How Rankings Work

Runback tracks player skill across fighting games using results from real tournament sets. Ratings update automatically after each event is synced, giving the community an always-current view of who's on top.

The Rating System

We use Glicko-2, a well-established rating algorithm designed by Mark Glickman. It's an evolution of the Elo system used in chess, with two key improvements:

• Rating Deviation (RD) — Measures how confident the system is in your rating. A new player has a high RD because we don't have enough data yet. As you play more sets, your RD drops and your rating becomes more stable.
• Volatility — Tracks how consistent your results are. A player who regularly upsets higher-rated opponents (or loses to lower-rated ones) will have higher volatility.

Every player starts at 1500 with a high rating deviation. Your first few tournaments will cause bigger rating swings as the system calibrates where you belong.

What Counts

Ratings are calculated from singles tournament sets only. The following are excluded:

• Exhibition or show matches
• Team events (doubles, crews, etc.)
• DQ'd sets
• Incomplete or in-progress sets

Each tournament is processed chronologically — sets within a bracket are ordered by completion time, and the entire tournament's results are applied as a single rating period.

Becoming Ranked

To appear on the leaderboard, a player must meet two requirements:

• At least 15 rated sets — Enough data for a meaningful rating.
• Rating Deviation ≤ 150 — The system is reasonably confident in your rating. This naturally happens as you play more tournaments.

Players who don't meet these thresholds are considered "provisional" — they have a rating internally but won't appear in the public rankings.

Inactivity

If you stop competing, your Rating Deviation gradually increases, reflecting growing uncertainty about your current skill level. This means:

• Under 30 days — No change. Normal tournament cadence.
• 1–2 months — Slight RD increase. Your rating becomes a bit more flexible.
• 2–6 months — Moderate RD increase. Wins and losses will have a larger impact when you return.
• Over a year — Significant RD reset. You'll effectively need to re-prove your skill level.

Your actual rating number doesn't decay — only the confidence in that rating decreases. When you come back and compete, a few solid tournaments will bring your RD back down.

Rank Tiers

Every ranked player is assigned a tier based on their current rating. Tiers are a quick way to gauge a player's competitive level at a glance.

Per-Game Rankings

Ratings are tracked independently for each game. A player's Street Fighter 6 rating is completely separate from their Guilty Gear: Strive rating. This means you can be a Legend in one game and a Rookie in another — each leaderboard reflects your skill in that specific game.

Movers

The "Rising" and "Falling" sections on the rankings page show which players have gained or lost the most rating points over the past 30 days. This highlights who's on a hot streak and who might be in a slump.

FAQ

Why isn't my rating showing up?

You likely haven't met the ranked threshold yet — 15 rated sets with a Rating Deviation under 150. Keep entering tournaments and your rating will appear once you have enough data.

How often do ratings update?

Ratings update automatically after each event is synced from start.gg. This typically happens within a few hours of an event completing.

Can my rating go down even if I win?

In practice, no. Glicko-2 won't decrease your rating for winning a set. However, your overall rating change from a tournament depends on all your sets combined. If you beat weaker opponents but lose to someone near your level, the net result could be a small decrease.

Do exhibition matches affect my rating?

No. Only competitive bracket sets from officially tracked tournaments count toward your rating.

What about sandbagging or smurfing?

Since we pull data from start.gg player profiles, accounts are tied to real competitive identities. The Glicko-2 system also naturally self-corrects — a strong player starting at 1500 will climb quickly due to large initial rating swings.