Why Handicapping (MMR) is Wrong for Competitive Play

[Kaawumba-1133]

@Lednaf-1849

By using MMR to achieve a theoretical 50/50 outcome it is pushing everyone to 50% saying win percentage has nothing to do with an algorithm designed to achieve a 50/50 outcome is beyond disingenuous…It’s like a casino saying the games aren’t fixed against a single player…well technically no the entire casino is rigged…why not give players the option on how they would like to be matched? MMR adjusted ladder and a strictly SR balance ladder?

I’m not sure I understand you. How do you think MMR is used to form matches? Where is the following incorrect?

@Kaawumba-1133

MMR is a (hidden) number that goes up when you win, and down when you lose. How much it goes up and down is a complicated formula, based on many factors, but the essential truth of wins are good and losses are bad is certain (4).

That MMR is then used to match people with and against people of similar MMR, in an attempt to create a 50% match (32). Here is the key part:

If a player’s MMR is wrong and too low, then the odds to win will be greater than 50%, and the player will win more games than he loses, which will cause his MMR to rise over many games played. He will then be placed with stronger and stronger opponents (and stronger and stronger allies) until his MMR is correct, and his win percentage approaches 50% (with some random oscillation around 50%) (7).

Once a player finds himself trapped in a rating range, the only way to break out is to improve as a player and play enough games to overcome any random factors (47).

What is SR then? SR is a visible and friendlier approximation of MMR (23). It has no more meaning with respect to matchmaking than tier icons. However, except for top players who have decayed, MMR and SR are closely linked, so inspecting SR typically gives a reasonable estimate of a player’s MMR (23).

(4) Overwatch Forums “In Overwatch, whether your MMR goes up or down is contingent on winning or losing. But there are a number of factors that determine how much that rating goes up or down.”
(7) Overwatch Forums
(23) Overwatch Forums
(32) Overwatch Forums
(47) Twitch