Smurfing Is the Real Problem, Not Trackers

[Throwbjorn]

Marvel Rivals just banned Blitz.gg, calling it “cheating” because it provided stats on opponents. Fine. But you know what’s actually ruining the experience? Smurfs.

Personally, I've used a tracker to identify and counter the plague of high-rank losers making alt accounts to stomp new players. That’s it. There are only 2 bans, there is literally no point in banning somebody's "main" in high ranks because they definitely have more than 1 main. Now that tool is gone, and smurfs are free to farm fresh accounts unchecked. And don’t give me the “but I’m just learning a new character” excuse—if you’re skilled enough to drop 40 eliminations every game in diamond, you don’t belong in any lobbies lower than grandmaster. You’re just a coward dodging fair fights in your real rank.

If Marvel Rivals wants to ban trackers, they should at least acknowledge that smurfing is just as bad—if not worse. Where’s the “cheating” label for players deliberately ruining match integrity? Where’s the report option for unsportsmanlike smurfs? If external statistic tools are considered unfair, so is manipulating the matchmaking system to prey on lower rank players.

Smurfing is unsportsmanlike conduct, period. It’s not practice, it’s not “for fun”—it’s just a way for insecure players to avoid fair fights in their own rank. These people aren’t competitors, they’re pathetic cowards with an ego problem.

If the devs want a fair game, they should start banning smurf accounts and adding a report for smurfing option, just like other games do. Until then, enjoy getting stomped by some washed-up loser who got destroyed in their real lobbies and decided to make a new account to feel powerful.

If Marvel Rivals wants to crack down on unfair advantages, they should focus on making smurfing as frustrating and pointless as possible. Force these losers to go through extra hurdles before they can pollute ranked. Make them grind in casual matches or actually prove they belong in low ranks before letting them queue against beginners. The goal should be simple: if you belong in a high rank, you shouldn’t be able to hide from it.

[Soob]

Been working OT the past few weeks and wanted to grind to gold in the last 5 or so days. Used Blitzgg in every other competitive game I play that doesn't have built in stats systems without issue. ~30-40% of my games the past week (I played about 50 ranked games), had a smurf or blatant cheater in them. Either people who never miss and track your silhouette through walls, or smurfs dropping 60+ kills while the rest of their team averages ~20.

BlitzGG let me know IMMEDIATELY which accounts were sus as you could see their match history is ALWAYS the same. AFK in bot lobbies until level 10, then SVP or MVP every single game with insane elimination numbers. It is so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ obvious it boggles my mind.

Same issue in most other online PVP games and either devs are completely incapable of workable solutions due to them not being there, laziness, or sheer incompetence, or they just don't give a ♥♥♥♥.

I got to have a handful of legitimate 'good' games in a pile of trash games. MM is absolutely scuffed in this game. Don't even get me started on QuickPlay games and how often I get matched against GM players.

[Gibble]

Im a lowly Diamond 1/Gm 3 (i think it is?) and ive been here so long i assume its wher eim meant to be, its crazy how you'll randomly get a VERY obvious Smurfing Thor/Hela or something every three games that will single handedly lead a bad team to victory. its a real problem

[SandTag]

Dont blame the players, blame the game.

Matchmaking is entirely dysfunctional, it only takes like 1-2m in GM but at the actual top ranked (Cel1+) ive seen streamers wait like half an hour for a game, its completely insane.

They should probably just make cel3+ a firm cut between middle and top ranked to reduce MM times, then less people will be motivated to hop on smurfs.

[Throwbjorn]

İlk olarak Soob tarafından gönderildi:

Been working OT the past few weeks and wanted to grind to gold in the last 5 or so days. Used Blitzgg in every other competitive game I play that doesn't have built in stats systems without issue. ~30-40% of my games the past week (I played about 50 ranked games), had a smurf or blatant cheater in them. Either people who never miss and track your silhouette through walls, or smurfs dropping 60+ kills while the rest of their team averages ~20.

BlitzGG let me know IMMEDIATELY which accounts were sus as you could see their match history is ALWAYS the same. AFK in bot lobbies until level 10, then SVP or MVP every single game with insane elimination numbers. It is so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ obvious it boggles my mind.

Same issue in most other online PVP games and either devs are completely incapable of workable solutions due to them not being there, laziness, or sheer incompetence, or they just don't give a ♥♥♥♥.

I got to have a handful of legitimate 'good' games in a pile of trash games. MM is absolutely scuffed in this game. Don't even get me started on QuickPlay games and how often I get matched against GM players.

Yeah it's actually disgusting. I have noticed that the game requires a lot of polish in terms of kill/damage and overall gameplay feedback and it's something they're slowly fixing and improving upon, but when I got to diamond in rank that's where the real issue spits in your face.]

