PGRU moves to a panel-based system

PGStats released not only the top 10 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players for Fall 2019 but also announced a couple of changes to how it will now operate. Primarily, the PGRU will now use a panel-based system instead of the algorithm it has employed up until this point. 

Two major changes

PGRU Season 3 will function similarly to Super Smash Bros. Melee’s MGPR by using a panel-based system that will consist of commentators, tournament organizers, and even players. However, in the case of players, they cannot vote for themselves. PGStats hope that this decision will rectify all the faults with their current system and also provide a more accurate reflection of the community. 

Secondly, the PGRU will now rank 100 players instead of the previous 50. This change will affect both the Spring and Fall seasons, which differs from the MGPR that has 50 players in Summer and 100 in Winter. 

These changes are the result of longstanding criticism, such as the over and underrating of player achievements — especially those from regions that see smaller representation.  

Other changes to the Tournament Tier System

The Tournament Tier System will remain in use for the third competitive season of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. That's because it allocates value to events based on their difficulty in securing high placings. The factors considered include the total number of entrants and the number of PGRU-ranked players attending. 

The United States and Japan will maintain their current S-tier to C-tier thresholds, which means US tournaments will require more players than Japanese events to reach their thresholds. On the other hand, every other region will receive a bonus, which makes it easier to achieve PGR status. C-tier will require 120 players, while S-tier will need 720. The international multipliers could also receive a change after a proper review at the end of Season 3. 

S-tier events will now feature a DQ buffer, which will prevent them from dropping in tier due to a PGR player dropping out of it. However, S-tier tournaments like MomoCon 2019 that had ou free online entry, and several DQs may not benefit from this buffer.  

Unlike before, Area 51 players will now also contribute to a tournament’s PGR status. Their value will be the same as players ranked 31-50. The mid-season TTS will introduce five “rising stars” that can also contribute to a tournament’s PGR status as well. 

PGStats will incorporate an off-season, which could likely arrive during the Summer. They are also looking into the possibility of it occurring in the Winter, with discussions between them and tournament organizers currently underway.  

You can read about these changes in detail in an article by Andrew “PracticalTAS” Nestico here or the video below by Luis “Suar” Suarez. PGRU Season 3 is now live, with the first Major of the year, Genesis 7, kicking things up a notch.