Ranked is getting a pretty substantial rework, and there's a lot here we're happy to see. A smaller seasonal reset, a much more useful draft screen, better post-match stats, and Power 11 requirements at every rank all make this one worth paying attention to.
The new rank designs look great too. We've included plenty of the preview footage and artwork throughout this post, so you can open the bits you want to see without having to scroll through every single image.
For us, though, the interesting part is what these changes could do for the games themselves. Here's what stands out, what we're looking forward to, and where Prodigy fits into it.
The Main Changes at a Glance
| Change | What the preview says |
|---|---|
| Power level | Power 11 at every rank |
| Seasonal free Brawlers | Six maxed Brawlers, up from three |
| Diamond roster | 12 Brawlers, up from nine |
| New-player entry | 5,000 Trophies; existing Ranked access stays |
| Monthly reset | Two ranks instead of six |
| Best-of-three Elo | Extra for 2-0; smaller loss for 1-2 |
| Masters I and above | Teams are no longer allowed |
Power 11 at Every Rank? Yes, Please.
We're very happy about this one. Ranked will require Power 11 Brawlers at every rank, replacing the Power 9 requirement from Bronze through Diamond. Thank you. Having everyone start at the same power level is a quality of life improvement we've wanted for a long time.
There is one thing we'd still like the Brawl Stars team to clarify: does that also mean requiring a complete loadout? The preview doesn't mention whether players need a Gadget, a Star Power, and both Gear slots equipped. If players can still enter Ranked with those slots empty, the power level requirement won't address every equipment disadvantage. We're grateful for the change, but we'd be concerned if incomplete loadouts are still allowed.
There are higher roster requirements to go with it. Diamond will need 12 Brawlers instead of nine, matching Mythic, and new players will unlock Ranked at 5,000 Trophies instead of 1,000. If you've already unlocked Ranked, you keep access and get a Chaos Drop at the 5,000-Trophy milestone instead. Brawl Arena stays at 1,000.
That does ask more of newer accounts, so increasing the seasonal free maxed Brawlers from three to six matters. A wider available roster gives players more room to cover different maps and roles while working on their own upgrades.
If you're deciding what to build next, Prodigy Path can help you think through upgrades and unlocks using your roster and its coverage. On our side, we'll need to make sure PL Prodigy and Draft Practice account for all six seasonal free Brawlers alongside the ones you've upgraded yourself. Those seasonal options should be useful while you work toward a broader roster.
See the six seasonal maxed Brawlers
Less Time Climbing Back
Monthly seasons are staying, but the reset gets much smaller: two ranks instead of six, with no change to the boost. The preview doesn't give a full reset table, so we'll leave the exact starting-rank examples until those are confirmed.
We're very much in favor of spending less of each season getting back to somewhere you've already been. Supercell's aim is better matches early in the season and more time playing around your actual level. That's a good direction, even if we'll need to see the new system in action before judging how well it gets there.
Elo gains also increase in the early and middle ranks. In best-of-three matches, the score matters: a 2-0 Epic Win earns extra Elo, while a 1-2 Close Match costs less. Winning a round in a difficult set will have something tangible attached to it, which should give teams another reason to keep trying after a rough start.
We don't have the exact gains, losses, or formula yet. How those numbers feel over a full season is going to matter more than any first impression of the announcement.
The Draft Screen Needed This
With more than 100 Brawlers, finding the pick you want has become its own little task. The updated grid shows more Brawlers at once, and the tiles display Gadgets and Star Powers. Being able to see more of your options before the timer runs down is a welcome start.
There's filtering, an option to turn favorites sorting on or off, and new sorting choices. Class becomes the default, while accounts with fewer than 30 Brawlers default to power level. Trophy sorting is available too.
The communication changes are probably the part we're most interested in. After making your ban, you can select another Brawler to suggest a ban to your teammates. You can offer to swap pick order early, and quick chat lets you ask for a class, role, or counter, or explain where you intend to play.
That gives a team more ways to actually discuss a draft. A useful suggestion still needs someone to listen to it, obviously, but having the option is a very good thing.
