Let's Talk about Matchmaking

Battleborn Battleborn Competitive Multiplayer Discussion
#410

So far I’m not happy with this change. I’m still waiting a long time and then I will run into a group that votes for what match type they want and we are forced to play it. I would say if I’m still waiting a long time I’d rather wait in a specific game type queue. My priorities in order are 1. Find a match quickly 2. Find a match in the game type I want 3. I don’t really care about skill level matchmaking.

I think that if you gave people an option of whether they found a match type they liked but had to wait vs wait a long time to play a match type they don’t like I think the answer is clear cut.

I understand the real problem is there just isn’t enough people playing this game. I’ve tried to do my part and got 3 other people to buy the game and play it who otherwise would not have. They all love the game and I think more people would if the game would have been marketed differently.

1 Like
#411

It is the slowest, potentially longest and less diverse mode and yet at least 4 people with most being rank 100 voting for it. It is okay in small doses, but after 40 matches of only this it drives me insane…and strangely in 30% of all matches I play with or against the same people.

#412

Removing the ability for the player to choose what game type he/she prefers to play is a craptacular decision. I do not enjoy playing Meltdown or Capture and yet now I am forced to do so. I hope you guys see this and reverse this change soon. As for competitive v casual, I like these changes. I should be able to play whatever game type I want however within those two options instead of being forced into a game type I don’t want to play.

#413

The only way for me to get a mode other than incursion if for me to hook up with 4 friends and coordinate our voting. Sometimes people on the other team disconnect because the only mode they have the ability to play is incursion. So even when I get to play another mode it turns into a 5v3 or gets canceled due to insufficient players and that’s just not fun

1 Like
#414

My favorite actually…

And even then only overgrowth.

Echelon is a complete failure of design…

But yea, I’m picking overgrowth every time it comes up…

Sorry

1 Like
#415

Not sure where to be heard either rick, but I would like to thank gbx for keeping me so entertained! But, :confused: I would like to see matchmaking ques go down abit… I waited over 45 minutes since the new 3 different modes went live this July. Don’t get me wrong, I like the variety, just would like to get more expirience in and become an Ultimate Battleborn! Keep up the amazing work! Again thanks for the sweet ass game!

#416

Hey @Jythri! As a community member and content creator, it is my solemn duty to leave constructive feedback, especially when sweeping changes are made. I promise this won’t be as long as my wall of text in response the marketplace update last month. I know much has already been said and you’ve confirmed competitive matchmaking will not stay in its current form so with these two things in mind, here is my feedback on the matchmaking changes.

I understand Battleborn has a unique challenge in that one of the three platforms has a substantially lower player base than the other two. Before the matchmaking changes, it was my understanding that PC players faced unreasonable wait times for full lobbies and these changes appear to have improved matchmaking satisfaction by grouping players together more effectively.

For console players like myself (I play on PS4), these changes were not well-received. Console players never had the same matchmaking difficulties as PC players. In fact, I think matchmaking was best after the previous change of widening the acceptable ELO range. I still don’t have a problem finding matches but my experience with the matchmaking system has gone from across-the-board satisfaction to moderate dissatisfaction. In summary…

CASUAL PLAY

  1. Time required to match is less but somewhat insignificantly so
  2. Potential team imbalance due to lack of SBMM (skill-based matchmaking)
  3. Reduced ability to chose map and mode due to changes

COMPETITIVE PLAY

  1. Time required to match is about the same as before the newest suite of changes, maybe a bit longer if anything
  2. Team balance tends to fluctuate between my team stomping and fair, well-balanced teams
  3. Reduced ability to chose map and mode due to changes
  4. Additional credit & XP bonuses do not feel sufficiently rewarding

SPOTLIGHT

  1. Time required to match seems longer than CASUAL but not as long as COMPETITIVE
  2. Team balance tends to fluctuate between my team stomping and fair, well-balanced teams
  3. Further reduced ability to chose map and mode due to changes
  4. Additional credit & XP bonuses do not feel sufficiently rewarding

The changes to matchmaking feel like the solution to a problem I never had.

I understand a “good” match can essentially boil down to three things but it seems for me, a “good” match is one where I simultaneously don’t have to wait more than a few minutes (especially during peak hours), one where I’m matched with and against players of similar skill, and one where I can queue for a specific mode and vote on the map. The more boxes that need to be checked, the harder the system has to work to find suitable matches but with a larger number of available players on console, that was never too much of a problem.

