Q&A Matchmaking - Anti-Cheat

Hello everyone!

In the past few days I have been reading the Respawn Q&A that answers various questions about Anti-Cheat and Matchmaking and I am sincerely amazed by some of the team's answers regarding matchmaking. Below I report the ones that I consider most interesting, so that I can talk about them if necessary.

1. Why isn’t ranked matchmaking based strictly on ranked? Having hidden MMR in a ranked based game mode completely defeats the purpose and makes everyone’s climb through the ranks different.

1. Ranked matchmaking is currently based on your RP values. At the start of this most recent season, each player's starting RP value was based on their hidden skill value. We did this to get a better approximation of skill-based matchmaking, for tighter matchmaking and to also reduce the 'stomping' that would frequently occur when higher-skilled players return to the game after an absence, which had dropped their starting RP value too low.


2. The hidden MMR* is a root cause for the meatgrinder that is solo q - will this ever be changed? At least in ranked?

2. Your skill value is used to determine who you match with based on finding other players who are closes to your current RP value from the pool of players that are currently matchmaking.
Premades take advantage of picking who they play with and usually have very active comms and aligned motivations and strategic goals. If you match randomly with players that have a playstyle is that is aligned with yours and that you can coordinate with, you will hopefully have less meatgrinder feels.


3. What is the logic on a hidden skill rating in ranked matchmaking? Why not just have a strict rule of if you are a rank you play with people +/- one rank? 

3. We keep track of your skill value to better understand how matchmaking works in conjunction with the progression RP system design. RP is only loosely correlated with skill, and Ranked progression is important to players. Everyone wants to feel like they are advancing when they play skillfully. Sometimes though, RP values and skill values can become misaligned. When you encounter a player where their skill does not match their Rank Tier, it erodes trust in matchmaking, so we are trying to keep these two values more closely aligned and consistent.


4. Ranked is a time grind rather than a skill-check. will this ever be tackled?

4. Absolutely, this is something on our mind! The current system very much favors the grind as you mentioned. We are actively looking into how we can preserve and improve a players ranked journey in a season that can be something players of any skill can grind through while also giving players more avenues to express skill in ranked.


5. Why is everyone that gets paired with me not even close to the same skill level?

5. Squad matchmaking looks at closest skill to fill out your squad. The skill value doesn't take into account playstyle or what the player is trying to do in the match (complete Challenges, win, or learn a new Legend, etc.) They are a similar skill value based on the number and how we measure it. Without knowing more about the specifics of what you consider to be 'skill', we can't really provide any additional insight.



At this point, doubts arise regarding matchmaking and what the participants think about it.
Why is it that initially they talk about matching players with similar RP and shortly after they talk about merging teams based only on skills? Furthermore, about the latter (skill), you can't even know on what numbers and measures it is selected. RP and skills are not even correlated with each other, considering the somewhat confusing answers I'm starting to have doubts about the solidity of the whole system.
Could you provide me with some clarifications?


Thanks in advance!