Destiny 2 players that have grown frustrated by the implementation of skill-based matchmaking can finally breathe easy. Bungie has removed the system from almost all Crucible playlists.
Skill-based matchmaking will remain in the two main competitive playlists: Survival and Survival: Freelance. As well, the Elimination Destiny 2 Crucible playlist will keep its skill-based matchmaking system.
All other Destiny 2 Crucible playlists, however, have had skill-based matchmaking system removed in a server-side change made by Bungie. This includes the basic playlists and will also presumably include Iron Banner when it returns for Season 11. Players should begin to notice that their Crucible matches are a little less “sweaty” than they were earlier in the week.
Skill-based matchmaking has been a contentious feature for numerous multiplayer games, but especially in Destiny. Since the game has a more casual focus, Crucible fans felt it was unfair that they couldn’t jump into a multiplayer playlist and let fate decide their opponents’ skill.
With skill-based matchmaking active, players are typically matched against opposing players of a similar skill, as determined by Destiny 2’s back-end stats. The goal of the system is to keep players challenged, but it also has a ton of flaws. Chief among them is the way SBMM affects fireteam members who may not be as skilled as their other teammates. Someone with a high SBMM rating (oftentimes referred to as MMR) would end up forcing their teammates to play opponents that were much better than them.
Another key flaw in SBMM is the way it impacts connection. In a game like Destiny 2 where there are no dedicated servers, SBMM can oftentimes match players against opponents anywhere in the world. As a result, the connections and the experience suffer from a ton of lag.
The flip side of the argument in favor of SBMM is it gives the less skilled players a chance to find opponents that are more on their level and avoid the “pub stomping” crowd. The goal of any SBMM system is to make it so players win about 50% of the matches they play, but it doesn’t always work like that. For most players, the SBMM system is seen more as a hindrance than anything else.
While the removal of skill-based matchmaking will certainly be a welcome change to a lot of Destiny 2 Crucible players it does uneven the playing field. Those aforementioned less-skilled players are now more likely to go up against higher skill players and the balance goal of a 50/50 split between wins and losses could tip one way or the other.
Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
