Matchmaking
Ongoing coverage on Matchmaking.
Latest coverage
I took a trip to the dark side of Arc Raiders, and I don't want to go back
This article explores the aggressive matchmaking system in Arc Raiders, detailing how player behavior can drastically alter the game experience. The author contrasts their own cautious playstyle with a friend's highly aggressive approach, highlighting the diverse strategies and motivations players bring to the game.
APB Reloaded boss discusses a PvE mode, console development, and fixing ‘awful’ new player retention
Little Orbit CEO Matt Scott discussed upcoming plans for APB Reloaded, including a potential PvE mode, console development for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox, and efforts to fix severe new player retention issues. The company is also working on backend improvements, matchmaking, and removing outdated RPG elements.
Modern Warfare 4’s exact SBMM setup remains a mystery but at least we now know what it won’t be like
Infinity Ward has not revealed the exact Skill-Based Matchmaking (SBMM) system for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. While the specific setup remains a mystery, the developer has indicated what the system will not be like, leaving players to speculate on the matchmaking approach.
Sony Wants to Make PS5 Matchmaking More Interesting, But It Could Lead to Ads
Sony has filed a patent for a picture-in-picture technology on the PlayStation 5 that could display content, including advertisements, during game matchmaking wait times. While the patent also mentions gameplay highlights and social media clips, the inclusion of ads has raised concerns about potential monetization strategies. It remains to be seen if this feature will be implemented.
Att försvara sig i Arc Raiders räknas inte längre som lika "aggressivt"
Embark Studios has clarified the matchmaking system for their upcoming game, Arc Raiders. They explained that defensive actions against other players will no longer be considered as aggressive as initiating combat. Additionally, rounds with low player activity will have less impact on matchmaking profiles, and the developers debunked nine common misconceptions about the system.
Embark finally pulls back the curtain on Arc Raiders' matchmaking systems
Embark Studios has clarified the matchmaking systems in Arc Raiders, addressing myths about its aggression-based lobbies. The developer explained that the system is designed as a spectrum to ensure unpredictability and enhance the multiplayer experience. Changes have been implemented to better differentiate between initiating aggression and self-defense, allowing players more freedom to engage as they see fit.
ARC Raiders Can Now Distinguish Between Self Defense and Starting Fights for Matchmaking
Embark Studios has detailed ARC Raiders' playstyle-based matchmaking system, which distinguishes between players focused on cooperative play and those preferring PvP encounters. The system now better differentiates between self-defense and initiating fights, ensuring cautious players are not unfairly categorized as PvP-focused. Updates also ensure that low-activity rounds have less impact on a player's matchmaking profile.
Embark busts 9 myths about Arc Raiders' aggression-based matchmaking, and says defending yourself is no longer a…
Embark has addressed common misconceptions about Arc Raiders' aggression-based matchmaking system, clarifying that it operates on a continuous scale rather than distinct friendly or aggressive lobbies. The developer emphasized that defending oneself is now treated differently from initiating combat, and that individual actions have less weight than overall playstyle patterns.
"Defending yourself is no longer treated the same as starting a fight": Arc Raiders devs update matchmaking, explain how it really works, and shoot down player theories
Embark Studios has updated Arc Raiders' matchmaking system, aiming to better group players with similar playstyles while maintaining unpredictability. The developer clarified that individual actions or loadouts do not immediately alter matchmaking, and debunked several player theories about how the system works. These changes are live now, with further tuning planned based on player feedback.
Street Fighter 6 is Introducing Random Avatar Matches Alongside Ingrid On May 28
Capcom is introducing new game modes for Street Fighter 6 on May 28th, including Random Avatar Matches and Avatar Arcade. Random Avatar Matches will use Level Sync to ensure fair play by equalizing gear and abilities. Avatar Arcade allows players to battle CPU Masters for rewards and Avatar progression, offering an alternative to the World Tour mode.
