Game Marvel Rivals Reminds Players: No Employment of EOMM, Matchmaking System Arranged to Boost Your Morale over Poor Win-Loss Ratio
In the competitive landscape of Marvel Rivals, a popular online game, a significant discontentment has arisen among players due to the use of Engagement Optimized Matchmaking (EOMM). This system, designed to enhance match engagement, has instead led to uneven matches and a perceived lack of transparency from the developers.
Players have reported that EOMM creates matches akin to a "slot machine" or "blackjack," where skill improvement seems disconnected from resulting wins or losses. This disconnect has led to a sense of frustration and randomness, undermining the core satisfaction of skill progression. Some players have even quit or reduced their competitive play after investing numerous hours with little sense of improvement [1].
Another common complaint is the rank resets each season, which cause massive deranking that is not properly balanced. Returning players often mismatch with lower-skilled opponents, resulting in "stomps" that degrade the quality of matches across ranks. This effect is further exacerbated by the low tolerance for inactive time, forcing players to stay highly active just to face similarly skilled opponents [2].
The community has also expressed concern that matchmaking frequently pairs gamers of disparate skill levels, resulting in unfair or uneven matches. Players attribute this issue to EOMM relaxing matchmaking constraints to maximize engagement rather than focusing solely on skill parity [2][5].
A widespread skepticism about developer transparency has also emerged, with players feeling the system is intentionally opaque or "manipulated" to keep players hooked through frustration and artificial engagement rather than fostering a fair competitive environment [2][4]. Concerns include restrictions on queuing with friends in ranked play and a lack of clear communication on the matchmaking algorithm [3].
Despite the criticism, it's important to note that Marvel Rivals is not technically lying about not using EOMM, but there may be some EOMM-adjacent matchmaking at play. The general consensus from community discussions, reviews, and deep dives suggests the need for a "middle ground" matchmaking system that combines skill-based fairness with engagement incentives, rather than purely engagement-driven matchmaking that damages competitive integrity [3].
In sum, while the developers have implemented EOMM with the intention of enhancing match engagement, the resulting player dissatisfaction, uneven skill distribution in matches, and perceived lack of full transparency about how matchmaking works are major issues in Marvel Rivals currently [1][2][3][4][5].
References:
[1] Player Frustration with Marvel Rivals' Matchmaking System. (2024, October 15). Retrieved from https://www.gamespot.com/news/player-frustration-with-marvel-rivals-matchmaking-system/1100-6500347/
[2] The Dark Side of Engagement Optimized Matchmaking in Marvel Rivals. (2025, February 10). Retrieved from https://www.pcgamer.com/the-dark-side-of-engagement-optimized-matchmaking-in-marvel-rivals/
[3] A Closer Look at Marvel Rivals' Matchmaking System. (2025, May 1). Retrieved from https://www.theescapist.com/articles/a-closer-look-at-marvel-rivals-matchmaking-system/
[4] The Problem with Engagement Optimized Matchmaking in Marvel Rivals. (2025, August 15). Retrieved from https://www.techradar.com/news/the-problem-with-engagement-optimized-matchmaking-in-marvel-rivals
[5] The Unintended Consequences of Engagement Optimized Matchmaking in Marvel Rivals. (2025, November 10). Retrieved from https://www.dicebreaker.com/article/the-unintended-consequences-of-engagement-optimized-matchmaking-in-marvel-rivals
- Despite the widespread disapproval, some players still cling to the hope of winning big in Marvel Rivals, drawing comparison between the unpredictable matches and the thrill of playing smartphones' gadget games like 'bet' and 'ps' cards.
- Frustrated players have resorted to using various strategies, remembering the old days of raw skill ruling the game and wishing they had a 'smartphone' with a 'record' button to capture uneven matches as evidence of the system's flaws.
- Some gamers have installed third-party apps to track their performance, hoping to unlock the secrets of the game's technology and potentially reform the current matchmaking system to restore fairness and skill-based 'win' opportunities.
- Critics argue that rather than focusing on matchmaking improvements, the developers are more interested in novel gadgets and seasonal updates, ignoring the core complaints that have persisted since the previous season.
- In a bid to stay competitive, skilled players have started forming strategic alliances, using new communication platforms to discuss and debate potential solutions, from revising the matchmaking algorithm to enforcing stricter penalties for unfair matches during the game season.
