Is Riot forcing players to actively play?
Ranked 5s has only just returned to League of Legends, but players are already criticizing one of the queue's biggest issues: rank decay. Master and higher-ranked players argue that the system does not fit a mode that is only available on weekends.
A Reddit thread has gained attention by raising this issue. According to players, Ranked 5s uses a decay system similar to Solo/Duo despite the queue only opening during scheduled weekend windows. That feels inconsistent. If Riot designed Ranked 5s as a limited-time team queue, many players question why it expects the same level of activity as a permanent mode.
What Is Rank Decay in League of Legends?
Rank decay prevents inactive accounts from staying at the top of the ranked ladder. Players in Diamond and above must play ranked games to keep their rank. The system matters most in Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger.
Players earn banked days by playing ranked matches. Those days protect their rank from decay. Once they run out, the account starts losing LP. The goal is to keep the highest ranks active and competitive.
That approach fits Solo/Duo because the queue is available at all times. Ranked 5s works differently.
Why Ranked 5s Makes the Problem More Complicated
Riot brought Ranked 5s back as a limited-time mode with scheduled weekend windows instead of a permanent queue. A 5v5 ranked mode needs enough full teams searching at the same time to keep matchmaking healthy.
The limited schedule helps reduce queue times and creates more balanced matches. Opening the queue all week could leave teams waiting much longer or facing uneven opponents.
Players have fewer chances to play, yet they still face the same activity requirements as Solo/Duo. Maintaining a high rank becomes harder when the queue is only available for part of the week.
Ranked 5s also requires five available players. Even if one player has time to play, the other four must also be online. Queue times, dodges, and match quality can further reduce the number of games a team finishes during a weekend.
The Community's Criticism Makes Sense
Many players believe the criticism is justified. Ranked 5s only runs for a small part of the week, yet Master players appear to follow a decay system built for a permanent queue.
In Solo/Duo, a player can protect their rank alone. Ranked 5s requires an entire team. That makes staying active much more difficult, so applying the same decay rules feels unfair to many players.
There is another side to the debate. High-ranked teams should not reach the top early and stay there without playing. A competitive ladder still needs an activity requirement to remain meaningful.
The discussion is not about removing decay. It is about whether Ranked 5s should use the same system as Solo/Duo.
Riot Should Treat Ranked 5s Differently
Ranked 5s is its own mode with its own challenges. Riot limited the queue to improve matchmaking, so the ranking system should reflect those limits.
One solution would be a separate decay model for Ranked 5s. Riot could award more banked days per game, count decay only when the queue is available, or increase the maximum number of banked days. Any of those changes would give teams more flexibility without removing activity requirements.
Decay still has value because competitive ladders need active players at the top. The system simply needs to match the format it supports.
Ranked 5s Needs Early Changes
Rank decay shows that systems designed for one queue do not always fit another. If Riot wants Ranked 5s to succeed, players need a ranking system that feels fair.
Right now, many Master players see the current decay rules as leftovers from Solo/Duo. Early adjustments could help Ranked 5s establish itself as a lasting competitive mode instead of becoming another niche queue.