Here’s the most awaited blog post about matchmaking https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends/news/matchmaking-2023

@Cheese9ManI stopped making comments on this forum because the matchmaking data I was sharing wasn’t cared for by the majority of the forum community— but I feel inclined to comment here on this matter:1) HUGE props to Respawn for even having a convo on matchmaking. Like seriously, I respect this so much. Lack of communication is a literal middle finger to the community, so this is appropriate and appreciated.2) Parts of this are— unfortunately, disingenuous.What parts? These:“We don’t purposefully put you in harder matches to slow you down if you’re winning a lot, nor do we intentionally put you in easier matches because you’re on a losing streak.”By designing their “dynamic matchmaking rating system” that is LITERALLY EXACTLY what they do. They 100% punish people for doing well, even in one single game. The algorithm reads your 3 kill 1st place win and the next game you are playing with people significantly above your skill level. Next disingenuous statement:“Either way, this is the system accounting for your recent changes in skill. This process tends to be slow, so you should only feel these changes from long streaks.”This is true for many accounts but definitely not for all. I have literally studied this across 20+ accounts and shared my findings (something I’m sure Respawn wasn’t betting on) and the results prove this to be untrue.Accounts with a lot of data that show that a player is above average do NOT have slow mobility down the matchmaking ladder. Win a game with just 2 kills and above 50% placement and the next match is right back to the top of the MMR ladder. I’ve literally tested this almost every single day for the past 2 years so I am going to need a PhD level argument/rationale to convince me otherwise.I guess I’m happier that they are addressing MM, but tightening of matchmaking in pubs for no reward is an ABSOLUTELY bad thing. People need to be rewarded for their proficiency, EVEN IN PUBS.Tighter matchmaking means more people playing their doppelgänger team at any given time, which results in outcomes being more similar for people, regardless of skill.Players who are more proficient should have better outcomes (wins, etc) in pubs. I’ll say that again: Preds (by virtue of their proficiency) deserve to beat players of my skill level in pubs. Similarly, Diamond-level players should have better outcomes than gold-level players.Tighter matchmaking and everyone breaking even feels super forced, curated, and exhausting.But the needs of the many outweigh what’s actually fair. So it is what it is. We should probably just commit fully at this point and have a system that does in-game adjustments for players performing too well or too poorly. So players on a hot streak should have their bullet damage decreased and their movement slowed slightly. We need to push for a system that results in uniform outcomes for all players.

@HappyHourSumwur Agreed. Seems broken on a fundamental level. Either that, or the pros have figured out a way to game the system.MM is broken both in BR and in Mixtape modes.Not even joking, keep having games where the MM puts a bunch of randoms together who can't even get more than 500 damage each against two full stacks of clubs. Games are going back to 50-10 blowouts again.Same with BR, where I get matched with TimTheTTVGawd0057Wraith who has more kills than I have damage on my entire account. Good stuff.

What i’m taking away from the article is that cradling lower skilled players to the detriment of higher skilled players is all that presently matters if not in a premade.Also, no concrete dates have been mentioned other than “early 2023” which means nothing when so many broken promises seems to be a reoccurrence with Respawn.

@Cro_PitttThat’s also how i’m reading it, which means if I perform well, i’ll be matched against preds, all the while having two ball in chain teammates.How did they think this would be a winning formula is beyond me, maybe because they assume everyone would play as a premade? Give me solos pls 🤣