Matchmaking is broken. The fact that you get "You're ranked higher than 94% of players!" at diamond 3 is mind boggling. Normal players are either hardstuck below platinum, or their numbers are wrong. SBMM is nonexistent or unbalanced, the thing that does exist though is EOMM which should be absolutely removed in favor of SBMM. Why would you have FIVE tiers of ranks for FIVE percent of players? No wonder higher ranks are searching for matches for 5-10 minutes.

Unless more people start writing about the matchmaking situation, and bringing more light to this topic nothing will change and the game will die much quicker when people realize it's going to be overrun with bots and smurfs without any hope of climbing.

[Soob]

İlk olarak SandTag tarafından gönderildi:

Dont blame the players, blame the game.

Matchmaking is entirely dysfunctional, it only takes like 1-2m in GM but at the actual top ranked (Cel1+) ive seen streamers wait like half an hour for a game, its completely insane.

They should probably just make cel3+ a firm cut between middle and top ranked to reduce MM times, then less people will be motivated to hop on smurfs.

This is a cyclical process though. The top ranks will never fill if these same people continue to recycle their ranks and then smash their ways back to the top. The people they carry there won't last in that MMR. Same exact issues game devs were making 10+ years ago with MMR games.

[QUADJACKSS]

The matchmaking is dysfunctional because it isn't favoring a normal distribution but instead a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ranking that makes basically anyone able to get to GM if they simply play enough. I've seen 40% winrate GMs that are basically indistinguishable from Golds, but because they have 800 games played and Rivals gives you slightly more points for a win than a loss they still rank up. True ranking doesn't start until Celestial, anything below that is a total crapshoot wrt to the potential skill levels of your teammates.

[Clarence]

this game is awful. the fact that people take comp seriously is hilarious. THERE is no comp in this game. you cant balance the game like this and expect people to play seriously. its a joke.

[IndianaJones]

I say both are problem in this game. Two of many...

[Пе(и)вун]

I got banned yesterday fir cheating. I used marvel rivals tracker few days ago, but yesterday i played without him, I played like 8 matches and then got banned right in the middle of match. Such a ♥♥♥♥ company

[Terotrous]

İlk olarak Throwbjorn tarafından gönderildi:

Personally, I've used a tracker to identify and counter the plague of high-rank losers making alt accounts to stomp new players. That’s it. There are only 2 bans, there is literally no point in banning somebody's "main" in high ranks because they definitely have more than 1 main.

Generally the best things to ban are things that counter your character or your teammates.

A very simple example would be if you play Spiderman, ban Namor.

Of course, you can also use the enemy's bans to try to guess which characters they might be playing. Namor ban is a pretty good indicator that they have a spiderman or that their comp will be heavy dive.

İlk olarak Throwbjorn tarafından gönderildi:

If Marvel Rivals wants to ban trackers, they should at least acknowledge that smurfing is just as bad—if not worse.

Smurfing sucks but it's also virtually impossible to prevent. A smurf is simply someone who is better than their rank indicates. There's all kinds of legitimate ways this can happen, and almost nothing can target only the people who abuse the system and not those who just happen to be both new to the game and good.

İlk olarak Throwbjorn tarafından gönderildi:

Matchmaking is broken. The fact that you get "You're ranked higher than 94% of players!" at diamond 3 is mind boggling.

Probably at least 30% of accounts have never touched comp, so all ranks will be higher than at least 30% of the playerbase.

Realistically, they should probably only include accounts that have played at least one comp game, but then they wouldn't be able to inflate the stats and make people feel better about themselves.

[AndD]

imo they shcould ban all tracking programs anything which can give you even 1% advantege over your oponent, going with using 3rd party program for info mb already lets add all those possible cheats would be the same, about matchmaking there is simple solution but i doubt they will add rank per character/account after placement matches, without it they can better manipulate team vs team, sometimes system just wants you to lose and sometimes to win, like you get that ai player which solo their full team and you can be totally usless you will still win, it is what it is in this kind of games. Just enjoy the game no need to rage about playing a game...

[RawwkinGrimmie64]

İlk olarak Пе(и)вун tarafından gönderildi:

I got banned yesterday fir cheating. I used marvel rivals tracker few days ago, but yesterday i played without him, I played like 8 matches and then got banned right in the middle of match. Such a ♥♥♥♥ company

> Admits to cheating
> Blames gaming company after getting banned

The lack of self awareness is astounding!

[Captain Blue]

Wasn't Blitz banned because it gave you an overlay that gave you information when you opponents had their ults up? That's why they declared it cheating.

[Snaht]

I can confirm those stat websites don't even track the stats correctly.

[twinfm]

the real problem is people playing this game, people have too much ego when they're trash