How Patch Impact Works
The deterministic score Patch Rundown uses to separate maintenance from genuinely significant updates.
Patch Impact is a 0–100 score for the breadth and significance of an update. It begins with observable release features, not vibes.
What raises the score
Version 1.0 releases and major expansions carry the most weight. New seasons, classes, regions, progression overhauls, endgame redesigns, and broad balance passes also move the number. Smaller quality-of-life, performance, and routine bug-fix packages add less.
What lowers the score
Single-platform minor fixes and cosmetic-store-only updates can reduce the score. A very long change log does not automatically make an update important. Ten thousand words of maintenance remain maintenance.
How it is used
Scores below 30 normally belong in a daily briefing or a structured record. Scores from 45 upward usually support a standalone report. Editorial judgment can override the route when player impact is clearly disproportionate, but the reason must be documented.
Patch Impact measures the update, not whether you personally will enjoy it. That is where the Reinstall Signal comes in.