K/D (short for kill/death) is the ratio of a player's kills to their deaths. Players use expressions such as “high K/D,” “improve your K/D,” or “K/D above one.” These usually refer to individual performance over a match or a selected period, rather than a position in the rankings.
If a player gets 20 kills and dies 15 times in a match, their K/D is approximately 1.33. A value above one means they have more kills than deaths; a value below one means they have more deaths. Equal numbers of kills and deaths produce a ratio of one.
How to read the statistic
To calculate K/D, divide the number of kills by the number of deaths. For example, 12 kills and six deaths produce a K/D of 2. This is not the difference between kills and deaths: that difference would be six.
When comparing statistics, check the period covered. K/D from one successful match and K/D across many matches represent different amounts of play. To calculate an overall ratio for several matches, divide total kills by total deaths rather than simply averaging the individual ratios.
Another term seen alongside K/D is KDA, a separate statistic that also accounts for assists, or help securing kills. The terms should not be used interchangeably: they describe different sets of statistics.
Why K/D alone is not enough
A high K/D does not guarantee victory or prove superiority over other players. Some useful actions do not involve personal kills, including supporting teammates, sharing information, and completing team objectives.
In a typical situation, a player avoids a confrontation to stay alive but leaves a teammate without support. Their individual statistics may look better while the team's chances of success decrease. The reverse also happens: a player dies, but their actions allow teammates to gain an advantage.
When discussing a match, K/D therefore belongs alongside the player's responsibilities, the strength of the opposition, and actions that helped the team. Identical ratios can accompany very different levels of contribution.