Smurfing = Cheating

[MegaBaebe-2225]

I personally report the smurfs for cheating whenever I see them. I want to make it as hard as possible for them to progress, which is more than they deserve because the people who actually have to grind vs them have it far worse

[MrPigeon-11720]

Let’s be real here: if someone got a smurf doing the hard carry on a game just for the sake of lulz, after that game ends you will never see that guy again (because he’ll climb).

On the other hand if he’s throwing half of his games to keep his elo, just report whenever he throws until he gets banned. Matchmaking + reporting system = sweet sweet love.

However, if the argument is that “tHe RePoRt SyStEm DoEsN’t WoRk” or “MaTcHmAkInG iS bRoKeN”, then go and complain about the actual problem, not its symptoms.

[Healer-11864]

How comes everybody is so hung up on the definition of smurfing when it is perfectly clear what I mean.

Because it isn’t perfectly clear when people start accusing me of smurfing because this isn’t my main account.

It matters because having clear and consistent definitions is helpful for having a discussion about anything.

As I pointed out you use the word “smurf” for an “alternate account” and for a “deranker and booster”

This confuses the topic for a lot of people and, in my opinion, inadvertently causes toxicity as people are misinformed as to what the actual problem is and, as a result, they take out their frustration on the wrong people

[Gee-21226]

On the other hand if he’s throwing half of his games to keep his elo, just report whenever he throws until he gets banned

The thing is… Now some soft-throw. It’s harder to tell they are throwing.
When you have a few games in a row against the same smurf, you see it right away.

[Anomalous-1440]

The more smurfs the more profit Blizzard gets, they dont care

[Phoenix-19457]

As I pointed out you use the word “smurf” for an “alternate account” and for a “deranker and booster”

The official definition of a smurf is: An alternate account used by a known or experienced user in order to deceptively self-present as someone naïve or less experienced.

So Smurfing IS Cheating. Alternate accounts are NOT cheating. The second you play below your ability, you ARE CHEATING.

[GhostPepper-11725]

What you just described IS the definition of smurfing… don’t confuse it with alting, which is not throwing.

No it isn’t. It’s boosting and deranking.

You can do that while only having one account.

You say it is an alt, but most people I talk to say an alt and a smurf are the same, so obviously people aren’t using your definitions.

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In fact, the OP in the thread isn’t even using your definitions.

Since smurfs are running wild in this game and I dont have a problem with them as long as they play on their own rank

How can they be in their own rank, but also boost and derank?

Answer: they can’t.

So don’t come at me saying my definitions are wrong when the thread isn’t even using your “corrected” definitions.

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South Korea i believe passed a law against boosting. That country is super serious about their gaming. Maybe the USA citizens should write their congressmen. hahaha

I wish lol, but I don’t think that can happen right now with the current political climate and the USA’s perception of “hardcore gamers”

I am sorry if people are ignorant and not using the correct definitions of smurfing and alting, but that doesn’t change the fact that informed people use them correctly here. Ignorance here is only confusing the matter more. You would be wise to use the terms correctly in the future to avoid looking like you don’t know what you are talking about. I say that out of kindness, as others will just dismiss you outright.

They aren’t my definitions, they have accepted meanings in game culture that’s pretty much what everyone above a certain level of experience accepts.

[MrPigeon-11720]

When you have a few games in a row against the same smurf, you see it right away.

And that’s when you report him and get your team to report him too.

But when we talk about soft-throwing, if you really want to open this can of worms, it’s tricky. Unless you agree that a really good portion of the community would be banned for gameplay sabotage just for the sakes of “your performance was below my expectation” and that this is ok. Other than that, it’s something abusable by everyone, soft throws (and gameplay sabotage already is, in a way).

But we all just have to keep in mind that spotting someone that shouldn’t be on the elo they deserve is unusual. The game being 6 v 6, this people MIGHT be spotted once in a while on the enemy team. Also, don’t report the carry of the match. He might just have got the account and is trying his best to get to the elo he thinks he deserve. Or it is a booster. But that’s a whole new argument.

[anon38707642]

um why am i quoted there? lol. did you read what i wrote? Perhaps you might select the portions of the post that have to do with what you are talking about.

[Healer-11864]

The official definition of a smurf is: An alternate account used by a known or experienced user in order to deceptively self-present as someone naïve or less experienced.

Source?

So Smurfing IS Cheating. Alternate accounts are NOT cheating. The second you play below your ability, you ARE CHEATING.

But the definition you gave doesn’t highlight the actual problem. Someone can have a single account and derank and boost it. It doesn’t have to be an “alternate account”

Deranking and boosting are the problems and to hide that behind the word “smurf” is lazy in my opinion. Especially with an inaccurate or incomplete definition.

You would be wise to use the terms correctly in the future to avoid looking like you don’t know what you are talking about. I say that out of kindness, as others will just dismiss you outright.

That’s literally what I’m telling you to do.

They aren’t my definitions, they have accepted meanings in game culture that’s pretty much what everyone above a certain level of experience accepts.

Except for the fact that your definitions aren’t the exact same and are, therefore, not accepted meanings by many.

