Forced loss streaks are real. Time to admit Comp is rigged

Competitive Discussion
1

The odds of flipping a coin and getting tails 9 times in a row is 0.2%. I have had TWO 9 game losing streaks this season: once in gold, and once in platinum (I’m in plat 2 now with tank). In the beginning of the season I was climbing from silver into gold very easily…until a nine game losing streak smacked me out of nowhere… Fine. I persevered, and climbed from gold 3 to plat 5 after a few dozen matches.

I’ve since climbed from plat 5 to plat 2 after another couple dozen matches…then another 9 game losing streak out of nowhere. The odds of this happening not once, but TWICE in two different ranks?..

Now, for you try-hards out there that like to say “you get the rank you deserve”, “hard-stuck is a myth”…why is this happening then? If you get the rank you deserve, and are playing people of the same skill level as you, and are “hard-stuck”, then you should be winning and losing the same amount of games on average; i.e. a coin flip.

The odds of flipping a coin and it coming up tails 9 times in a row = 0.2%. I would have had to play over 500 games at each rank in order to, on average, see that result…just once! I have not even close played that many games at each rank in which this has happened, and this has occurred twice. Also, I was clearly not a “silver” or “gold” player 3-4 weeks ago if I’m plat now. I’ve been playing Overwatch for years and was in plat on two accounts.

There needs to be transparency as to how the matchmaker, and now “hidden” SR truly works. No more games. No more MMR shadiness. In a game like Overwatch, where there is no meaningful content, and the only enjoyment gained in playing is solely by winning in Competitive, this needs to be addressed. Many people have mentioned this problem, or “feature” as Blizzard may consider it, here on these forums. This has gone on long enough. It’s time to tell the player base what is going on under the hood of this game, and what you as Blizzard will do to rectify it.

If not, then I will simply have to stop playing Overwatch, and never play your games ever again. I played Overwatch 1 from 2016-18 before I quit. I decided to try Overwatch…“2”…hoping against hope that some of the problems would have been solved. I really wanted to play this game and enjoy it. It fulfills my competitive desire of which there are few outlets for in the video game world. If there isn’t a complete overhaul of the competitive mode, and complete transparency as to how it works…I’m done. For real this time.

13 Likes
2

It’s 100% rigged and they NEED to turn it off, or they will lose everyone.

We told this them 2 years ago, and they didn’t listen.

They had a chance with OW2 to change it, but they didn’t.

Using MMR to rig up matches is UNFAIR.

16 Likes
3

I’m glad someone agrees. It is truly sad. I’ve never played a game before that punishes you for winning. It is so absurd, yet here we are. It seems the more I climb, the more unfair the matchmaking becomes until I grind past it. I’m tired of the grind. It’s just torture at this point.

6 Likes
4

I agree. It’s not just losing streaks but winning streaks too, and it’s not just a coin flip, when on one of these losing streaks your team is significantly worse than the enemy team, and when winning they are much better. Now we have the scoreboard this is clear to see.

It’s pretty obvious to me when the game wants you to win or lose. Unfortunately the matchmaker is tuned to maximum engagement rather than fair matches, probably maximum engagement by players who are more likely to spend money too. They seem to be set on these steamrolls and have so far ignored complaints from the community, we can only assume that it’s working as they intended.

3 Likes
5

How many games have you played this season? I think there might be some oversights in the math.

Edit: Not saying the system is perfect but this doesn’t seem like such an unlikely event as the original post suggests.

6

I’d guess about 350 total. I have to guess because my stats aren’t being recorded right now on my profile. Not sure why (I play on PS4). I’ve unlocked an achievement that says I’ve won over 200 games, with 260 some-odd games in parentheses next to it. I’m estimating my total games played based on that.

Now, in b4 you say “oh well, that’s how probability works. You could absolutely have a loss streak with those amount of games played”…It’s not just the number of losses.
Every single one of these losses that arose from these two 9 game loss streaks were complete stomps. There was no way to win these games. I felt like I was playing with people who have just picked up the game. That isn’t random. There is something clearly going on, and these loss streaks are predictable. Not just 9+ game loss streaks.
I’ve had many 4, 5, 6+ loss streaks as well. This game punishes you for winning.

