Jeff Kaplan explained in the Overwatch forum how exactly matchmaking works – and which problems simply cannot be solved.
Matchmaking is more complex than players think
For many players, matchmaking in Overwatch is a mystery because it is quite complex. Other players believe that there is basically no “matchmaking” and all players are just randomly thrown into a game together. In the official Overwatch forum, user ExcaliburZ wrote a very long post summarizing what is known about Overwatch’s matchmaking. Jeff Kaplan, the game director of the game, found this post so good that he himself contributed his own opinion, experience, and insider knowledge. We have translated and compiled the most important points for you.
What exactly does the matchmaker do?
According to Kaplan, the matchmaker’s core task is simple: Find 11 other players so that this one player does not have to find 11 people themselves. But the matchmaker does not just look for 11 random people; it takes several factors into account.
- Time: The matchmaker tries to find a game as quickly as possible. Although many players say they would prefer to wait longer to have “a good match,” the reality almost always shows the opposite: If the waiting time is longer, players complain in the forums. Moreover, Kaplan says that players have unrealistically high expectations that longer wait times would mean a “better” game. “Better” is anyway a difficult word in the context of matchmaking.
- Latency: Latency, or “ping,” is crucial. The game always tries to match people from the same region. This has been learned from the beta, where all players were allowed to play together for a short time.
- Groups: A large portion of all matches consists of teams with solo players or duo groups. The system always tries to pit groups of players of the same size against each other. Those who register as a complete 6-player group will very likely play against a 6-player group as well. While there are rare exceptions where smaller groups compete against larger groups, these are so rare that they are not seen as a problem.
- Matchmaking Rating (MMR): The MMR is a direct assessment of how “good” the player is. If you win, the rating increases; if you lose, it decreases. However, several factors determine how strongly the rating is influenced by wins and losses. If you win against players who are rated as “better,” your rating will rise more strongly than if you defeat a skill-wise inferior team.
Level doesn’t matter – MMR taken from the beta
What many players do not know: At no point does the matchmaker consider a player’s level. The level only represents the time that someone has spent in Overwatch and in no way reflects their skill. Added to this is the fact that Blizzard already assigned you an MMR during the closed and open beta if you played during that time. Because even if someone just starts with Overwatch and has a low level: maybe they are an experienced player who played many hours in the beta.
What the matchmaker does not know
However, the matchmaker does not know many things, as it cannot see into the future, nor does it have other prophetic qualities. Is a player playing a hero they are good at? Does the player have a good or bad day? Is the player playing drunk, overtired, or both? Is a cat currently walking across the keyboard? The list of factors that cannot be taken into account is long. Therefore, there will never be “perfect” games.
Unrealistic expectations of what a good match is
Finally, Kaplan says that for many players, a good match is only given if they win. But that is simply not the case, because on the other side, there are also humans. In a game like Overwatch, it is just part of it to lose nearly half of all games. The task of the matchmaker is to make these games as exciting as possible. Even if the opposing team is simply “overwhelming,” that does not necessarily indicate a massive difference in skill between the two teams. Even in real life, there are often “devastating” victories in sports tournaments (just look at the last soccer World Cup), even though both teams are considered equal beforehand.
The matchmaker is constantly changing, and Blizzard is working hard to improve it further. Weekly server-side updates are made to the matchmaker – the system can never be perfect, but at least they are working towards it.
For more articles about Blizzard’s hero shooter, check out our Overwatch game page. Also, take a look at our extensive guide section.