See ya

[ŴŦĤ-1391]

Not using it properly is an unfair advantage. If you only invoke it when you decide to stop throwing and trounce a team that is lower skill than the tier you have dropped an account to it most certainly is an unfair advantage.

I know a t250 personally that placed in silver. He was trying is best but had leavers every game in placements and his team threw every game cause of leavers. Bad placements happen.

[Sandrosian-2712]

But the definition you gave doesn’t highlight the actual problem. Someone can have a single account and derank and boost it. It doesn’t have to be an “alternate account”

Deranking and boosting are the problems and to hide that behind the word “smurf” is lazy in my opinion. Especially with an inaccurate or incomplete definition.

Sure they can derank their main account to boost someone but that doesnt happen very often because it is:

1. A lot of work to actually derank from a very high rank to where your friend is ranked at the moment
2. Buying a new account isnt very expensive anymore if you look up for how much an Overwatch license goes these days
3. If your main gets banned because of boosting its frustrating but if a smurf you got for 10 bucks and played very little on gets banned its not that big a deal

So boosting rarely ever happens on main accounts and if you most likely see someone still in range to actually queue without dropping first and those people arent really a problem.

I know a t250 personally that placed in silver. He was trying is best but had leavers every game in placements and his team threw every game cause of leavers. Bad placements happen.

Sure this can happen (we all know the MM) but he actually is trying to get back I suppose and not looking to screw with the ranks. This here is about smurfing to either do that or to carry friends up the ladder.

But when we talk about soft-throwing, if you really want to open this can of worms, it’s tricky.

It is tricky, most smurfs wont actually throw obviously they just play incredibly bad and since most are very low level it is believable. The best indicator is a very high winrate on one hero out of a lot of games and a rather low one on another. I for example encountered a smurf in a 3 man premaed with 82% winrate on Ashe (out of a lot of games) and a very low one on Winston.

So Smurfing IS Cheating. Alternate accounts are NOT cheating. The second you play below your ability, you ARE CHEATING.

Exactly this, if you create another account just for the times you dont want to play on your main for whatever reason but still on your rank it isnt a problem. If you play below your skill rating on purpose it is one.

[FIREFLY-22857]

it is if you are not playing in your skill tier. Those people need the oppertunity to learn which they can’t do ifyou keep sending them back to spawn the minute theystep out. How would you like it if blizzard said bronze players could buy special blizzard account passes from blizzard to allow them into grandmaster games so that they could see first hand what an actual team comp is and where you should set up on each map. I’m mean technicaly their mechanical skill level and gamesense would be a threat to you in a duel.

Also the match maker will quickly realise that they don’t belong at this skill level and they would de rank back to their level. No harm right? They get some valuable expierience, making them better players. It’s an alt account for them so their main sr is protected. So what if you have a bronze anti smurf in your grandmaster game for sat three games then he’s gone, no big deal right?

[SirCatflap-2306]

skill is not an unfair advantage

It is when two players with drastically different levels of skill are unfairly matched against each other because one of them is a smurf.

What a ridiculous argument.

[anon5549857]

Smurf:
“In online multiplayer games that use matchmaking, a smurf is when an experienced player creates a new account to appear new and inexperienced, so they are matched and defeat players who are actually both. The concept is similar to hustling and sandbagging that can be found in gambling and board games.See also twinking.”
[Wikipedia]

Can we also agree that deliberate losing is forbidden and bad?
Finally, if we assume that there is a matchmaking algorithm that
can quickly find a player’s skill level and build fair teams (by SR), then there should be no problem with smurfs.
Please correct me if I’m wrong about this.
But then I would also like to hear a logical explanation.

[Sandrosian-2712]

Smurf:
“In online multiplayer games that use matchmaking, a smurf is when an experienced player creates a new account to appear new and inexperienced, so they are matched and defeat players who are actually both. The concept is similar to hustling and sandbagging that can be found in gambling and board games.See also twinking.”
[Wikipedia]

So we finally have a correct definition on our hand we should be able to all agree on.

[orthrus-1871]

Blizzard will never bad smurfing because it makes them money

money > game experience

This is how Blizzard operates

[metaceejay97-2662]

How does one know that there is a smurf in their game?

[Sandrosian-2712]

For example 2 people playing together with a third very low level player with extremely high winrate and amazing skill. You can literally see they dont belong on this rank. Some even tell you or you can judge by their name.

[Neopets-11146]

That is a incorrect definition of smurfing. Smurfing in gamming is the same as the classic definition. Having another account under another identity to to avoid penalties on your main. Just like in the classic detention having another bank account to avoid taxes under another alias. Its the same thing. Some of us like to see how we place again each time for science. Im a masters player. I have placed on i think about 8 accounts now. I have placed in low gold 2109 clear up to 3543. The placements clearly are bad at getting your correct rank. Imo it takes about 30-50 games till you get your correct rank.

Lol, no it’s not.
Do you want me to give you links to all the places that say otherwise?

What’s more important than placements is how you improve - When you play, are you going up? If you continue to go up, then that’s okay. What’s not okay is when you throw games in order to stay at that same rank, or go below.