Weekend League Matchmaking. Perception vs Reality
April 15, 2017 3:33PM
edited April 2017
So I've always felt that the matchmaking for weekend league was against me. I usually end up on 18/19 wins a weekend but always feel that I've been over ranked when it comes to my match ups. I decided to message all my opponents to find out where they usually finish. The data surprised me.
The data shows that the vast majority of my games were against those that finished Gold 3 - Gold 2, with a smattering of Silver-Gold 1 players and 1 elite player. The data also shows that regardless of a winning/losing streak, it does not try to make it easier/harder to end those streaks. The matchmaking was pretty consistent.
So my perception of constantly being matched against superior ranked players is false, it seems the matchmaker tries to make it as fair as possible and pair you against similar ranked opponents.
The reality of why some of these opponents are in their rank is completely different. Not playing the full 40 games a week skews their rank. A silver guy I played who beat me 2-0 later told me that he goes 17-0 and stops playing, thus it's not a true reflection of his rank. Another is people just getting a rank they want and tanking their remaining games.
So in conclusion, the matchmaker ultimately wants to only match me up against similar skilled players but it looks like you can manipulate it should you wish to tank games or stop at a certain ranking.
The data shows that the vast majority of my games were against those that finished Gold 3 - Gold 2, with a smattering of Silver-Gold 1 players and 1 elite player. The data also shows that regardless of a winning/losing streak, it does not try to make it easier/harder to end those streaks. The matchmaking was pretty consistent.
So my perception of constantly being matched against superior ranked players is false, it seems the matchmaker tries to make it as fair as possible and pair you against similar ranked opponents.
The reality of why some of these opponents are in their rank is completely different. Not playing the full 40 games a week skews their rank. A silver guy I played who beat me 2-0 later told me that he goes 17-0 and stops playing, thus it's not a true reflection of his rank. Another is people just getting a rank they want and tanking their remaining games.
So in conclusion, the matchmaker ultimately wants to only match me up against similar skilled players but it looks like you can manipulate it should you wish to tank games or stop at a certain ranking.
Friday - 10 Games - Won 5, Lost 5
Opponents by game:
Silver 3 - Won 4-1
Gold 3 - Lost 5-0
Gold 2/3 - Won 4-0
Gold 2/3 - Lost 5-3
First timer - Won 5-2
Elite 3/Gold 1 - Lost 5-2
Gold 1 - Lost 3-2
Gold 2/3 - Won 5-2 Opponent said his game felt extremely slow
Gold 3 - Lost 6-5
Unknown - Won 4-0
Saturday - 10 Games - Won 7, Lost 3
Opponents by game:
Unknown - Won 2-1
Silver 2 - Lost 2-1
Gold 2/3 - Won 3-2
Unknown - Lost 3-0 (I got slaughtered)
Gold 3 - Won 6-2 (From NZ)
Gold 3 - Won 3-1 Opponent said his game was sluggish
Gold 2 - Won 2-1
Gold 1 - Won 2-1
Gold 2/3 - Lost 3-1 on pens
Silver 1/2 - Won 7-4
Sunday - 20 Games - Won 7, Lost 13
Gold 2/3 - Won 4-0
Gold 2/3 - Lost 4-3
Gold 3 - Won 2-0
Gold 1/2 - Won 5-2
Gold 1/2 - Lost 4-1
Gold 2 - Lost 1-0 Opponent said he had bad lag
Gold 2/3 - lost 4-3
Gold 2/3 - lost 3-1
Silver - Lost 2-0 - Only plays a handful of games.
Gold 3 - Won 3-0
Unknown - Lost 3-2
Gold 3 - Won 2-1 Does not play all their games
Gold 3 - Lost 3-0
Gold 3 - Won 4-0
????? ??? ???? ??? Lost data game
Gold 3 - Lost 4-3
Gold 3 - Lost 4-2
Gold 3 - Lost 5-2
Gold 2/3 Lost 3-1
Unknown - Won 6-3 - Rage quit and accused of being dirty (He had 2 players sent off...)
Opponents by game:
Silver 3 - Won 4-1
Gold 3 - Lost 5-0
Gold 2/3 - Won 4-0
Gold 2/3 - Lost 5-3
First timer - Won 5-2
Elite 3/Gold 1 - Lost 5-2
Gold 1 - Lost 3-2
Gold 2/3 - Won 5-2 Opponent said his game felt extremely slow
Gold 3 - Lost 6-5
Unknown - Won 4-0
Saturday - 10 Games - Won 7, Lost 3
Opponents by game:
Unknown - Won 2-1
Silver 2 - Lost 2-1
Gold 2/3 - Won 3-2
Unknown - Lost 3-0 (I got slaughtered)
Gold 3 - Won 6-2 (From NZ)
Gold 3 - Won 3-1 Opponent said his game was sluggish
Gold 2 - Won 2-1
Gold 1 - Won 2-1
Gold 2/3 - Lost 3-1 on pens
Silver 1/2 - Won 7-4
Sunday - 20 Games - Won 7, Lost 13
Gold 2/3 - Won 4-0
Gold 2/3 - Lost 4-3
Gold 3 - Won 2-0
Gold 1/2 - Won 5-2
Gold 1/2 - Lost 4-1
Gold 2 - Lost 1-0 Opponent said he had bad lag
Gold 2/3 - lost 4-3
Gold 2/3 - lost 3-1
Silver - Lost 2-0 - Only plays a handful of games.
Gold 3 - Won 3-0
Unknown - Lost 3-2
Gold 3 - Won 2-1 Does not play all their games
Gold 3 - Lost 3-0
Gold 3 - Won 4-0
????? ??? ???? ??? Lost data game
Gold 3 - Lost 4-3
Gold 3 - Lost 4-2
Gold 3 - Lost 5-2
Gold 2/3 Lost 3-1
Unknown - Won 6-3 - Rage quit and accused of being dirty (He had 2 players sent off...)
Post edited by BearSquad on
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Howdy, Stranger!
Comments
So it seems quite balanced in terms of your level bar the odd game.
I'm quite surprised too, even more so that they were all decent people. No rage message/ crap at all.
As for the matchmaking, yeah it's been quite even, although none have said if they play the full 40 games. Sunday has always felt harder the previous days so hopefullly I'll get some data to show either way.
you are just not as good as you think
The truth is I personally love to play elite players every game . As I feel I have to play better to win
Interesting question, I'd assume that the matchmaker would be pairing the top 100 against elite 1/2 top 100.