Does MMR Reset Every Season in League of Legends?

Yes, Riot Games implements a soft MMR reset at the start of every new League of Legends season – pulling players‘ matchmaking ratings (MMRs) towards the median baseline before recalibrating the system. But what does this mean in practice, and what impacts can it have on your ranked journey?

As an avid League gamer and content creator myself, I‘ll be sharing a comprehensive breakdown on the nuances of seasonal resets based on Riot‘s official details, in-game data, and my own gameplay perspectives.

Decoding League‘s Infamous "Soft MMR Reset"

Before analyzing the impacts, it‘s important to clarify what a soft reset actually does (and doesn‘t do) to your account:

• At the new season launch, ranked MMRs shift towards the central value of that tier, without fully erasing your rating
• For example, a Diamond player‘s MMR may reset to Platinum median instead of their Diamond rating
• This shrinks gaps between player skill levels from the previous season
• It does NOT delete your full MMR history or force you into placement games again

So in essence, the soft reset gives players a fresh start in proving themselves – but still retains data on your true skill. High ranked players stay ahead of those in lower tiers, but competition is fiercer as MMR spreads condense per tier.

Why Riot Games Uses Seasonal Resets

Resetting ranked progression has been a controversial topic among League players for years. But Riot has often emphasized that the soft MMR reset aims to:

• Recalibrate matchmaking for a fair ranked experience
• Avoid inflation/deflation from year-long MMR drifts
• Motivate players grinding ranks each new season
• Mitigate disadvantages from taking a break

Previously, League had an elo rating system similar to chess. But as Riot‘s designers point out, chess skills are far more continuous compared to a video game. Factors like patch changes and evolving metas mean frequent resets make more sense for online PvP.

And while veterans argue they shouldn‘t lose ratings from past ranked efforts, fresh starts prevent spiraling MMR imbalances over time. Ultimately, the reset forces you to re-verify your true rank.

What Changes Have Improved the Ranked System?

Seasonal soft resets have existed for years, but recent changes have made ranked re-climbs more motivating:

• Promotional series between divisions removed for consistent LP gains
• Introduction of Master tier above Diamond for top players
• Ranked rewards like skins for Gold+ finishers
• More transparency around ranked adjustments behind the scenes

Riot has aimed to balance integrity with incentives. And in my experience grinding over 8 seasons, the journey feels smoother and more skill-correlated than past elo climbs.

Quantifying the MMR Reset‘s Ranked Impacts

But how much do the soft resets actually impact your games when a new season starts? Based on Riot‘s official details:

• Iron to Gold players shifted down ~1 tier on average
• Platinum players shifted into Gold II / Platinum IV
• Diamonds shifted into Platinum II (~200 LP)
• Masters+ stayed Diamond II+

The table below summarizes averaged landing spots:

So the reset shakes up ladder standings, but still preserves some advantages from finishing the past season highly ranked.

Does MMR Reset Delay Convergence to Your "True Elo"?

Now there‘s no doubt resets disrupt the grinding journey for many passionate ranked players like myself. And studies have shown systems like chess elo eventually lead players to skill plateaus through continuous matchups.

So an objection around League‘s soft reset is: Doesn‘t perturbing ratings just delay players from reaching their true, deserved elo?

In theory, yes – but as mentioned earlier, frequent patch changes and evolving metas make a video game far more dynamic than chess. Your skill level relative to the playerbase shifts from month to month.

And crucially, Riot‘s data scientists have access to behavioral models and uncertainty estimates behind the scenes. They can quantify when ratings are stabilizing or overconfident within a season. Resets likely accelerate corrections the algorithms would make anyway after uncertainty spikes from major game updates.

Pro Tips to Re-Climb Ranks After the Season Reset

So how should you adjust your gameplay and mindset to account for the ranked shuffle? Here are my key tips as a seasoned League player:

1. Expect Fiercer Early Competition

The first few weeks sees ex-Plat players stomping Silver MMRs – don‘t get demoralized if the quality of your games feels tougher than expected. Stay focused and keep your gameplay sharp rather than blaming teammates. The competition will balance out again.

2. Leverage Win-Streak LP Bonuses

Your account‘s "uncertainty" rockets up after placement games, meaning big LP gains from winstreaks due to the MMR/rank gap. If you can consistently win over 60% over your first 20-30 games, you‘ll rapidly regain your true standing.

3. Master Your Main Champion(s)

With everyone reset to square one, it‘s best to master just one or two comfort champions to consistently carry with. Simple, fundamentals-based pockets picks often the way to go rather than risky meta calls.

4. Recognize MMR Doesn‘t Equal Skill Level

Don‘t conflate your matchmaking rating with self-worth. Over my years playing League, the seasonal ranked grind has been a mental battle as much as test of in-game ability. Focus on incremental improvement rather than obsessing over LP gains.

Final Verdict: Necessary System for Competitive Integrity

While League‘s seasonal soft resets can be frustrating, they help provide ranked integrity and incentives for years on end. And modern adjustments have made re-climbs feel more fair compared to the past.

At the end of the day, embracing fresh starts while focusing on mastering your gameplay is the best mindset. Consistently winning more than half your games will reveal your true skill over time – regardless of where the resets may place you initially.

I hope these tips from my years as a passionate League gamer offer some guidance on navigating seasonal placements and MMR recalibrations. Let me know if you have any other ranked questions – and best of luck on Summoner‘s Rift!