Like most other multiplayer games on the market, Rocket League is more fun when you’re with a friend or two. Jumping into a Ranked Match with a duo or a squad with you makes the game much more fun and easier at times, as you’re usually able to freely communicate, lockdown strategies, and coordinate to the fullest. Ranked Play in Rocket League has few restrictions when it comes to playing with friends, but there is one speedbump that certain players have to deal with, and it’s called “Rank Disparity.”
If you’ve seen this phrase pop up in Rocket League when trying to play Ranked with friends, there’s a specific reason for it.
Rank Disparity in Rocket League
If you’re seeing the rank disparity message when playing with friends, that means one of you is at least three ranks away from one another. In Rocket League, all players in a party must be within three ranks of each other when playing Ranked. This means a Bronze player will not be able to play with a Diamond player, for example.
This change was introduced to keep competitive integrity alive, as lower-ranked players would put their team at a huge disadvantage. In Ranked, you will usually get put into matches that have ranks close to the highest-ranked player. So, if a Bronze tried to play with a Diamond, that Bronze player would be playing against Diamond or Platinum-level players.
In order to stop seeing the rank disparity message in Rocket League, your lowest-ranked friend simply needs to get within three ranks of the highest-ranked player. This is easier said than done, of course, but it’s the only way you can play with that teammate.
