Behind the colorful graphics and intense gameplay of every successful arena battler lies a complex, invisible mathematical engine.
While this conspiracy theory is widespread, the reality is much more mundane and focused entirely on mathematical fairness.
Trophy and Rating Systems
Your trophy count is a numerical representation of your skill; win a match, and you take trophies from the loser.
If the system matches you perfectly, you should mathematically have a 50% chance of winning every single game you play.
- 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.
- You will eventually stabilize.
The Free-to-Play Dilemma
The standard Elo system works perfectly for chess because all pieces are equal, but tower rush games feature upgradeable cards.
The system will try its best to match you with someone who has the same trophies AND a similar tower level.
| System Priority | Importance Level |
|---|---|
| Trophy Count | Absolute Highest Priority |
| Upgrade Status | The system tries to match levels, but will abandon this check if the queue takes longer than 10 seconds |
The Esports Standard
This is why all true esports tournaments and competitive challenges utilize the ‘Tournament Standard’ ruleset.
The algorithm is blind; it only respects victory.