As someone who’s been fragging in FPS games for a decade, it didn’t take me long to adjust to Valorant‘s shooting. But, some days were like a walk in the park – I’d drop a smooth 30 bomb without even breaking a sweat. On other days I’d spend the entire game inspecting teammates, fuming at the bottom of the scoreboard. It turns out that I’m not the only one. Many players feel that Valorant matchmaking is inconsistent. The horrors of red carpet don’t elude even the best in the game, but why is that?
Valorant is fairly well-optimized, so I can’t really put my bad days down to pesky hackers, software bugs, or other technical glitches. But this fascinating little thing called the loser’s queue making the rounds in Valorant’s rumour mill would explain a lot. Apparently, it’s an old gaming patent that causes that infamous red carpet to unfurl out of nowhere. At this point, the loser’s queue feels like the sole explanation for my 13-game losing streak.
What’s causing the red carpet blues in Valorant?
Jonathan ‘EvrMoar’ Walker is a former Valorant competitive designer who has elaborated on the notorious loser’s queue many times in the past. But, some loopholes point at the loser’s queue being real.
Firstly, purposefully putting players in a certain pool isn’t a wild concept. It has been happening in gaming for a while now, for example EA’s FIFA allegedly relying on DDA. Dynamic Difficulty adjustment, also known as Dynamic Differency Adjustment, manipulates matches so that players return for more. Now, the losing streak in Valorant sure convinces players to play “just one more game,” but it also drives them away.
EvrMoar argued that if Valorant had such a system, the devs wouldn’t hide it since it’s nothing particularly new. But, a patent similar to DDA is just not good for “business” and game health. This is why Valorant players lose in seemingly never-ending streaks. It is either a coincidence, or a reminder that Aimlabs is important.
“Data, across multiple games and genres in the game industry, all point toward fair matches being a huge reason players have a fun and enjoyable PvP experience. Why would we create a system that forcibly sets up players to lose if we know that would force them to leave the game early?” EvrMoar said.
Although all this sounds plausible, losing 13-15 consecutive games makes you wonder whether the game system or Riot are hiding something. MMR stagnancy could be one possible explanation, as the developers have repeatedly explained.
It’s quite possible that the matchmaking system in Valorant isn’t pairing up losers specifically, but rather matching you with those hard stuck in your MMR pool for the same period. It can happen to even the most consistent players, which can lead to problems.
Players who remain at a similar rating for long periods of time, such as 1500, would have less to lose than players who are ranking up. The system may match you with players closest to your MMR on a ladder, rather than matching you with others who are experiencing similar losing streaks.
The question remains, however, as to why players who are stuck in the MMR pool also experience a losing streak. It’s sort of a paradox; those with a strong encounter MMR would increase their variation and escape the ELO hell, leaving behind the losers who can’t seem to get out of the same MMR. These losers naturally match up because of low variance.
This can also occur at high ranks. You keep getting 20 kills every game, and now Valorant’s system is bored. Nothing new is happening, and it’s convinced you are a certified Ascendant. You are now being matched with other Ascendants who are struggling every day, which can lead to a string of losses.
You get the perfect recipe to lose a streak when you combine hard-stuck ELO with poor mental and frustration. If you place trust in EvrMoar’s explanation, then it seems there can be no other logical conclusion to explain the frequent and infamous ‘red carpet’ occurrences that plague Valorant.
While the issue of the loser’s queue in Valorant remains somewhat of a mystery, it’s best to err on the side of caution when deciding who or what to trust. Instead of blaming Riot players could make changes to things that they can control based upon factual information.
That said, my humble advice would be to stick to the tried and true method of outsmarting the system: don’t get too cozy in the same rank. Try to outsmart the matchmaking algorithm by improving your game, breaking personal records and adding some variety to your play style. Your chances of matching up would drop dramatically with other players in the same pool, which will result in more green on your ranking history palette.
You might also be on a losing streak. Running is a great option. The top agents on the Valorant Tier List Based on the current meta, change up your weapons and load up the best Valorant crosshairs. And, most importantly, practice!
