Preamble
On the issues of MMR and algorithmic handicapping in Competitive Play, players tend to be either for or against. Fence sitters are few and far between; at least they tend not to comment. In my five years on these forums, I have never seen a player reverse their position, after they have taken a position on this polarizing subject. It was a bit of a shock to me to finally see such a reversal come to pass. It was a greater shock to realize that the defector was from my own camp.
Up until last week, BrightTitan had been one of the strongest proponents for a cause that I think is really important. They are someone who I know to be a student of law, regulation, civics, economics, and governance; subjects that are at the heart of this debate. When I read BrightTitanâs case in favor of Match Making Rating (a core component of Activision/Blizzardâs Matchmaker for Overwatch), and True Skill (Microsoftâs 2007 matchmaking invention), I found it profoundly disheartening.
How could a thinking person voice support for systems that violate the principles of transparency, fairness, and non-discrimination in ranked competition? Rationality is a double-edged sword. A person can take a correct position on a subject based on reason, and they can rationalize an incorrect position based on falsehoods or wrong assumptions.
Dear BrightTitan,
Let me talk to you more and help you find the falsehood you have accepted or the wrong assumption that underlies your position. Of course we do not have much of the information we need to make a final judgement, because Activison/Blizzard is withholding so much of it. But if I can at least persuade you to suspend your judgement, Iâll consider it a victory.
First let me say I donât blame you for this disagreement. We are all casualties of the information war that the multinational corporate world is waging on public society. With Activision/Blizzard holding all the cards, unresponsive, keeping resolution out of sight for years on end, being the point person for this cause has been painful for myself. Losing the loyalty of an ally is similarly painful.
I know that pain can spur us to false words so, afraid of overreacting, I took a week to consider my response. On sufficient reflection, meditation and revision, I think Iâm ready to start one final thread on the subjects of SR/MMR/PBSR and algorithmic handicapping. And though it wonât be my last post on the subjects, I think it will be my final thread.
Is this post from Ozone the one that turned you? You must know that he has things backwards.
TrueSkill is a Microsoft invention, based on their 2007 patent for âHandicapping in a Bayesian skill scoring framework.â But the concept of âgrading players on a bell curveâ is not really something that can be invented or owned by any company, because it is too basic of a concept. And even though algorithmic handicapping based on Bayesian skill scoring has become industry standard for game publishers, the basis of my argument is that they are all wrong to do this, and players are wrong to accept it.
I think it is not incidental that you are a young person (as you have said). Older folks have less of the neuroplacticity it takes to rethink their beliefs. Activison/Blizzard devs and fanboys have argued that Match Making Rating and algorithmic handicapping make matches more fun. But competitive players do not play for only or even primarily for fun; they play to win.
The crux of the matter is this: a playerâs ability to win matches rightfully belongs to them. By measuring player ability with MMR and using it to handicap matches, Activision/Blizzard is effectively taking away the advantage the rightfully belongs to the individual. They are taking away the advantage of skill and giving it to the unskilled.
But they are! I donât understand, how do you dismiss your original views about these things?
But your teammates are the choice of the matchmaker!
The truth of the matter is relative to the subject; there are many systems that can be considered perfect, depending on what criteria apply. The questions is: what is the system meant to do?
Overwatchâs ranked game mode is a massive, systemic miscarriage of competition; a depraved and perverted travesty of an âE-Sport.â It didnât have to be this way. Competitive Play could have been a true competition that could have produced an accurate ladder of âSkill Ratingâ with real champions at the top. Instead itâs a slot machine, spewing results that are ostensibly random yet carefully and demonstrably engineered with winners who are essentially chosen by a rigged lottery. Far from a perfect system, quite the opposite.
Do you think that a system like SR/MMR/PBSR would be necessary and logical if Competitive Play was solo-queue only? I have argued that solo-queue is the only equitable way to handle ranked multiplayer competition. Groups should not be allowed. Do you agree/disagree?
I am the single biggest advocate of this topic. Do you think that I am not well meaning? Do you think that my arguments are wrong, based in falsehood or wrong assumptions? Do you doubt the my sources or think I have misinterpreted them?
No, BrightTitan please, do not waste another minute on this game! Overwatchâs Matchmaker is not elemental, it is completely unnatural. It is not a force you can reckon with, or an opponent that you can study and overcome. Every match you play, the system is reckoning with you; studying and overcoming you. It does this easily and efficiently, by aborting fair matches and pitting skilled contenders against each other.
The Matchmaker is not something you can beat. At best it might favor you by chance, but for how long? Itâs foolish to think we have any agency in a system that is predicated on algorithmic handicapping. Most of us donât even know itâs going on, but I didnât think that was you. Donât sacrifice your life to a lie.
From prodigy to prodigal son, or estranged brotherâŚI havenât lost my faith in you. You are an intelligent person who obviously has media literacy and critical thinking skills. One day you will recover your original conviction, and reconcile with the truth. On that day, Iâll welcome you with open arms. And if you want to keep talking with me now, I promise to engage with good faith, love, and respect.
Come back to us, BrightTitan! We need you in this fight.
Itâs been a whirlwind the past few days. Sisterâs long time bf just popped the question last week so our family and his had a little impromptu get together, a little traveling, a little merrymaking. And we have not yet been attacked by Will Smith, so good fortune smiles upon us. 
