To any who read this, this is how I think the issue of having far too many inexperienced players in ranked could fairly easily be solved.
The ranked system as we currently know it ranks a person on individual ability to some extent, though in reality it’s purely about how often you win or lose with personal ability only coming in to play after one of those occurrences. The issue with this is that unfortunately there are a huge amount of players who are inexperienced or lacking practice in the vast majority of heroes. This causes a huge amount of frustration and negativity from the players who are more experienced and have played more or are just naturally better.
To combat this I suggest an entry exam into ranked, whilst a ranking system in university grades us depending on how well we do there, we generally can’t just skip into university, we have to go through school and achieve the required grades to enter. Ranked in this metaphor is rather obviously university, and the school should be a mixture of quick play (which we already see through the level-25 requirement for ranked) but should also include a series of exams, challenges on every single hero that have to be completed prior to you being allowed to take part in ranked. I thought these challenges should be similar to the ones in the World of Warcraft Mage Tower, challenging, but with practice really not that difficult.
This means that those who feel they are ready to go into ranked need only complete these challenges and then they’ll automatically have enough knowledge of the games mechanics and how every hero functions to be competent enough to play in ranked without, I hope at least, anyone becoming toxic. If the skill level isn’t there to begin with and the challenges are too difficult then the repetition of doing them will train someone to be good enough for ranked anyway.
Whilst many might say this is a too hardcore approach, I do think of myself as a casual gamer, spending not that many hours a week playing, but when I do play at a ranked, not at a casual (something I think quick play was designed for) I want to know the players I’m playing with are actually competent enough to be there.
Would be glad to hear others opinions on the matter, I do hope the read wasn’t too taxing.