Apex Legends Ranked Solo Queue Test Begins June 30

After a delay that pushed back the original June 9 start date, Respawn Entertainment has confirmed that the Apex Legends ranked solo queue test will officially begin on June 30, 2026, at 10 a.m. PT. The test, which aims to address the power imbalance between solo players and coordinated three-stack teams, is scheduled to run until July 13, or until the developers have collected sufficient data.

During this window, the restriction is exclusive to players in the Diamond, Masters, and Predator tiers. Players within these ranks will be unable to enter the ranked playlist as a premade squad, effectively forcing a solo-queue-only environment for the highest levels of competitive play. This update follows a June 8 acknowledgment from Respawn regarding the disadvantages solo players face when matching against coordinated teams in ranked modes.

The Reasoning Behind the Test

The move toward a solo-queue-only test comes after a series of matchmaking adjustments introduced in Season 29. Earlier in the season, Respawn removed the "Champion Squad" display, a change that drew criticism from the community due to concerns that it was intended to obscure high-skill Predator squads in Diamond-tier lobbies. While the display previously helped players identify potential cheaters or high-tier threats, its removal is part of a wider effort to refine the game's competitive integrity.

Additionally, developers updated matchmaking earlier this month to ensure that solo players in both ranked and public matches face opponents of a slightly lower skill tier to compensate for the lack of team coordination. However, the upcoming ranked test represents a more structural change to how the highest tiers function.

Pro Player and Community Reaction

The community remains divided on whether forcing solo queue is the right path for Apex Legends. Professional players, including Falcons' ImperialHal, have suggested that while solo queue is necessary to fix power imbalances, forcing it across all Diamond-tier players might be detrimental after seven years of team-based play. Alliance's Hakis has argued that the restriction should perhaps be limited to Master and Predator tiers rather than including Diamond.

A notable complication for the test is the scheduling of the ALGS Split 1 Playoffs, which take place from July 7 to July 11. Because professional players will be involved in bootcamps and scrims during the height of the test, their participation will be limited, leaving some to wonder if the data gathered will accurately reflect the broader competitive landscape. For now, players in the top tiers will have to prepare for a two-week period of strictly solo-queuing to see if the experiment succeeds in creating more balanced matches.