The official Matchmaking blog post

309 Replies

ButterMyBiscuit
2 years ago
It's all good. Just more evidence that they use EOMM or equivalent model for matchmaking. That's the only rational explanation for why I still got those lobbies. If I'm wrong then the devs just suck at their jobs. Not sure which is a better excuse.
hayhor
Hero
2 years ago
@ButterMyBiscuit While it stinks the game wasn't fun for you I completely agree, if a game is not fun stop playing. Video game time is a hobby and hobbies should leave you happy.
ButterMyBiscuit
2 years ago
I think St Louis servers. I should say that I was still getting these squads no filling too. The last no fill team that won is in the screenshot. Wish I documented all apreds I ran into. I uninstalled so that's it for me. Good luck to the rest of you, I hope the game gets better for your mental health. Remember, if a game is not enjoyable then don't play it. Don't get sucked in to the sunk cost fallacy. It's not worth it.
CCbathwater
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
@ButterMyBiscuit lol Bruh... would you have happened to have been on South Carolina? Or was it while I still was on Frankfurt maybe, nevermind. I literally had that Wraith as champ yesterday. I think I might have had the Conduit too, the skin and pose looks familiar, but don't remember the name. I had match after match, with obvious 3-stacking teams on South Carolina, with absolutely unrealistic banners, as champs. Even had one with a 575 pred badge, again obvious 3-stacking.
Almost every game. In the end I was enough is enough, went on Virginia... and never saw an unrealistic champ screen again.
ButterMyBiscuit
2 years ago
Yeah, I am an average at best player since season 11 and last season and this season I just simply get thrown into elite top lobbies every round. Bought all heirlooms for all characters and had invested so much time and this horrific matchmaking has just killed this game for me. No more money or time will go to a game that has made it unbearable and unfair to play against others. The last game I played today I died against triple stack YouTubers that I knew were preds on PC. Adios, Apex. Turned a great game into hot garbage. Screenshots below are just a small sample of the last ~20 games I played since I can't attach more than 3 pictures. And yes, 0.12 kd ACTUALLY trying and could never get out of masters and apred lobbies. I never got a break.
HappyHourSumwur
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
@WTF_HuitzoGlad to see MM in ranked using RP feels better for you. Resetting everyone to 1 RP probably helps, at least for now.

Why not just use that idea for pubs if it actually works better. Just calculate RP for BR mode pubs matches to use for MM without assigning ranks. Keep these Pubs Points (PP's . . .LOL) hidden if you want; they become the new MMR.
@Airish85 The Finals survey is the right way to ask detailed questions so you get meaningful feedback. The Apex survey actually offends me. I've said Yes maybe once (only time I got it after a win) and Respawn has never communicated why they send it out or what they do with the responses. It is a complete joke.
WTF_Huitzo
2 years ago
I've gotta say this season 20 is everything i wanted for the game.
finally no more hidden mmr in ranked , having a blast with my noobs friend who came back thanks to this.
still encounter 3stacks but way less than before .

massive W
Airish85
2 years ago
@HappyHourSumwur
Agreed. I would also like to add my previous comment about the matchmaking survey to be more detailed.
Had one pop up last night and I didnt know how to answer it.

YES or NO did you enjoy the game is too vague.
My teammates where poor but so was enemies and I got a lot of kills. I say YES and I get pred lobby with Bot teammates.
Enemies & teammates where both way above my skill level. I say NO and I get better teammates that destroy the lobby.
RNG unlucky and didnt get a gun off drop. I say NO and I might get any combo of above.
ETC.
HappyHourSumwur
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
Hey look! Season 20 and matchmaking is still complete garbage.
If anything, the changes to evo shields and crafting have made it feel worse, if you can imagine that.
It still takes something like 20 games in a row of getting teammates worse than you and getting melted by 3 stacks way better than you before it starts to feel like MM is doing anything about it. Then it is still one good game and you are bumped back up again to be cannon fodder for better players.
Does anyone at Respawn play this game out in the real world to know what it really feels like as an average or casual player?
CCbathwater
Seasoned Ace
2 years ago
Matchmaking within the same hour. You go from having to do 18 kills if you wanna win Gun Run, to a Control game that ends 1000/1000.
But MM still feels better this season. As I said at the start of the season, then it's actually possible to carry your team at times, as opponents haven't been oversized compared to your teammates as often as in previous seasons.