Matchmaking in Overwatch 2 Season 17
Overwatch 2 has shared insights into its matchmaking framework for the recently launched Season 17. Matchmaking is crucial for ensuring competitive fairness, and the developers are actively working to enhance player experiences.
In the past, various modifications have aimed at improving player placement, such as an initiative in Season 10 that focused on easing losing streaks by grouping players with multiple losses with others more likely to win. Furthermore, Season 12 introduced the Wave Respawn system, allowing grouped respawning of players, which helped decrease imbalanced match outcomes in both Quick Play and Competitive Play.
Recently, Blizzard issued details through their Weekly Recall update regarding the matchmaking system’s workings based on player Matchmaking Rating (MMR), signifying skill rankings. The existing system automatically searches for 10 players of similar MMR, but if unable, it pools those with the closest scores.
Season 17 Highlights
According to Blizzard, the rank distribution is as follows:
- Platinum: 34.9%
- Gold: 31.7%
- Diamond: 14.9%
Strikingly, less than 0.1% attain the prestigious Champion rank. Blizzard is dedicated to maintaining balanced matches, which is reflected in the implementation of a Role Delta system tailored for when the system struggles to locate equally ranked players.
However, the developers caution that achieving these balances may lead to unpredictable wait times.
Matchmaking in Stadium Mode
When it comes to stadium mode, it’s noted that ranks do not correlate directly with MMR and that MMR acts more as a developmental target, which may not always align with rank placements.
Blizzard’s ongoing enhancements signal a commitment to refining this gaming experience.
