Gaming Battlepass System – Rationale and FAQ

This section is intended to address common questions regarding the transition from the GMRG Quarterly Leaderboard to the Gaming Battlepass System. The goal is to clearly explain the reasoning behind the change, how rewards are affected, and what this means for the GMRG moving forward.

Question #1: Why change to the Battlepass at all?

The previous GMRG quarterly leaderboard successfully recognized a small group of highly active members but produced diminishing returns on overall engagement. Because rewards were limited to the top ten earners each quarter, many members perceived those rewards as out of reach regardless of consistent participation. Once standings stabilized, this structure unintentionally discouraged continued activity among mid- and lower-tier participants.

The Battlepass system shifts recognition from comparative achievement to individual progress. Rather than competing against one another for a limited number of placements, members advance along a shared progression track, earning rewards based on sustained participation throughout the quarter or season.

This approach preserves competitive incentives for high-activity members while ensuring rewards remain achievable for the average active gamer. By clearly displaying progress and milestones, the Battlepass provides transparent goals, encourages steady engagement across the full quarter, and aligns rewards more closely with effort rather than relative placement.

Overall, the Battlepass framework broadens participation, improves fairness, and supports long-term engagement across the GMRG without removing existing competitive elements.

Question #2: What is the difference between Leaderboard awards and Battlepass awards?

Under the previous leaderboard system, awards were limited to the top ten members each quarter and consisted primarily of a single GMRG accessory selected from current Councilor items. This meant that rewards were finite, with the majority of participants receiving no recognition regardless of sustained effort.

The Battlepass system expands both access and variety of rewards. Rather than being limited by placement, members earn awards based on individual progress along a seasonal track. Available rewards may include:

• Credit awards of up to 5,000 credits
• GMRG-specific items or upgrade tokens
• Access to craft “masterwork” versions of both current and previous Councilor items

This structure ensures broader recognition across the GMRG, provides greater flexibility in how members are rewarded for engagement, and establishes a foundation for future expansion of GMRG-related items and rewards.

Note: Masterwork items are crafted versions of Councilor items. They do not award dossier art and must be built through the crafting system.

Question #3: Will the Battlepass change over time?

Yes. The Battlepass is expected to evolve based on observed participation and completion data. Following each launch, point values, progression thresholds, and reward placement may be adjusted to ensure the system remains appropriately challenging without becoming inaccessible.

Ongoing coordination between the Regent, Grand Master, and Fist will ensure rewards remain fair, balanced, and proportional to the difficulty of achievement while continuing to support healthy engagement across the GMRG.

Question #4: What does this mean for those who previously earned items via the Leaderboard?

All awards previously earned through the GMRG Leaderboard will be fully retained. This includes access to original Councilor items within the shops, as well as any associated dossier art.

In addition, the Council Guardsmen’s Accessories page is being updated to formally preserve and recognize past leaderboard winners. This page will serve as a historical record honoring members who reached the highest levels of gaming achievement during the Leaderboard era, including the Councilors they guarded.

This ensures that prior accomplishments remain respected, preserved, and clearly distinguished as part of the GMRG’s competitive legacy.

Question #5: What about the GMRG fictional element?

At this time, there are no plans to revise or expand the fictional element of the GMRG. Should that ever change, it would be done in coordination with the Voice office to ensure any developments fit within the established framework of the Brotherhood and can be meaningfully supported through official fiction releases.

The current focus remains on the evaluation and refinement of the Battlepass system, the ongoing Cluster Review project, and ensuring the community continues to have regular opportunities to engage through hosted game nights and organized play.

Closing Thoughts

This project was not originally my idea, and it was one I opposed in large part due to my appreciation for the leaderboard system. Over time, however, and through working closely with Thran and the Regent’s office, I came to see the opportunity this system provides—not only in its ability to automate processes and reduce administrative overhead, but in how broadly it allows us to expand recognition and awards for members who choose to engage with the gaming community.

It is also important to clarify how competition fits into this new model. While the Battlepass itself is not designed to replicate the same tier of direct, zero-sum competition as the previous leaderboard, competition within the GMRG has not been removed. Instead, the competitive focus is being shifted to where it is most meaningful: individual competitions, events, and organized play.

Under this approach, competition is expressed through performance within specific events rather than through a single aggregated quarterly ranking. Members who enjoy competitive play will continue to find it through placements, brackets, and event-based outcomes, where skill, preparation, and execution matter most. These environments provide clearer context for competition, allow for more diverse formats, and better reflect player performance than a cumulative total alone.

The Battlepass serves as the foundation that rewards consistent participation, while competitions and events remain the arena for high-level competitive distinction. Together, these systems allow the GMRG to support both sustained engagement and focused competitive excellence without forcing one to come at the expense of the other.

My hope is that as members take advantage of the new system and see it evolve, they will be encouraged to game more, host more competitions, and participate more consistently. Most importantly, I want members to have a clear quarterly goal that is attainable based on their own individual contributions rather than direct competition against others. If we achieve that, everyone who participates stands to benefit.

The leaderboard has not been lost entirely. It has been preserved for bragging rights, and at the end of each quarter we will continue to recognize those who earned the most Clusters through reports and community shout-outs.

Amendment 1.11.26: The leaderboard itself is a drain on site resources and was something I incorrectly identified as remaining in place. After speaking with the Seneschal staff, they informed me that the functionality is intended to be removed in order to improve site performance.

As a result, I will be provided with an easy-to-pull data report that will allow me to continue identifying our top earners by quarter. I will ensure this information is highlighted in place of the current leaderboard page.

We are entering a new era for the GMRG, and it is one I am proud to help usher in. If you have concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly. I will do my best to address them and ensure this system serves the community well.