Opinion: How Valve can further improve CS:GO matchmaking

Valve has made great steps in recent years to keep their game healthy. However, there are still some things that require a little bit of a change.

Do you remember the days where it was way too easy to get Global Elite in CS:GO? Well I do and back then, it really wasn’t much to boast about, unless if your friends weren’t Global. Nowadays it seems a little bit more challenging, after Valve of course tweaked it properly to make sure that being at the top, actually feels that way.

Valve has been trying to make it feel more professional by introducing the Premier playlist, where players can of course veto maps and the starting side they would prefer. This made it more appealing for many, actually having a chance to choose, rather than just being put into a game and having to play it as is.

A bigger sense of achievement

Currently, if you want to play a tournament or a cup, you will have to go towards a third party provider, such as FaceIT, ESL and ESEA. However, how awesome would it be to have small cups in the game itself? Possibly giving you in game awards like coins which you could display whilst in game. Imagine your team being the winners of the CS:GO June 2021 monthly final, something you would actually have to grind for and having it instil fear in your soon to be opponents. Games like Rocket League already boast some similar mode.

A lot of casual players, usually having a lower rank, are scared and hesitant to go on towards those third party platforms, knowing that they will most likely face stronger opponents. Yet they could actually like the competitive environment against teams of a similar rank of their own. This could bind them more strongly to the game, wanting to improve over time and trying to do better against better teams every new tournament they play in. Of course, this could make it an easy target for smurfs, who often try to carry their lesser skilled friends to a higher level. Valve would have to implement some boundaries such as hours played or matchmaking games won before players could partake in these kinds of events.

A Communication score

So many times have I joined a team where just a single soul would communicate, or none at all. A big improvement could be made by rating players and queueing them together according to certain scores such as one based on communication. This could function as a way to combat toxicity, as toxic players would get a lower score, but also as a way to create a more competitive experience with players trying to communicate. A more social and driven outcome in a game where communication is key, just to know where your enemies are.

I need an adult

Sometimes it feels like you just need somebody to help you out, everything is going south and the only thing you can do is cry for help. Having a sixth man there, just to say what strategy to do, ease the mind and go for the win might just be what you need. I am of course talking about a coach, not a midgame substitute. Having that extra set of eyes could, once more, make it feel more professional and help certain players or teams excel, rather than be stuck in a losing streak. Outside help is almost never a bad thing, and many teams could benefit from it.

Of course you would have to get someone who doesn’t mind sitting out the entirety of a match, but for groups of friends where you sometimes get six people that want to play, it could be the best of an awkward situation. Just having that spot which you could rotate, whilst still giving everyone a sense that they can contribute.

Of course we’d always run the risk of overcomplicating the matchmaking system. I just dream of Valve taking things more into their own hands, rather than just laying back and seeing what happens. Only to sometimes bring out an update people don’t really agree with – yes this is me wanting Train back.

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Image Credit: Valve
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