diff --git a/multiplayer-next.md b/multiplayer-next.md
index 782a8c41..c267d52a 100644
--- a/multiplayer-next.md
+++ b/multiplayer-next.md
@@ -1153,10 +1153,13 @@ New `--role=client-reconnect` grades the returning player: not a spectator, owns
 ### Phase 8 — Matchmaking, ranked ladder, per-match server autoscaling
 
 **1.0 launch blocker.** Full design and reasoning: [`docs/MATCHMAKING.md`](docs/MATCHMAKING.md).
-Nothing here is implemented. Unlike Phases 0–7 this phase adds a component
-outside the Godot project — a backend service — and that is the largest
-architectural departure in the project's history, so read the design doc
-before picking up any task below.
+The local control-plane, durable-store, allocated-server, and verification
+paths are substantially implemented; the per-row status below distinguishes
+that evidence from the remaining live Steam, PostgreSQL/Redis, Agones, release,
+and human-playtest gates. Unlike Phases 0–7 this phase adds a component outside
+the Godot project — a backend service — and that is the largest architectural
+departure in the project's history, so read the design doc before picking up
+any task below.
 
 This inverts the server model. Phases 1–7 build a **community server**: it
 runs forever, waits for `--min-players`, plays a match, rotates arena, repeats,