Also, in b4 you say, “oh, you’re playing on PS4, of course you’re having terrible matches lulz etc.”. I played Overwatch 1 on a crappy PC running the game at the lowest graphic quality possible at 30 FPS for 2 years. I haven’t upgraded since, so I decided to play on PS4 this time, hoping the graphic quality would actually effect my performance positively. I’ve found that to be a myth. My aiming actually stayed the same for my DPS chars (I’m a tank main anyway). I was plat on 2 accounts on PC, and I’m plat in two roles on PS4 now. The competition feels the exact same as I remember…when I have fair matches that is. About 1/3 - 1/4 are not and it is obvious.

TLDR for all doubters: I’m a long time gamer. I know what I am experiencing with this game’s competitive mode and I will not be gas-lighted. Many people are also experiencing these forced loss streaks, especially after attaining a new rank. It’s time for people to be honest with themselves and their experiences with this game. I’ve played many other competitive games. This comp is rigged. I know this because I’ve played it. Whether designed to be rigged intentionally or not, I cannot say. If we’re honest, I think we know the answer to that, though.

Edit: I’ve also suspiciously noticed that my queue time was significantly shortened during this loss streak, from around 8-9 mins to 3-4 minutes. This does not make sense either…unless there is some shenanigans going on, forcing my account into games with players that are just thrown on my team to force losses.

1 Like
7

It is rigged, it is unbalanced and it is unfair. If i put my account and all screenshots i have + replays - a lawyer would give me 100% right that this is scam.

In many ways.

But, i have better things todo in my life. But still, instead of playing it i make videos about it.

If people would realize the reality - i started complaining on start of the season blizzard could in this time just fix the game.

But if 90% of the playerbase have literally 0 clue about the game there is no output coming in.

Just check my posts - i made videos about having lose streaks started by someone leaving midgame. Because the game count it as full loose - so if you just won 6 games greatly, if you just loose the 7 one because someone (new player) leaves your team it count as full loose, everything.

So it might think, oh this guy got lucky with his 6 games look - he lost THiS easy game, he dont belong the rank - just give him ONE more game, even a lil harder, to check if he really belongs that rank.

So the loose streak is starting until you have 2 brand new players in your team with 0 impact in a gold/plat/master lobby. Also last session open que. 4 brutal wins, in 4 games i had may 4 deaths total i bullied their team…… but 2 loss - because someone left midgame. So it was 4 wins and 4 loose after all. This is scam and has nothing todo with skill.

This is scam.

And im sure they know about. So, real scam.

This is just provenly. 20% of my loose in total are because someone on my team leaves a game in general . Or lobby closed because of error. Thats FULL loose. Now you have those goblins meaning - so you have the same ammount in enemie team leaving, balanced now and fair.

It is a lie, i only had 3% of enemie leaving games so it is 20% vs 3%

If 20% of loose - without any reason on your team counts as full loose - it is UNCARRYABLE the next games. Aslong your not a pro.

I am sorry, that i am that one. But it is scam, and they know it. That is the state of the game. Atleast ony my account - arround 6-700 games comp. I tracked every single game. Replay code, screenshots.

So yea, take it - or go ahead and live with a lie.

There are 100000 smurfs, playing only best hereo to get placed higher as their mains. Obviously they will all derank - but ofc, thats 50-100 games to go.

Then there are noobs meaning they are master level ore even best players. You post them replay codes, prove statements, screenshots. They will just go ahead and bullie someone else in the forum.

I asked for 1vs1 in this forum - 4 people added me, noone played vs me. But everyone is giving tips, get gut, you deserve your rank… i am master… i am… i am…

Ofc. We will see :wink:

People, mates - also top 200 players world wide agree - i dont belong my rank. I should be master. 5 mates were telling me that, while playing with me.

I say, nah cmon. If im plat to diamond im happy thats all i want.

The game thinks im gold/silver/plat/diamond. It can’t decide were i am at.

So i have 60 elims ons supports only with sojourn 45% headshot charge rate - enemies accused me of cheating and pissed why they play vs that. On the other hand i get enemie dps master 1 ore top 500 or cheating.

The variation of games is just random and has nothing todo with individual skill.

If those loose count as full loose - it is just a real hard fact, that this system CANT work.

On top new players/smurfs are placed across the whole ranks.

