an eye out for the upcoming Ranked Play Matchmaking White Paper.

Ricochet Anti-Cheat

Here is a message from our partners at Team Ricochet that was previously shared in the Season 01 Launch Patch Notes:

Treyarch has delivered several updates to combat disruptive behavior for Ranked Play, including:

• Enhanced AFK detections to battle against account boosting
• Adjusting ping thresholds to require players play matches in their region to cut down on VPN abuse

To unlock Ranked Play in Black Ops 6, players will need to win 50 match-made multiplayer matches:

• This ensures that players are experienced with Multiplayer before they enter the mode and gives #TeamRICOCHET a historical match history to examine before an account enters Ranked Play
• #TeamRICOCHET also utilizes its Replay Investigation Tool to monitor replays of top players as part of the investigation process

Detection systems initially deployed at launch from #TeamRICOCHET to collect data to test for effectiveness will be activated to help flag accounts for action beginning with Season 01.

The security system updates listed above will also be active for Ranked Play in Call of Duty: Warzone, which launches at mid-season.

Competitive Settings Overview

Play like the pros in competitive 4v4 matches with similar settings, maps, and modes as the Call of Duty League (CDL).

• Select Weapons, Attachments, Equipment, Perks, Field Upgrades, and Streaks are restricted based on official CDL Competitive rules.

Maps & Modes

• CDL Search and Destroy
  • Protocol
  • Rewind
  • Vault
  • Skyline
  • Red Card
• CDL Control
• CDL Hardpoint
  • Protocol
  • Rewind
  • Vault
  • Skyline
  • Red Card

As noted above, Rewind is not currently an official Control CDL map selection according to v1.0 of the CDL Competitive Settings. However, it will be playable in Ranked Play as we test additions to the map pool.

Ranked Play Restrictions

Weapon Restrictions

Assault Rifles

SMGs

Pistols

Sniper Rifles

• Restricted in Hardpoint & Control
• All Modes

Marksman Rifles

Shotguns

Launchers

Special Weapons

Attachment Restrictions

Optics Attachments

• Thermal Optics
• Night Vision Optics
• Pistols Only

Muzzle Attachments

Barrel Attachments

• Suppressed Barrels
• Headshot Multiplier Barrels

Underbarrel Attachments

Magazine Attachments

Laser Attachments

Fire Mod Attachments

Snipers Only

Loadout Restrictions

Equipment

• Lethals
  • Impact Grenade
  • C4
  • Molotov
  • Blast Trap
  • Drill Charge
  • Combat Axe
  • Thermo Grenades
• Tacticals
  • Restricted in Hardpoint & Control
  • All Modes
    • Spy Cam
    • Stim Shot
    • Prox Alarm
    • Decoy
    • Shock Charge

Field Upgrades

• Spring Mine
• Scrambler
• Signal Lure
• War Cry
• Tac Insert
• Acoustic Amp
• Morphine Injector
• Neurogas
• Sleeper Agent

Scorestreaks

Restricted in Hardpoint & Control

The RC-XD will temporarily be available in all Ranked Play modes for a short duration after launch. Next steps for the RC-XD will result in a temporary restriction in all modes while we prepare to enable it in Search and Destroy only. Stay tuned to
@CODUpdates
and
@Treyarch
for details and timing.

All Modes

• Scout Pulse
• Sam Turret
• UAV
• CUAV
• Archangel Launcher
• Care Package
• Napalm Strike
• LDBR
• Sentry Turret
• Watchdog Helo
• AGR Mark 1
• Interceptors
• Strategic Bomber
• HARP
• Chopper Gunner
• Dreadnaught
• Nuke
• Hand Cannon

Perks

• Combat Specialties
• Enforcer
  • Assassin
  • Bruiser
  • Bankroll
• Recon
  • Scavenger
  • Ghost
  • Engineer
  • Tracker
  • Forward Intel
  • Vigilance
  • Cold-Blooded
• Strategist
  • Dispatcher
  • Shadow
  • Guardian
  • Gearhead

Wildcards

• Tactical Expert
• Overkill
• Danger Close
• Prepper

Global Weapon Builds

Any Global Weapon Build you create in Ranked Play can easily be used across Loadouts in Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone – just like any other Weapon Build in Black Ops 6. Conversely, you can bring any Builds you’ve created outside Ranked Play into Ranked (restrictions permitting).

Ranks & SR (Skill Rating) Overview

Rank Breakdown: The 1-50 Rank and Skill Division system seen in previous versions of Ranked Play has been combined to focus on what matters most in Black Ops 6 Ranked Play: Skill. In Black Ops 6, your Rank represents what was previously your Skill Division and Tier.

