If this system fails, the game becomes a frustrating, unplayable mess that bleeds players instantly.

While this conspiracy theory is widespread, the reality is much more mundane and focused entirely on mathematical fairness.

The Elo System Adapted

Your trophy count is a numerical representation of your skill; win a match, and you take trophies from the loser.

This is why winning streaks inevitably end in a ‘wall’ of difficult matches; the system is functioning exactly as intended.

• If you are hovering around 50%, you are in the correct arena for your skill level.
• Queue times increase at the top of the ladder.
• Losing streaks are also self-correcting.

Level-Based Matchmaking

The standard Elo system works perfectly for chess because all pieces are equal, but tower rush games feature upgradeable cards.

However, if no such player is available, the algorithm will prioritize queue speed over level fairness, resulting in those frustrating, mismatched games.

True Fairness

This is why all true esports tournaments and competitive challenges utilize the ‘Tournament Standard’ ruleset.

Trust the math, ignore the conspiracy theories, and focus on improving your own gameplay.