Overwatch players have long expressed their frustration at the game's matchmaking, saying that match-ups often feel unfair. At one point, players managed to create a better matchmaking tool than the game's built-in matchmaking technology.

It seems that Overwatch developer Blizzard has heard those calls for better matchmaking and the company recently released a new update that aims to fix things. Available now on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, the patch affects matchmaking in the Competitive Play mode.

The patch notes for the update explain that Blizzard has "made improvements to matchmaking that will decrease the range of Skill Rating between players on the same team." A developer comment also notes that "this change will help players get placed with allies and against opponents of a similar skill level, which should lead to more satisfying games."

The update may seem like a small one as it mostly focuses on fixes for bugs. For example, Moira's Biotic Orb will no longer "pass through terrain and structures unintentionally." However, those Overwatch players that continue to feel frustrated about the game's matchmaking system could experience a major improvement in the quality of their games.

Overwatch Moira Origin Story

As many players of team-based multiplayer games can attest, being in a game where one team steamrolls another is rarely fun. Overwatch already has a problem with toxicity, which Blizzard has acknowledged, but making games fairer could improve things on that front.

Blizzard may well witness players sticking with Overwatch for longer, or playing the multiplayer shooter more regularly. Not only is it frustrating to play terribly one-sided games, it's also a prime reason for someone to stop playing the game. After all, who is going to keep playing a game that makes them feel as though they can never improve their skill rating because poor matchmaking keeps them from progressing?

Positively, this is just one part of Blizzard's overall plan to improve the quality of life for Overwatch players. Fans can also expect new and better loot in base loot boxes and improvements to the way that abuse and toxicity are handled. These updates, combined with these matchmaking changes, should make the game much more worthwhile for fans.

Overwatch is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Source: Blizzard