View source for Elo hell

{{Short description|Video gaming term}}
'''Elo hell''' (also known as '''[[Glossary_of_video_game_terms#matchmaking|MMR]] hell''') is a [[Video game|video gaming]] term used in [[Multiplayer online battle arena|MOBAs]] and other [[multiplayer online game]]s with competitive modes.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/want-to-be-better-at-mobas-stop-complaining-about-elo-hell/|title=Want to be better at MOBAs? Stop complaining about ELO Hell|last=Fenlon|first=Wes|work=pcgamer|access-date=2017-08-19|language=en}}</ref> It refers to portions of the matchmaking ranking spectrum where individual matches are of poor quality, and are often determined by factors such as poor team coordination which are perceived to be outside the individual player's control. This ostensibly makes it difficult for skilled players to "climb" up the matchmaking ranking (and out of Elo hell), due to the difficulty of consistently winning games under these conditions. Its existence in various games has been debated, and some game developers have called it an illusion caused by [[cognitive bias]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/leagueoflegends/riot-talk-lol-matchmaking-and-elo-hell-most-players-rate-their-matchmaking-about-150-points-higher-reality|title=Riot talk LoL matchmaking and 'ELO Hell': most players guess their rating at "about 150 points higher" than reality|work=PCGamesN|access-date=2017-09-08}}</ref>
== History ==
The term was coined based on the [[Elo rating system]] designed by [[Arpad Elo]], which was initially used for [[chess]] games but began to be used in video games as well. It was initially used by the ''[[League of Legends]]'' community, but spread in usage to other games that used the same ranking system.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://killscreen.com/articles/tinder-matchmaking-is-more-like-warcraft-than-you-might-think/|title=Tinder matchmaking is more like Warcraft than you might think - Kill Screen|date=2016-01-14|work=Kill Screen|access-date=2017-08-19|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819190821/https://killscreen.com/articles/tinder-matchmaking-is-more-like-warcraft-than-you-might-think/|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=dead}}</ref> In these games, players are ranked based on their individual and team performance. Likewise, due to the nature of team-based gameplay, comparatively skilled players can still suffer damage to their rating due to the poor performance of their teammates. At low Elo, a skilled player will likely find it easy to rise in rank, while at high Elo, the quality of players improves.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/05/10/the-summoners-guidebook-getting-out-of-elo-hell/|title=The Summoner's Guidebook: Getting out of Elo hell|website=Engadget|date=11 May 2012 |access-date=2017-08-19}}</ref> In ''League of Legends'', it is said to occur between the 1300 and 1500 range.<ref name=":2" />
Elo rankings have also been "abused" by players who create parties of their friends in order to "escape" Elo hell.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/01/19/league-of-legends-ranked-queue-is-once-again-getting-some-big-changes/188156/|title=League of Legends Ranked Queue is Once Again Getting Some Big Changes {{!}} Hardcore Gamer|access-date=2017-08-19}}</ref> This has been addressed by forcing players who are in groups to play against groups of similar size.<ref name=":3" /> Another way players have attempted to bypass Elo hell is by [[Smurfing (video games)|smurfing]], or creating new accounts without a skill rating, which allows them to ascend in rank faster than they would with their original account.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/want-to-play-ranked-in-dota-2-you-ll-need-to-give-valve-your-phone-number-432374.phtml|title=Want to play ranked in Dota 2? You'll need to give Valve your phone number|website=Destructoid|date=21 April 2017 |language=en|access-date=2017-08-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2016/3/17/11244620/league-of-legends-level-30|title=League of Legends' biggest change in years is for the better|last=Friedman|first=Daniel|date=2016-03-17|website=Polygon|access-date=2017-08-20}}</ref>
Elo hell has also been noted as existing outside of video games, such as in the matchmaking app [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]], which also uses a variant of the Elo rating system.<ref name=":4" />
== Reception ==
Dom Sacco of Esports News UK claimed that Elo hell does exist in ''League of Legends'', and that escaping it is possible, but is a "mammoth time sink".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.esports-news.co.uk/2017/07/08/why-quit-league-legends/|title=Why I quit League of Legends|date=2017-07-08|website=Esports News UK|access-date=2017-09-09}}</ref>
==Examples==
The third competitive season of ''Overwatch'' introduced changes in skill rating ostensibly designed to prevent players from being stuck in Elo hell.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kotaku.com/overwatch-s-third-competitive-season-will-make-skill-ra-1788198795|title=Overwatch's Third Competitive Season Will Make Skill Ratings More Fair|last=Grayson|first=Nathan|work=Kotaku|access-date=2017-08-19|language=en-US}}</ref> However, in season five of ''Overwatch'', in-game "[[toxicity in video gaming|toxic]]" behavior and community backlash only increased due to tweaks in the game's Elo algorithms, causing the game's competitive mode to become "depressing".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kotaku.com/overwatchs-competitive-mode-is-depressing-right-now-1796780238|title=Overwatch's Competitive Mode Is Depressing Right Now|last=D'Anastasio|first=Cecilia|work=Kotaku|access-date=2017-08-19|language=en-US}}</ref>
From Year 7 Season 4 (Operation Solar Raid) onwards,<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/rainbow-six/siege/game-info/seasons/solarraid |title=Operation Solar Raid &#124; Seasons &#124; Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege &#124; Ubisoft (US) }}</ref> [[Ubisoft]] implemented a new Ranked/Competitive play system into their game [[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege|Rainbow Six Siege]], named Ranked 2.0. This system split rating into two values, MMR and RP (Rank Points). MMR was implemented as an invisible value of matchmaking skill whereas RP was a visual representation of skill.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/esports/rainbow-six-siege-ranked-2-0-new-emerald-rank-mmr-changes |title=Rainbow Six Siege Ranked 2.0: New Emerald rank, MMR changes, and more |date=25 November 2022 }}</ref> This, however, is considered the downfall of Ranked play in Rainbow Six Siege by many players as the disparity between MMR and RP caused players to get higher or lower level opponents than their skill,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Rainbow6/comments/14e080y/why_is_ranked_matchmaking_so_damn_awful/ |title=Why is ranked matchmaking so damn awful? |date=20 June 2023 }}</ref> {{Citation needed|reason=Reddit does not represent the opinion of the ranked playerbase|date=March 2024}} often to the extreme such as a player in the lowest rank encountering one in the second highest rank and vice versa. This can put players in Elo hell or get them "Rank-locked" as they cannot progress due to overly skilled opponents.
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Esports terminology]]
[[Category:Tournament rating systems]]