This is specifically true for console more than PC, but smurfs absolutely ruin the competitive mode. Without question. At this point in the life cycle, can we either:
A) Raise the minimum level for Competitive Queue to 300
or
B) Have a non-role queue Competitive mode for sub-300 level players that runs separate but parallel to the actual Competitive mode
Most games on console after 4 years are essentially decided when the match is made due to smurfs. Even if it’s a win because you had smurfs, you don’t feel like you earned anything. It cheapens the experience when you win, it ruins the experience when you lose because you know you were outclassed by what could be a Diamond or could be a Grandmaster playing in your games.
2 Likes
My girlfriend and I have very different experiences with Smurfs on PS4 where they run rampant due to free account creation
She experiences them within Comp and QP - where these level 15 or 25 players stomp on her.
I experience them pretty much exclusively in QP - where these players sit around and waste time or just stand over the enemy team taking random shots into the crowd and waving - then feeding into the enemy team after the team-fights are already decided. They pretty much play no part in the match except to help the enemy team gain ult [probably throwing to silver or bronze where they feel like they can get ez matchups?]
Either way, I’m tired of the latter experiences because it makes QP games into real sweats if you want to get any progress, and she’s tired of getting stomped.
I say ; find a way to remove low level players from high level games - regardless of QP or Comp. Level cap it by allowing 600+ level players to choose whether to put a minimum of 100 level players into their QP/Comp games. Just add it as an option under “Gameplay”, like a checkmark for your Queue Search Options. And you could extend this by allowing each subsequent border upgrade to up the minimum by another 50 levels. The only potential issue I see is how to stop queue times from going up. Wouldn’t stop the problem - but would definitely improve the overall gameplay experience for some of us.
[this could be a Console only thing]
300 is kind of ridiculously high. I can see a level 50 minimum, if anything, but I don’t think the min level needs to be raised in any case.
5 Likes
Should be 100. 50 at the very least.
If the goal is to prevent smurfs, simply raising the level cap does nothing. It only delays them by a few days at best, it doesn’t suddenly stop them from playing or smurfing.
All this would do is discourage newer players from ever even trying to get into comp with the level being too high to be reasonably obtainable for someone who just casually plays the game and doesn’t have hours upon hours a day to pour into a game they might not even retain interest in if they can’t play the main mode.
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PC could use this as well.
I question the level 300 minimum for competitive though. Any particular reason for that number? I, personally, feel that a limit at level 100 could be a good compromise. It still makes it harder for smurfs to enter competitive, and it (in theory) provides enough play time where someone can become comfortable with at least a couple of heroes to use in competitive.
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No new player is going to play QP for 300 levels
The problem is everyone’s already got multiple alts that are pretty high level.
At this point this would slow down almost no one. The game is already too infected. We needed higher minimum levels 3 years ago.
300 would be insane, and would alienate all new players.
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I would go so far as to say no seasoned veteran would either, lol. Almost as soon as Competitive came out I never went back to quick play.
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That is about a month’s of continous play. This would butcher new player engagement.
The problem with this idea is that it puts alledged smurfs with brand new players which creates insanely imbalanced matches and further discourages new player engagement.
Sorry, but I do not see these as viable solutions.
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Can smurf/thrower reports be elevated to higher priority? Or a seperate queue pool for highly suspected/confirmed smurfs and chronic throwers?
Between toxic gameplay sabotage and hero bans, I’ve dropped over 400 SR. Was about to break into Diamond Support for the first time Season 19. I feel so beaten down by this. Please, someone has to do something…