The matchmaking system in Dota 2 has become absolutely terrible at some point. The game now pairs experienced players with complete beginners, forming teams that lack balance. These inexperienced players, who don’t understand the flow of the game, unintentionally drag the team toward defeat. Just now, the opposing team was filled with experienced players, while my team had four total beginners. These teammates had only played 2-3 games since starting.

I’ve spent over 1,500 hours playing Dota, so naturally, I’m much better at the game than beginners. However, Dota is a team game. A team composed of players at drastically different skill levels has little chance of winning. Unsurprisingly, the opposing team completely crushed us. For long-time Dota players like me, this kind of matchmaking system is deeply disappointing. The reason I stopped playing Dota a year ago was exactly this, and it seems nothing has improved even now.

Dota is a game that takes a considerable amount of time per match. Personally, I consider that time to be incredibly valuable. For some, it might be a brief escape after a busy day, while for others, it could be a chance to relieve stress. But if my teammates are inexperienced beginners and the game drags on for 30-40 minutes or more because of it, I feel like it’s a waste of time.

People don’t play Dota to babysit beginners. While it’s important to be kind to new players, that only applies when they contribute to the game in some meaningful way. Why should we be forced to be nice to players who ruin the game by repeatedly dying and making poor decisions? Doesn’t anyone care about our time?

Beginners should be matched with other beginners. That’s the fairest and most beneficial way for everyone. Dota’s matchmaking system needs to change immediately.

Some might argue, “Then just play ranked games.” But on days when we want to casually enjoy the game, should we really be forced into ranked games just to avoid beginners? The blame here is clear—it’s the system, not the players, that’s at fault.