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PSA: MMR is not Rank, and Rank is MMR

Akeydel·4/24/2016, 2:45:23 AM·1 votes·246 views
Matchmaking Guide

Also, neither Rank nor MMR is Elo. Since the addition of the League system way back in Season 3, Elo is no longer relevent to league.

That same update changed the matchmaking system to use a hidden MMR. **The hidden part is important. ** Riot has never released exactly how this number is determined, not even what stats factor in. It's safe to say that win/loss ratio is used but with the number of other factors that could possibly be used to calculate it (KDA, damage dealt, champion mastery, time spent dead, number of games played ect) it's also safe to say that W/L ratio is not the ONLY thing used to calculate MMR.

Also important: Rank only slightly reflects MMR! Everyone knows you have two different MMR's between ranked and normals, but in normals it's 100% hidden. Rank is used as an indicator, but does not actually show someone's MMR. Same for LP gains/losses or any other stat.

People can complain about matchmaking and unbalanced games and smurfs and boosting all they want. Those are problems we know exist. But PLEASE don't say "we can't do this thing because it ruins MMR"or "the MMR system is the cause of this problem"! We simply don't know.

2 Comments

TNHA Baritone4/24/2016, 4:21:54 AM2 votes

Which is why, when you know you're going to lose, you should still try to win and not give up. You never know, your KDA might count on your MMR. Who knows?

JRobin314/24/2016, 4:33:51 AM1 votes

I agree. Understanding matchmaking systems and what happens in them requires education in the Mathematics of Game Theory. It isn't a thing people understand fully without serious study. I'm sure RIOT has people who know what they are doing when it comes to matchmaking.