Apex Legends Season 29 Overclocked: 9 Things Adults Need to Know Before Queuing Up
Apex Legends Season 29, Overclocked, introduces new Legend Axle and significant updates including a planned fix for solo queue matchmaking, changes to deathbox respawns, and a new Chain Healing system. The season also brings buffs to Vantage and Conduit, a revised map rotation featuring Broken Moon, Olympus, and Storm Point, and weapon meta shifts with the LSTAR in the care package and CAR SMG returning to floor loot. While Axle is currently strong, players are advised to wait for balance patches, especially for ranked play, as the solo queue fix is not yet live.
Quinfall tweaks its 3v3 arena and polls its players about reverting dodge rolling changes
Quinfall is considering reverting changes to its dodge rolling mechanic based on player feedback and has launched a poll to decide the specifics of the reversion. Additionally, a recent patch has adjusted the game's 3v3 arenas to improve matchmaking speed and discourage passive play, alongside balancing weapon skills and item levels.
Quinfall shares the series of features confirmed for the 3v3 arena arriving in its next patch
Vawraek Technology has confirmed the features for The Quinfall's upcoming 3v3 arena mode, which will include a matchmaking queue, win trading penalties, a weekly league system, and rewards for all participants. The arena will enforce specific team compositions with one tank and one healer, and matches will be best-of-three. A release date for the update has not yet been announced.
Riot admits it "made mistakes" with League of Legends' ranked season, imposes hard reset at apex levels
Riot Games has acknowledged mistakes in League of Legends' 2026 ranked season configuration, particularly affecting Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger tiers. To address player concerns about inconsistent matchmaking and LP gains, a hard reset will be implemented at Master 0 LP with patch 26.09 on April 29. This reset aims to prioritize ranked ladder integrity, though it will cause short-term matchmaking volatility. Future seasons will see adjustments to LP gain and minimum rank cutoffs.
Apex Legends Update Fixes Character Issues & Tests New Ranked System
Respawn Entertainment has released an update for Apex Legends addressing character visual glitches and implementing changes to the matchmaking and ranked systems. The update fixes issues with skins and abilities for Legends like Catalyst, Valkyrie, Fuse, and Wattson, while also improving game stability on the Nintendo Switch 2. Additionally, the developers are testing longer queue times for higher-ranked players to improve match quality and experimenting with a 4-hour ranked map rotation in East Asia.
League of Legends lead Phroxzon says "frustrating" counters like Mel are part of the MOBA's "secret sauce"
League of Legends lead gameplay designer Matt 'Phroxzon' Leung-Harrison discussed the game's design philosophy, particularly regarding challenging champion matchups like Mel. He stated that while some champions can create frustrating experiences, these difficult counter-play situations are a valuable part of the MOBA's 'secret sauce.' Phroxzon also addressed the concept of 'loser's queue,' reiterating that the matchmaking system aims for a 50% win probability for all players before a game begins.
Marathon's Cryo Archive map needs matchmaking
The Cryo Archive map in Marathon is currently experiencing matchmaking issues, with experienced players who have cleared the final boss dominating lobbies. This situation is negatively impacting the player experience for others.
2XKO Doubles Down: 6 Champions, New Fuse Mechanic This Year
Riot Games has revealed its 2026 roadmap for the fighting game 2XKO, detailing plans to release six new champions and introduce a new 'fuse' mechanic. Additionally, a duo partner matching system will be implemented next month to improve team coordination. This aggressive content schedule indicates Riot's commitment to establishing 2XKO as a major player in the team-based fighting game genre.
New matchmaking platform Sail.game launches to combat "discovery fatigue" between developers and publishers
A new matchmaking platform called Sail.game has launched, founded by industry veterans Vladimír Geršl and Guillaume Jamet, to connect game developers with publishers. The platform aims to combat "discovery fatigue" by ensuring publishers only see games that align with their specific mandates, thereby making the pitching process more efficient and effective for both parties.
Battle Royale Gets Smarter Storm That Adapts to Player Count
A recent update to battle royale games introduces dynamic storm scaling that adjusts its speed based on the number of players remaining. This change aims to improve match pacing, making games less predictable and potentially more engaging by adapting to player count. Developers are testing this feature quietly, with other battle royale titles likely to observe its impact.
