TrueSkill Matchmaking

Cake is intuitive: first you see it, then if it looks good enough, you want to eat it.

It should be just as intuitive to find, join, and create fun and competitive matches online. You might even say it should be a piece of cake.

Thankfully on Xbox Live it is. That's because of the comprehensive but elegantly simple matchmaking service. Whether ranked or unranked, the tools now exist to foster community and match like-minded players around the world with or against each other.

Find your level

The new matchmaking system was designed to open up the realm of Xbox Live to casual gamers. It ensures you'll always get placed in a game with like-minded people. No more getting thrown into a hardcore frag-fest when all you wanted was a little friendly competition.

If you want to play ranked, you play ranked; if you want to play unranked, you play unranked. Every last game playable on Xbox Live lets you make this choice before using Quick Match or Custom Match to find the best game for you. You can't mix and match between ranked and unranked - ever!

TrueSkill sorts the men from the boys

It's no fun to enter a lobby and find you're playing against people several levels higher than you. That's exactly the problem the new TrueSkill™ matchmaking system solves.

For every ranked game you play, Xbox Live finds the most competitive match available, based on your TrueSkill rating. That means every gamer has a chance to be competitive in every match they play. There'll be no more power-gamers hopping through Custom Match to find the weakest opponents.

The idea behind the system is simple: it tracks every match you play and how well you play it, which allows the system to match you up against players near your own skill level.

It's also a global system, so it's not tied to any one game. For those that crave competition, the TrueSkill matchmaking system ensures that a truly competitive match is just a couple clicks away.

The Player Community

If you're looking for a competitive match, you'll find one. But for those not in the mood to get serious, there's a Quick Match and Custom Match option just for you. Unlike ranked games which use the TrueSkill matchmaking system, Player Matches take advantage of a host of new features designed to maximise fun, foster community, and give you some control over those you play against. Here are a few highlights to look forward to:

• Friends: Chances are if someone is on your Friends List, you'll want to play with them. Knowing this, the system searches the available games for the people on your Friends List. If they find one, you're likely to be teamed with or pitted against your Friend.
• Prefer/Avoid: This new gem of a system gives you the chance to offer instant feedback against anyone you play. If you had a blast playing with or against someone you just met, bring up their Gamertag and set them to "Prefer". This increases your chances of playing with or against them in the future. On the other hand, if a player is ruining everyone's experience by behaving like a griefer, you can set them to "Avoid."
• Gamer Profile: Generally speaking, people like to game with those they have something in common with. That’s why the system bears in mind each player's Gamer Profile when searching for games. If your Gamer Zone is set to Family, you're more likely to join people with the same preference. If you're from Australia, you're more likely to get matched up with someone else from Down Under. And if your reputation is low, you're more likely to get matched up with players of a similar disposition, and vice versa.

Half the fun is the game you play, the other half is who you play with. Whether it's ranked games with the TrueSkill Matchmaking system or the bevy of features for unranked games, you can now be totally sure of a great all-round gaming experience.