Does Splitgate have SBMM?

Skill-based matchmaking is one of the cornerstones of competitive multiplayer games. While still in beta, a title like Splitgate would no doubt benefit from having it.

One could even make the argument that skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) is mandatory to the success of a game like Splitgate, Warzone, or any other that pits players against each other. This system allows for players to keep within their own skill level and play without running the risk of frustration due to an unfair skill gap. Not only does this increase player longevity, but also greatly impacts player satisfaction. Nobody wants to play a game where they get bullied right out of spawn.

Skill-Based Matchmaking in Splitgate

So, does SBMM exist in Splitgate? The answer is complicated. On the surface, yes, but the level at which players will experience it varies.

While not strictly called SBMM, Ranked Splitgate relies on the Elo system—a method used to calculate the relative skill of players and named after its creator, Arpad Elo, a Hungarian-American physics professor at Marquette University. Winning players take points from losing players in order to balance scores going forward. The system then uses that value to find similarly skilled opponents to pit them against as they advance.

However, casual modes of the game tend to have, what the developers called, a "loose SBMM." This keeps high-skilled players from being contained to exclusively "sweaty" lobbies while preserving the safety of brand new players who have never even touched the game before. That way, veterans can still enjoy some casual fun from time to time and new players won't find themselves completely overwhelmed.

In other words, the developers are looking to provide a distinct balance where all Splitgate fans can find themselves appropriately challenged and given the chance to shine.