This is where PL Prodigy fits naturally: use the map and draft so far to explore recommendations, then think about what your team needs. We're also looking at additional sorting options so moving between the game and PL Prodigy feels more familiar. Class, Trophy, and power-level sorting are all things to consider as we work through the update.
Final preparation gets a 3D map preview, skin changes, and more quick chat. So you can sort out your lane and your outfit before the match. Priorities.
Watch the new pick and ban screen
See the final preparation screen
Something Useful After the Match
The expanded post-match stats might end up being one of the most useful additions here. You'll be able to see takedowns, defeats, damage, healing, damage received, and objective score where applicable. Ranked picks and bans will be recorded where applicable, and best-of-three stats are split by round. The expanded stats also cover other 5v5, 3v3, and 2v2 modes.
Having that in the Battle Log gives you somewhere to start when a game goes badly. Maybe a lane was rough from the draft. Maybe the damage was fine, but nobody could get near the objective. The numbers won't explain every decision, but they can give you a better question to ask when you watch the game back.
If you want to work on those decisions before the next queue, Draft Practice gives you scenarios to draft through. And Draft Board gives you somewhere to put the Brawlers on the map, move them between lanes, and draw out what you would try differently. That kind of review is exactly why we wanted those tools to exist.
Explore the new match stats
Playing Together, and Playing Solo
Ranked gets Play Again on the results screen, which should make it easier to keep playing when you find teammates you like. It can be disabled if the rank gap is too large, you don't have enough eligible Brawlers, or the season has ended.
At Masters I and above, teams are no longer allowed, and Play Again becomes Queue Again at Masters and above. We're interested to see how that changes the climb at the top. It also gives a clearer point where you have to prove yourself without bringing your usual team along.
For practice with a group, Friendly Rooms with Power Match get alternating snake bans and a choice of which team picks first, with random as the default. Those are Friendly Room options. Spectating also becomes less awkward: you can stay with a player through a best-of-three instead of being removed between rounds.
Okay, Let's Look at the New Ranks
All ranks get new 2026 frames and animations, with nine cosmetic tiers to unlock throughout the seasons. There are also player icons and Pins earned by reaching each rank for the first time.
There's quite a bit to look through here, so we've put the rank designs, Battle Cards, and Pins together below. Open the ones you're interested in and have a look.
Browse the new rank designs and animations
Browse the new Battle Cards
Browse the new Ranked Pins
Pro Pass Is Changing Too
The next Pro Pass season lasts three months. After that, Pro Pass will be reworked into a monthly pass. The monthly version isn't arriving immediately with this shorter season.
Buying the pass grants 2,000 Pro Pass XP in-game or 4,000 through the Supercell Store. Each Ranked win grants 60 XP, capped at 1,200 per week; pass owners get double the XP per win and double the weekly cap.
The new Pro skin progression features Schoolgirl Bibi, Starr Patrol Bibi, and Nova Bibi, plus the Black Hole and Luminous Hypercharge chromas. We've included the supplied visuals below so you can see the stages for yourself.
Watch Bibi's Pro skin stages and chromas
One Change for Aspiring Competitive Players
Reaching Pro will no longer qualify players for the Brawl Stars Championship (BSC) in 2027. Supercell is removing that second qualification route, with the Championship Challenge leading into the Challengers Program and the opportunity to compete toward BSC from there.
If that was part of your plan for 2027, pay attention to the competition details as they're announced. Reaching Pro and qualifying for BSC will be separate things.
We'll see how the Elo changes and the Masters solo queue work out once people have had time with them. We'll also need to keep Prodigy's map coverage and recommendations aligned with the update, so the tools stay useful as the game changes.
What are you happiest to see? Tell us in Discord, especially if there's something you'd like us to account for as we update Prodigy for the new season.
If Prodigy helps you with Ranked, drafts, or learning the game, please remember to use Code: Prodigy in the Brawl Stars shop. It costs you nothing extra and helps us keep building the tools, content, and community projects you come here for!