So at least from my perspective, I would like the previous matchmaking system to return with the widened ELO ranges; how it was right before this set of sweeping changes. It functioned well for me and I think many console players will agree. However, PC players must have a satisfactory matchmaking experience and I don’t know if Battleborn can simultaneously support two different matchmaking systems on three total platforms.

Enter the obvious need for a delicately-balanced compromise solution. Console players should not have unsatisfactory matchmaking system to accommodate PC players and PC players should not have unsatisfactory matchmaking system to accommodate console players. Normally this would be the part where I offer what I think are reasonable solutions… but to be honest, I just don’t have any. This is a problem I don’t know enough about to propose solutions so I apologize for that and must therefore rely on the data Gearbox has collected and trust the studio to choose the best path forward for everyone.

Please continue to interact with the community as more changes are being considered. We love Battleborn and want to see it grow and thrive on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. You have our ear and you have our support. Good luck.

Solus Scientist

2 Likes
#417

I’m still unable to find a match in the competitive queue. I’ve tried every day but given up each time as it simply takes too long. Still can’t play the gametype/map that I want to in Casual, as it either loses the vote or people quit when it gets selected.

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#418

Until you come to your senses and change matchmaking back to the way it was, can you please change change the queues so that the Spotlight Battle option doesn’t show up in Casual and Competitive? I’m playing Casual trying to get Meltdown, but it’s losing to Incursion on Overgrowth every time the option comes up, despite the fact that they can already play it without having to vote since it’s the Spotlight Battle.

#419

Spotlight Battles are skill-based matchmaking, hence why people go to Casual instead.

#420

This match making is awful. Even when incursion is the spotlight it’s what gets chosen. Your system is awful and has pretty much killed my drive to play the game. I almost spent more money of costumes, but I’m thankful I didn’t. Even when I didn’t get my crap from the deluxe I still stay by and played. Since Friday I have tried to play multiple times with the same outcomes every time.

If I don’t want to spend much time on then I don’t want to play incursion. You’ll spend, most of the time, 30 minutes on that mode. It was a great concept, but if you are by yourself and on a bad team its doomed every time.

#421

The title pretty much says it all, I know this is going to be moved to let’s talk about matchmaking but could i have an answer on whether I’ll be able to pick my game type again? Soon? I love this game but this new matchmaking is a deal breaker.

#422

Yes, you can have an answer, it’ll likely be in the weekly Battleplan in 8 hours time. :slight_smile:

1 Like
#423

Sorry to say, but this skill based ELO system is really making the wait time unbearable. I could never find a skill based match so I always go to casual play.

Think if we just did ranked mode based off of command rank and you can only choose characters you reached level 15 with to play possible? Think it will make competitive play faster

#424

Nope, nothing in the Battleplan. I’ll be calling about getting a refund tonight. What’s the point of even having this thread if they aren’t going to listen to – or even acknowledge – the feedback they’ve asked for?

#425

No but there is a response in a post in that thread:

If that timescale isn’t good enough (and it isn’t to some people) then I’d suggest you say so in that thread rather than attempting to get a refund. They know things aren’t working, it’d be premature to jack in the game now when things might change next week or even sooner with enough pressure from users.

#426

I disagree. They knew going into this that it was going to be unpopular. When they tried it in the open beta it only lasted a single day or less. If they think it’s acceptable to make game-breaking changes and then leave them and not even mention them for two weeks at a time then I don’t really think it’s worth bothering with anymore.

Also, it says HOPEFULLY there will be more INFO next week. Not hopefully a fix, not definitely some information. Just that by next week they won’t have done anything but maybe they can tell us something.

2 Likes
#427

All of this is true. I’m really upset about the actions of these people. It feels to me like they are actively trying to kill off their game.

I’ve heard things like they are looking at the data and will make decisions based on the information… it is ridiculous. They are watching their numbers drop and aren’t going to pull up until there is nothing but wreckage left.

You know how some people are too cowardly to actually dump the person they are dating so they purposely try to mess things up? It feels to me like Gearbox wants to breakup but doesn’t want to be the one to tell us it’s over.

1 Like
#428

Arguably they didn’t, there’s at least once thread asking for a mixed mode players.

Anyway if you don’t wish to pursue this and want a refund then that’s your prerogative. I shall be sticking with the game as I enjoy it so much and can bear to stick with the current matchmaking until they sort this.

#429

Just seen this: