Overview

• Lead combat designer Zhiyong released an 18-minute breakdown rejecting Engagement Optimized Matchmaking and explaining how ranks and matches are calculated.
• The system targets teams with similar average competitive scores while factoring server choice and team composition, and it reduces the weight of personal performance at higher tiers.
• NetEase is restricting parties of four or more from queueing together in higher-ranked lobbies to cut down on skewed games.
• The studio is not adopting a role queue, citing player freedom and longer wait times, and it plans to make tank and support heroes more appealing.
• Skepticism remains as players push for placement matches and criticize rank-protection items, while executive producer Danny Koo signals support for exploring placements.