• The Progressive Rank and Victory Stars system seen in previous Ranked Play installments has been removed to streamline the experience and focus on skill.
• All players begin their first Competitive Season at Bronze I Rank with 0 SR.
• Players increase their SR by winning matches and lose SR whenever they lose matches.
• Both individual and team performance will impact how much SR you gain or lose per match.
  • Play the objective, communicate, and help your team to find success.
  • In higher Ranks, team performance has a bigger impact on SR gained or lost so that all winning playstyles are more consistently rewarded.
• Players progress through eight Ranks by reaching SR milestones:
  • Bronze – Starting Rank
  • Silver – 900 SR
  • Gold – 2,100 SR
  • Platinum – 3,600 SR
  • Diamond – 5,400 SR
  • Crimson – 7,500 SR
  • Iridescent – 10,000 SR
  • Top 250 – 10,000+ SR
• Rank Tiers: All Ranks except for Iridescent have 3 Tiers – Tier I, Tier II & Tier III. Climb into higher Tiers as you advance your way through each Rank.
• Show Off Your Skill: It’s easy to see which Rank someone is in Black Ops 6 Ranked Play. Each Rank has a unique icon and colors, and your current Tier is also prominently shown in the center of your Rank icon.
• Seasonal Setback Breakdown: The End-of-Season SR Setback has been adjusted in Black Ops 6 Ranked Play to reduce the impact felt by players early in their Rank journey. Every new season, your Rank may be reset based on where you ended the previous season, as follows:
  • Bronze or Silver Rank players are not impacted by the Seasonal setback and will be able to pick up where they ended each Season with no SR deduction.
  • Gold or Platinum Rank players will start the next Season in Tier I of Gold or Platinum respectively.
  • Diamond Rank and above players will start the next Season at Diamond I.
• Top 250 Rank & Leaderboard: The Top 250 Rank returns, ranking the top 250 Ranked Play players in the world on an in-game Leaderboard that all players can view starting Day 1 of each season from within the Multiplayer Ranked Play lobby.
• Players will qualify for the Top 250 and appear on the Leaderboard as they surpass 10,000+ SR.
• The top 250 players with the highest SR above 10,000 will remain on the board and compete for 1st place over the remainder of the Season.
• Play like the pros, against the pros: Top 250 Leaderboard will display CDL Team Affiliations and Profiles for current CDL Professional players and coaches. Keep track of your favorite players and teams and see how they stack up against the Ranked Play competition. New in Black Ops 6, if any of your favorite CDL Casters or Desk Analysts manage to make the Top 250 they’ll also receive Leaderboard Profiles.
• Ultimate Bragging Rights: In addition to new Rank and Seasonal Rewards in Black Ops 6, the #1 Ranked Play player at the end of each Season will receive a unique, one-of-a-kind Calling Card as well as the Top 250 Champion Skin – exclusive only players who finish #1 in a Season.

Rewards Overview

There are a variety of valuable rewards exclusively earned in Ranked Play that you can earn and equip to show off your skill – wherever you play.

Breakdown: Rewards

• Players can earn rewards in a variety of ways:
  • Win Challenges: Available at launch and can be earned in any Season.
  • Rank Operator Skins: Available at launch and can be earned in any season.
    • Gold through Iridescent Rank Operator Skins are awarded immediately.
    • Top 250 related rewards are awarded at the end of the Season.
  • Season Rewards: Available at the start of a Season and only available in that Season.
    • Season Win Challenges and Gold through Iridescent Rank Rewards are awarded immediately.
    • Top 250 Rank Rewards are awarded at the end of a Season.
  • Season Rewards include “Flex” Reward items that change Season over Season.
    • Players in Season 01 will earn Large Decals to represent their highest attained Rank in addition to a standard Rank Calling Card.
    • Future Seasons will have different “Flex” Rank Reward item types.

Win Challenges

Reach win milestones over the course of your Ranked Play career to earn rewards available at launch and throughout the Black Ops 6 competitive seasons.

Win Challenge Rewards

• 5 Wins – Emblem: Ranked Play Competitor
• 10 Wins – Operator Skin: Black Ops Ranked Competitor (Home & Away)
• 20 Wins – Blueprint: Pro Issue Frag Skin
• 30 Wins – Gunscreen: Ranked Play Win Tacker
• 40 Wins – Loading Screen: Ranked Play Locker
• 50 Wins – Camo: SR Collector
• 100 Wins – Charm: 100 Ranked Wins
• 250 Wins – Spray: 250 Ranked Wins
• 500 Wins – Large Decal: 500 Ranked Wins
• 1000 Wins – Blueprint: 1000 Win Knife Skin, Animated Emblem: 1000 Ranked Wins

Rank Operator Skins

Reach Gold or higher to earn a Home & Away set of Ranked Play Operator Skins to show off your Rank and skill.

