News | Skill Based Matchmaking Test
Skill Based Matchmaking (SBMM) has been enabled for testing on live servers. This test is expected to end August 16, but may be cut short if any issues arise.
What is SBMM?
SBMM is a new type of matchmaking that uses a hidden skill rating instead of ranks to create fairer matches. This rating increases when you do well and decreases when you do poorly.
What advantages does SBMM have?
The way ratings are calculated are much more accurate to a player’s skill level than ranks. While there is some correlation between rank and skill, time played in a month is the biggest factor in the old rank system.
Skill based matchmaking ratings are also separate for each Killer, meaning you’ll have tougher matches with the Killer you’re really good at, but easier matches when you’re trying out a new Killer for the first time.
What is different from the last test?
There’s a bunch of differences, so we’ll keep it short:
- We’re using several months of data to calculate your ratings rather than a few weeks
- We’ve made changes to how your rating is calculated when playing a Killer for the first time
- Fixed some bugs with the system (notably, The Hillbilly)
In the last test, we tried the system with only a few weeks of data. This meant the system was treating most players like they were new if they played a Killer that they hadn’t played in the last few weeks. This time around, it should feel much more like you’d expect.
But the biggest thing you’ll probably notice is that ranks will be hidden after a match. This is because they are not being used for matchmaking at this time.
What will happen to ranks?
During the test, nothing! Your rank will behave exactly the same as normal, it just won’t be shown after the match. Once the test is over, they’ll be used for matchmaking again and will appear after matches.
In the future, once we’ve officially changed to SBMM, ranks will remain as a monthly progression system. Each month, your rank will reset to 20, and you’ll earn Bloodpoints based on how much you’ve ranked up. Both Killer and Survivor have their own rewards, so you can earn double the points by ranking up both sides.
What will happen during rank reset?
During the test: Your rank will decrease slightly like it always does, but your SBMM rating will not change.
When the system goes live permanently someday, your rating will still not change, but your rank will reset all the way back to 20. Rank will instead be used to earn monthly rewards based on how much you were able to rank up in that month. Each role has its own rewards, so you’ll be able to get double the rewards by playing both sides.
What are we looking for?
We’re looking to see the overall quality of matches, and whether or not the system is able to accurately predict the outcome of a match. Ratings get more accurate as the test goes on, but if you’re getting totally one-sided matches a few days in, please let us know!