That is insane. Losing an entire rank is the kind of **** that makes even seasoned veterans seriously consider whether to keep playing the game in the first place. FFS this is a game, not a college course. Not all of us intend to work for a Masters’ in Overwatch.
Again borrowing a page from Starcraft 2, Unranked would be mechanically identical to Competitive but would give 0 SR to victors and would deduct 0 SR from the losers. Thus you’d be practicing with people of similar ranks, and in theory, abilities.
I’ve played the occasional QP match with people who are of a much higher rank, and it is a fundamentally different experience how I play around them. That can’t prepare me for the inter-player dynamics unique to a particular rank.
Of course there’s no need to shift from one extreme to the other. But if we assume for the sake of argument that someone who plays enough will eventually get to their true rank, then reducing SR gained/lost per match will only delay that inevitable result. Meanwhile it would avoid slides caused by bad teammates and huge climbs enabled by being carried. The former is a very, very frustrating experience that makes some people seriously consider whether to walk away from Overwatch for good. That is not healthy for the game.
Remember, I think your mathematical arguments are good. But math alone won’t explain the human factor here. People do not like getting punished for events beyond their control, and SR slides sometimes come from exactly that.
Alright we’re in agreement there. 