Algorithmic Handicapping (MMR) is Wrong for Overwatch

[Quarters-11687]

@trickstuf-1977

My extreme example was simply meant to illustrate the mechanism OP described, and I did caveat it by saying “assuming the matchmaker actually works this way, of course.” I don’t understand why you can demand irrefutable evidence but then claim the contrary without support, though. Anyway, would be nice if someone cleared it up so we could at least be sure about what we’re debating.

Fair enough, I did skip over that last line you typed the first time I read through it before replying.

All Blizzard statements throughout this forum, Twitter, etc. has been compiled in Kaawumba’s topic as I linked above.

How Competitive Skill Rating Works (Season 13)

The rating and matchmaking system is confusing, and a good overview does not appear to be available. The official overview (1, 48) is incomplete and does not answer a number of common player questions and concerns. This information below is gathered from sporadic blue posts and developer update videos, and salted with my own experience and experiments, various forum threads, and watching streams. Note that since Blizzard does not give exact algorithms, I do have to fill in some gaps, or leave so…

In particular, to note, MMR is the sole criteria of how people are matched (reference 25 in Kaawumba’s references list towards the very bottom of his opening post), and SR being a more “digestible” form of MMR (reference 22).