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It’s normal to win some and lose some, right? That’s only fair! But, what does it mean when you either win ten in a row, or lose just as many matches? Marvel Rivals supposedly uses Skill-Based Matchmaking (SBMM), but the players have been suspicious of this for months.
Skill-Based or Engagement-Optimized Matchmaking?
While players consider SBMM to be quite fair, as it gives players roughly the same chances for winning, they frown upon Engagement-Optimized matchmaking (EOMM). This system prioritizes player retention and engagement over fairness.
So, if you find yourself on a horrifying losing streak, and you suddenly start winning just as you’re thinking of quitting, the game you’re playing might be using EOMM. And, if you’ve been playing Marvel Rivals for a while, you know this is quite a common occurrence.
EOMM doesn’t work only on losing streaks. If you’re constantly winning, you might start getting “worse” teammates, or inexplicably harder enemies. Even though no one would admit that, winning can also become boring after a while.
Marvel Rivals Players Aren’t Fans of EOMM
Obviously, EOMM isn’t a fan favorite. The entire community would love to see some sort of fair matchmaking in Marvel Rivals. The players didn’t shy away from criticizing the current system.
One player, bwils3423, noted: “Marvel Rivals has serious potential. But if ranked mode is going to be emotionally manipulated instead of skill-based, the competitive community is going to leave. If you have felt this too, you are not imagining it. You are not bad at the game. You are just playing inside a system that is built to control how you feel, not reward how well you play”.
FlyEaglesFly07 added: “I love this game too, honestly some of my favorite gameplay since the OG cod games, but I agree. The matchmaking is s**t. I’m talking about QP mostly, but it is obvious that the losing streaks aren’t random. When you lose multiple games in a row, you can check your teammates’ recent games, and they will be on losing streaks too”.
So, switching to real SBMM is one of the biggest requests the community has made. A perfect game doesn’t exist. It’s normal (but annoying) for a game to have some problems, like DPS not wanting to switch, or devs over-nerfing a Hero, or even toxic players. However, like many others, this game is a work in progress, and your input matters. And NetEase has actually listened to players, so don’t shy away from voicing your concerns. Hopefully, the devs will hear them. In the meantime, try to enjoy, and we’ll see you out there.