The new rewards have completely hollowed out the base of ranked CC, nobody who isn't at a high level cares anymore.

That rewards are exclusive to Diamond+ SHOULD have been an incentive for players to reach that level - I would have expected that - but alas it turns out player psychology doesn't work that way:

It has instead become clear to the majority of people even interested in playing ranked that this mode is only intended for people who play Diamond and up, because those are the only ones who get rewarded.

Ironically driving away the base pool of players upon which the entire structure rests.

I just can't find anyone to play with anymore at a point in time where in previous already dry seasons Plat would still at least frequently pop. This has soured me as a player who doesn't care about the rewards and just likes the mode and wants to have tough and fun matches.

Please make it so that you get rewarded for victories in ranked period. Then give additional evergreen rewards for victories on higher ranks that are not tied to seasons. Players hate that shit - "oh you have to log in a couple of months from now to claim your reward! Make sure not to miss it!" What, people are supposed to schedule this? Just give us the rewards immediately in the form of special currency to buy stuff with and let us farm them if we like. Have a nice long term achievement mount for 1000 victories in Diamond+ or some such. Extend the pool of rewards from time to time. Keep it with this stupid season bs.

Ironically being able to do it whenever gives more of an incentive to try.

It's so obvious people like this mode, just look at unranked. You really have something special here, please make ranked appealing for everyone. CC is the best part of the game, but is ruined by hours of queuetime when it could be instant.


PS: by the way is ranked more popular in JP?