The research, published in Management Science , argues that game matchmaking works better when it looks beyond raw ability and accounts for how people react to recent wins, losses, and competitive patterns. In an analysis of 5.4 million Lichess matches, optimized matchmaking lifted engagement by 4% to 6% compared with conventional skill based approaches. The old skill based matchmaking or SBMM rulebook now looks too blunt for platforms fighting to keep people around. SBMM pairs opponents near...
