NEWS | SKILL-BASED MATCHMAKING ENABLED INDEFINITELY
SKILL-BASED MATCHMAKING
Skill Based Matchmaking (SBMM) has been enabled on live servers indefinitely as of 11AM ET. In case you missed it, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions!
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.
For a while now, we’ve been running tests for the SBMM system, and the most recent test we ran in August exceeded our expectations.
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.
SBMM will also allow us to collect more detailed statistics for our design team to work with (e.g. seeing how a perk or power performs among the top 5% of players). This data will allow us to make more meaningful tweaks and balance decisions in the future.
WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE LAST SBMM TEST?
The most recent SBMM test resulted in fairer matches across the board for players of all skill levels, especially low-to-mid skilled players. High skill players would see the most variance in their matches due to the low number of players with high ratings (it’s lonely at the top!), though their matches would still be more consistent compared to Rank-Based Matchmaking.
During peak hours, 99% of matches formed were what we consider reasonably balanced, with your odds of escaping or killing a Survivor varying within +/- 25% of the average. Better yet, 75% of matches fell within a +/- 5% chance. This is a huge step up from Rank-Based Matchmaking where 99% of matches saw a 45% variation, and 75% of matches saw a 25% variation.
Additionally, while matches were fairer, matchmaking times remained the same.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO RANKS?
You may be wondering: With Skill-Based Matchmaking enabled full-time, what will happen to ranks?
Ranks will become Grades and feature all new icons, ranging from Ash to Iridescent. You can increase your grade by earning pips just like before, though there’s now a limit to how many pips you can lose. It is no longer possible to lose enough pips to lose a Grade.
On the 13th of each month, grades reset to Ash IV (the lowest grade) and you’ll receive up to 250,000 Bloodpoints depending on how far you’ve managed to climb. You’ll be rewarded for each role separately, so playing both sides can reap double the rewards.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN DURING RANK RESET?
The grade resets will still occur on the 13th of this month, and your current rank will be converted to the new Grade until then (e.g. if you’re Rank I, then your Grade will be Iridescent I until the 13th).
When the Grade Reset happens on the 13th, all players will be reset to Ash IV for both Killer and Survivor, regardless of their previous Grade, but their SBMM rating will be unchanged.