If this would work propper - it would be a sign there is a real god in this universe.

Becaue no software can work with invalid datas.

We could also just talk about paradox. Same outcome.

2 Likes
8

Having been in high plat/low diamond games before and no stuck in gold i can see a pattern of issues.

Im finding incredibly difficult to get out of gold because of losses out of my control.

Especially as a solo que support.

Gold i find is a blend of players with game sense and acceptable aim amongst players with no game sense and couldnt shoot a pharah to save their life (literally).

How is it possible these two types of players are on the same team?

If that is indeed the desrved rank, why did the low game sense climb to that high of a position?

Why did the higher aiming skill drop to that position?

Perhaps in higher ranks wins and lossrs could make sense.

But in gold, maybe plat and lower there are too many factors that contribute to your ability to climb that are out of your control.

And need to be addressed.

Lower tier games need to have a higher emphasis on performance based assessment to accurately place you to separate those who get too much value in their rank against those who miss shots, dont heal enough etc

3 Likes
9

Join Overwatch University Discord. People that are good at the game climb, regardless of role.

1 Like
10

And I will put large sums of money on the reason people within a discord climb as well as they do is because they are grouping together.

The only people solo climbing steadily in this game are hand eye coordination freaks with skills like Dafran \ Kephrii on DPS roles or hackers. Sure those natural prodigies deserve their eventual GM role since they are the 1% of humanity with thise skills. But the rest of us that can’t obliterate a team single handedly and who don’t have friends to play with consistently get to have our fun with this coin flip BS and hoping the matchmaker blesses us with a team that has all their braincells functioning so we’re not being weighed down by a sack of potatoes or two.

5 Likes
11

Don’t think this is about climbing. This is about the Quality of the matches. They are sometimes so one sided it just feels bad, even when you are the winning team. Even worse when you are on the other side of it.

I just had a game where no one on my team has a kill. I had 3k dps and 4 kills and it was a push map and ended super fast because everyone was just brain dead I dunno.

I’m tracking my games and noticing the pattern of the Smash win and then my team has brain dead players on it then smash win then brain dead players… it’s literally giving me exactly a 50% WR.

Now if it was skill based SR matches I wouldn’t be getting win/loss/win/loss/win/loss It would be RANDOM. like 2 wins 4 losses 3 wins or 1 win 2 losses
Stuff like that not this 1 win then get smashed crap then a win.

I’m about to quit, not worth my time.

7 Likes
12

What a pointless and self-serving reply as it pertains to my original post… :frowning_face: I’m going to be optimistic and assume you are a troll.

1 Like
13

How is that a troll post? Overwatch University is a popular subreddit for those looking to improve at overwatch. Its a community of people who have a collective goal of improving, and in doing so advice is thrown around freely.

I understand that the post is about match quality but his post isnt disingenuous

1 Like
14

The fact is if you want to climb you must group q. Why do you think so many masters players are in groups? Because if you increase the odds of not having a potato on your team you will win more games.

1 Like
15

Thank you very much for the information!!!

This is a small false equivalence. A loss streak isn’t a series of independent events while flipping a coin is. What I mean is people play worse while on losing streaks because they are either sad or angry. This makes those games go surprisingly far from 50/50. Even just changing those odds to 55/45 more than doubles the probability.

Even with the 50/50 chances and 350 games, the probability of a single loss streak of 9 comes out to about 49% and two loss streaks about 14%.

While it’s obviously unlikely, it’s very far from impossible.

Honestly these are to put it mildly, insignificant. If you didn’t have multiple of these in 350 games, I’d be more convinced the game was rigged.

I still don’t see where that comes from. People who actually deserve to climb, will climb. This happens in every single Unranked to GM. The vast majority of other Unraked to X challenges (meaning a diamond/master player getting an account to those ranks). This has happened to me every single time I picked up an old account and got it up to my new rank. Every single time I started playing sober after a night of playing quite tipsy. Always climb to where I deserve to be.

The best evidence is probably coaching discords. Many of them have people posting about reaching new peaks. It’s easy to notice how they climb far faster than normal even while solo queueing. This is just down to them improving.

