It has happened: Fortnite: Battle Royale will get a rudimentary ranking system, at least temporarily. What are the reasons for this step, and is it enough? Our author Robert analyzes the ranked play and the matchmaking problem of Fortnite.
This is the problem: More and more frustrated players are speaking out and complaining about the extremely high difficulty in Fortnite: Battle Royale. Players feel they have no chance in matches because they are up against much stronger players.
Epic’s previous measures to solve the problem have been of little help. Now, Fortnite will introduce a ranking system for the first time as part of the Valentine’s Day event to allow players of similar skills to compete against each other.
What are the reasons for the players’ frustration? What actions has Epic taken so far?
Fortnite: Battle Royale is in an identity crisis
Fortnite: Battle Royale has been characterized by easy access since its launch but is also very hard to master. The coordination between the various tools you can find on the map and the extensive building mode is essential for success in Fortnite.
Fortnite has a high “skill gap”: Strong players reliably defeat weaker players. And this “skill gap” continues to grow.
This is what has changed in Fortnite: At the launch of the battle royale mode in September 2017, only a few weapons and items were available.
Now, just before Season 8 in 2019, the situation in Fortnite is much less clear.
Epic has added new components such as vehicles, airplanes, and healing items, which provide a deeper and more tactical gaming experience.
At the same time, new weapons and items are continually being added to the game, while other tools are being removed.
This is the dilemma: From this situation, a dilemma emerged for Epic:
- Fortnite: Battle Royale should be easily accessible and have a low entry barrier. It should be a game for everyone. This is also highlighted by the many platforms on which Fortnite can be played.
- At the same time, the game is becoming more diverse and varied. Fortnite is getting more complex. In addition, veterans now have a gigantic experience advantage. Newcomers are pitted against players who have been honing their skills in Fortnite for months.
What are the consequences of this dilemma? Players who just want to play Fortnite: Battle Royale casually or newcomers currently have a very hard time being competitive.
Opposing players who can quickly build a tower have an advantage over “casual” players who are not (yet) familiar with the mechanics.
Those who have to quit in each round after a very short time may, in the worst case, abandon the game in frustration. As a potential consequence, Fortnite: Battle Royale may gain fewer new players or lose part of its player base that plays Fortnite just for fun and not competitively.
This could lead to declining revenues for Fortnite developer Epic, which primarily comes from cosmetic items such as skins.
Thus, all parties, both players and developers, have a keen interest in ensuring that Fortnite: Battle Royale is played by as many people as possible.
Not only “normal” players are addressing the problem: I noticed a few months ago that the individual rounds in Fortnite are becoming increasingly difficult.
For an average player like me, this is a real problem. While I could still win a round here and there, I had no chance against the top players.
But it’s not just players like me who notice that Fortnite: Battle Royale is getting harder. Professionals like Ninja and NICKMERCS have stated that they, too, are facing increasing difficulties in securing rounds.
There are thus two movements:
- Weaker players or newcomers quit in frustration
- And those who stay are getting better and stronger in Fortnite
This combination creates a significantly more competitive gaming experience. At the same time, Apex Legends, a strong battle royale competitor, has entered the market, putting further pressure on Fortnite developer Epic.
Epic has recognized the problem, albeit unnoticed by many, and has attempted to counteract it with various measures, albeit with moderate success.
These were Epic’s solutions – so far
Indeed, Epic recognized the signs of the times early on. Those who master building perfectly have a tremendous advantage in fighting against other players.
Epic has attempted to break the dominance of the building mode with a series of measures. This was intended to give players in Fortnite a chance who cannot keep up with the best in terms of building skills:
- The Minigun was introduced, which could quickly destroy enemy structures. Unfortunately, the weapon remained largely ineffective, especially in solo mode.
- Mobility items such as the grappler, the Quad Crasher, or the plane aimed to better storm enemy structures.
- Particularly the new items from Season 7 were criticized by professional players, as they would only help “weaker” players, such as the dynamite and the boomboxes.
These measures by Epic to help “beginners” have already been heavily criticized by “professionals,” streamers, and ambitious players. They desire a “hard Fortnite” where players with more skill have many advantages.
Epic’s latest attempt? A ranking system: With the Valentine’s Day event, Epic will introduce a league system that aims to categorize players based on their skills. The players of the best league will compete for the overall victory at the end.
This solution is limited to the specific event. However, it could be a first step towards a more sophisticated system.
Could skill-based matchmaking help solve Fortnite’s problems?
What other approaches are there? A widely discussed and controversial post in Fortnite’s subreddit addresses the issue and also directly offers a solution: Skill-based matchmaking could ensure that matches are fairer, as only players of roughly equal strength compete against each other.
This is how skill-based matchmaking works: Based on various parameters, a player’s individual performance is determined. It is important to draw on qualitative factors for evaluation, rather than quantitative ones.
The relative win rate is a stronger criterion than the total number of victories, as many victories can also be achieved by completing as many rounds as possible.
Further influencing factors for matchmaking could be:
- K/D (Kill-to-death ratio) – The K/D shows how many opponents a player eliminates before being defeated.
- Kills per minute – a criterion that can distinguish offensive from defensive players.
- The aforementioned win rate, which relates victories to the rounds completed.
Such performance classification is already used in many competitive games and would help Epic to sort players into performance groups that then compete against each other.
What are the advantages of skill-based matchmaking? Specifically, casual players and newcomers would benefit from such a system. They are less likely to risk being completely destroyed in a round and can achieve successes faster.
As their skills and experience grow, these players rise together and encounter increasingly stronger opponents. This ensures a consistently challenging experience. However, there are not only advantages.
What are the disadvantages of skill-based matchmaking? Particularly, the best players are not supporters of a system that sends them against equally strong opponents, as this makes every round a true test of strength.
Streamers like Ninja and Tfue also enjoy having lighter rounds from time to time, in which they can achieve victories with ease. These would then become rarer.
Another problem arises when very good players of the same level come together: turtle behavior. During some tournaments, professionals have barricaded themselves in self-built towers like turtles to avoid being eliminated.
This is neither spectacular nor exciting for viewers who want to see action-packed duels. For this reason, Epic has attempted to effectively counter the building function.
Does skill-based matchmaking not also lead to longer loading times? When the servers have to classify all players into skill clusters, matchmaking will likely take longer. Especially in team modes, precise calculations would need to be made to ensure a fair gaming experience.
That Epic will stick to the measures of recent months and potentially even expand them is considered certain. Because the Fortnite developer has always emphasized that Fortnite: Battle Royale should primarily be fun and not a competitive “strain”.
Whether skill-based matchmaking can be a solution in light of the accompanying disadvantages is questionable.
Conclusion
Frustrated newcomers and casual players, too strong opponents for streamers, and pressure from the competition: Fortnite: Battle Royale must do something to keep a large player base satisfied. The many anti-building measures were the first step, and the ranking system in the upcoming Valentine’s Day event is the next.
Epic is trying something new, as it has often done in the past; perhaps the first version of skill-based matchmaking will come soon. I am curious what other measures Epic has up its sleeve to ensure that Fortnite remains a fun experience for ALL players in the future.
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What do you think about the whole discussion? Do you feel the same way? Do you also think that Fortnite is becoming too difficult?
