The Journey from Chess to Video Games and Tinder: The Elo System Evolution
In the world of chess, one term you're likely familiar with is the Elo rating. Devised by Arpad Elo in the 1960s, the Elo system employs match results to estimate a player's skill level numerically. Over time, competitive video games embraced the Elo ratings for ranking players, ensuring balanced matchmaking, and nurturing competitive environments. The influence of the Elo system didn't stop there; it now even powers the dating app Tinder.
Let's delve deeper to understand how and why.
Elo Ratings: The Mechanism Explained
The Elo rating system employs a player's match outcomes to depict their skill level. Each player's Elo rating fluctuates according to their match performance against opponents of varying ratings. To start, every player is assigned a base rating, for instance, 1500.
The Elo system rewards players with higher rating boosts for winning against superior-rated competitors. Conversely, losing to lower-rated competitors results in a substantial rating decline. This methodology establishes a balanced system, where over time, the gains and losses even out. Simply put, players move up or down the rating hierarchy based on their win-loss record against the competition.
Elo's Upper Hand: Simplicity and Precision
The fundamental allure of the Elo algorithm is its simplicity and straightforwardness. The system strictly focuses on the match result and doesn't consider the quality of gameplay. This absence of additional factors reduces the potential for players to game the system.
One could argue that more nuanced victories should earn more points. But, factoring in several elements for point calculation may pave the way for system abuse, particularly in team games. Players might start focusing more on optimizing their match statistics rather than aiming for a team victory.
Interestingly, the rating system doesn't necessarily need to factor in more components. Thanks to the law of large numbers, the system accurately represents player ratings. More games played equates to a higher likelihood of the rating being accurate.
The simplicity of the Elo rating system enables developers to concentrate on other aspects. Most importantly, it prevents the development of strategies aimed solely at maximizing rating gains.
Embracing Elo: The Case of Competitive Video Games
Prominent esports titles such as Dota 2, League of Legends, StarCraft, and Counter-Strike have adopted Elo-based ranking systems. Just like chess, these games use the system for two core purposes:
- Ensuring balanced matchmaking
- Setting a measure of players' strengths
Contrary to Chess, video games have integrated the Elo system into their ranking mechanism for increased player engagement. League of Legends serves as an ideal example of this application.
League of Legends utilizes MMR or Match Making Rating, a concealed rating system, to match players of similar skill levels. The MMR system, derived from Elo, dictates the gain or loss of League Points, which in turn determine player rank promotions or demotions. Players aim to ascend leagues with titles like bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and so forth. While Elo works behind the scenes, the league system boosts player engagement.
Elo Ratings: The Tinder Connection
Rumor has it that Tinder utilizes Elo ratings to match users based on perceived attractiveness and compatibility. Users are given an Elo rating that fluctuates based on how frequently other users like or dislike their profiles. Engaging or being liked by a higher-rated user significantly increases one's rating. On the other hand, being disliked or ignored by lower-rated users leads to a more prominent rating decrease, thereby transforming the concept of winning and losing.
The Tinder platform thus also forms a balanced system, where ratings adjust over time as users move up or down the "attractiveness" ladder. Some users even strategically work to optimize their Elo rating within the app, which essentially involves enhancing their profile
and messaging skills.
So, why does Tinder adopt this system?
The Elo ratings help ensure that two individuals with similar attractiveness ratings are more likely to match. By primarily presenting users with profiles within a similar rating range, the system minimizes frustration, leading to a higher likelihood of matches and likes.
Wrapping Up
The Elo rating system, originally developed for chess, has evolved to become an integral part of esports and multiplayer video games. Elo ratings offer an objective measurement of player skill, fostering balanced matchmaking, observable progress, and competitive communities.
The Elo system, despite its simple construct, addresses critical requirements for developers, players, spectators, and the overall health of the gaming and dating app communities. The reach of the system has extended beyond games and is now a critical part of applications like Tinder.