I also climbed this way. I player Overwatch for a couple years on PS4 got to plat and got stuck. I changed over to PC and got stuck in gold. I was around 2.4k for half a year. Then I went and joined a team. The team environment expanded my game sense by a lot but I barely played comp. Then when I did start playing comp consistently, I went into plat. Then I left the team to focus on school. Who’d have thought, my progress stopped. Then I joined another team (best coach I’ve ever had) and I started climbing again and ended up at around 3.3k.

Not to be that guy but reaching a new rank also means reaching the hardest opponents you’ve ever faced. I’ve seen far too many posts about these loss streaks. Very few actually provide replay codes and the ones who do, get told they weren’t better than their team. There was one player who actually played good enough to complain but since it has one singular player in the past few years I’ve been reading these forums (on and off), I can say there’s a pattern.

It either is rigged or not. First you say the matchmaking isn’t random and you get awful teammates because of the matchmaker but now you say you can increase the odds of not having them by grouping. How does that work? If the matchmaker was designed to make you lose, it wouldn’t roll some wheel of misfortune to determine that.

16

When did I ever say it isn’t random? Wtf are you talking about.

17

You talk about the games as everything would be fine, just working as indeed.

Ok, listen… please.

Just, hypothetically… the mm is fine, people belong their rank, everything fine. you are a diamond player. No pro, no scumbag. But good enough to be consistent in dia 3.

So, you are starting out your games. From b5.

Your winstreak will then end, when one of your teammates leave midgame. We know the mind of enemies get positive - they usually will start to roll on. If someone tells now, he can still win it 100% by no issue - he is above diamond, or trashtalking. Simple as that. Full loose.

Your winstreak will end, on a closed lobby to a server error. Full loose.

So the game gives you a full lose, will not give you the full uprank either. It has to deal with you now, that you lost this game you don’t deserve the last wins. It will give you a harder game - to test you. To uprank you again fully on the move - ore to get you down as fast as possible.

Thats just matchmaking.

And it can’t work with those invalid user datas and invalid looses. New players, smurfs, onetrick season high placements smurfs, leavers and a ton of cheaters.

But thats just solo que exp. When i group up, it is just stomping enemies in one stroke. Boring games. When i solo que, it is Lotterie.

Thats the reality- without any bad meaning

Easy

And one more thing people here blatantly ignore and try to defend for whatever reason they have.

You get just mixed THIS players in a gold plat lobby. Go to the grand finals part and watch and enjoy it. If someone tells me, those players are my skill or equal, he just proves he has also 0 clue about the game and might it was him in the video xD

18

So, as the system has been explained to me, you will continue to rank up and win more than you lose until you reach a rank where the players you come up against are effectively your equals. If you’re playing against people of equivalent skill, then every match is a 50/50 chance of a win.

Now let me explain what odds are. Odds are not a guarantee that you win one time for every loss. A 50/50 chance means it really does come down to chance. This translates to win streaks and lose streaks once you’ve reached your plateau. It really comes down to which players are adapting or stagnating on a match by match basis.

I hate using this comparison, but it’s like that Naruto Shippuden episode where Lee says “we have to better than we were five minutes ago”. It’s those players capable of learning and improving mid-match who get the win streaks, and those who have hit their plateau or need more input before recognizing the improvement they need to make who get lose streaks. But after either a win streaks, you have to be capable of pushing past your limits and going plus ultra to keep up the streak. After a lose streaks, you start getting placed against weaker players so you get an easy win streaks up to the plateau you were at before.

Edit: yeah, I know I leaned into the anime reference thing, but I’m actually 40. I’m just a big nerd.

19

This isn’t true at all. I’m currently climbing as a solo queuer.

20

Then you aren’t low elo. you are playing with people that understand the basics of the game and have mechanical skill also.

Playing low elo you get matched with people that are
playing on PC with controller
Are new to the game
are 8 yrs old
are 50+ yrs old
have bad internet and d/c every other game
are drunk
brain dead
feeders
trolls

Ya, in low elo that is where all those players are. Climbing is easy when your team are actually trying to climb and play the game not EMOTE every 2 seconds or look at everyone’s skin or explore the map.

The point is, when you, yourself are actually trying to climb but the rest of your team are just one of those players listed above and are NOT actually trying to improve or climb. It becomes an insanely frustrating and impossible thing to accomplish for a lower elo player.

1 Like