• Unlike previous Ranked Play iterations, Gold through Iridescent Operator Skins are now awarded immediately upon reaching a Rank milestone for the first time.
• Top 250 Competitor and Top 250 Champion skins are awarded at the end of the Ranked Play Season to recognize those who actively climbed and maintained their Top 250 placement.

Season 01 Rewards

• 10 Season 01 Wins – Blueprint: Pro Issue Knife Blueprint
• 100 Season 01 Wins – Large Decal: 100 Wins Large Decal
• Reach Silver – Calling Card: Silver Season 01
• Reach Gold – Calling Card: Gold Season 01, Large Decal: Gold Season 01
• Reach Platinum – Calling Card: Platinum Season 01, Large Decal: Platinum Season 01
• Reach Diamond – Calling Card: Diamond Season 01, Large Decal: Diamond Season 01
• Reach Crimson – Calling Card: Crimson Season 01, Large Decal: Crimson Season 01
• Reach Iridescent – Calling Card: Iridescent Season 01, Large Decal: Iridescent Season 01
• Finish in Top 250 – Calling Card: Top 250 Season 01, Large Decal: Top 250 Season 01
• Finish #1 in Top 250 – Calling Card: Top 250 #1 Overall Season 01

Competitive Integrity Features

• Map & Mode Veto: Before each Ranked match, 3 map and mode combinations are presented in the Lobby and Ranked Play teams can independently vote to veto one of the presented options.
  • After both teams make their veto pick, the remaining option is selected.
  • If both teams veto the same option, the match’s map/mode will be randomly selected out of the two non-vetoed options.
• Penalties & Suspensions: Players who disconnect or quit matches will receive SR penalties as well as temporary suspensions, with escalating penalties for repeat offenders.
• SR Forgiveness: Players will not lose any SR under the following circumstances.
  • A matchmade player has disconnected or left the game midway through a match.
    • It is still possible to earn SR if players can overcome their disadvantage, but a loss at a numerical disadvantage will not yield SR loss for players outside of the leaving player’s party.
  • A player has lost their first match of the day.
    • No matter what your Rank, each player’s first loss of the day will be forgiven and not deduct SR. This does not stack.
    • A player currently has Demotion Protection.
• Match Cancel: If a player quits or disconnects before the start of a match, the match will be canceled and will not count. The remaining players will be returned to the main menu.
• Professional Conduct Only: Friendly Fire is enabled in Ranked Play per CDL rules. Repeated Friendly Fire will result in players being kicked from games and receiving penalties and suspensions.
  • Demotion Protection: After advancing to a higher Rank, players will be granted temporary Demotion Protection and will not lose any SR within the first three games in the new Rank. Following that initial protection, if players were to lose enough SR to be demoted, they will first be dropped to the minimum threshold of their current Rank instead of being demoted. Losing their next match will result in a demotion.
• Demotion Protection is also applied for the player’s first 3 games of each Ranked Play Season.
• Party Skill Restrictions: Full Parties of four can now play together in Ranked Play regardless of their individual Ranks. However, Skill Matchmaking will be based on the highest Rank in the Party. Party Skill Restrictions still apply to parties made up of two or three players:
  • Bronze – Platinum: Can party up without any restrictions
  • Diamond: Can party within 2 Ranks
  • Iridescent (Including Top 250) & Crimson: Can party with players within 1 Rank

Competitive Integrity Features coming Mid-Season

• Forfeit: Players will be able to vote to end matches early.
  • All teammates must vote for the Forfeit for it to pass and end the match.
  • Forfeited matches count as a standard loss and do not result in additional SR penalties or suspensions.
  • Forfeit becomes available in the Options Menu at a designated point in each mode:
    • Hardpoint: The Winning Team reaches 100 Points
    • Control: After Round 1
    • Search & Destroy: After Round 3

Additional Social Features

• Hot Streaks
  • Win 3 Ranked Play games in a row over a short period of time to earn Victory Streak Flames that appear behind your Rank Icon in the lobby and in-game.
  • Extend your win streak to progress the flames. Victory Streak Flames expire when you lose or after 72 hours without playing a Ranked Play match.
  • More Hot Streak levels have been added in Black Ops 6, so go on a roll to discover how high they go and let the competition know the heat is coming. Stay Spicy!
• Social Profile
  • Ranked Play icons will be added to your Social profile to identify your Ranked Play Rank anywhere your profile is viewed across Black Ops 6 and Warzone.