Ranked Matches: Temporary Restrictions due to Abnormal Gameplay

A lil somethin somethin: You can find the details for this event on the announcement page here.

Recently, reports of abnormal gameplay have been on the rise. While we issue dozens of restrictions daily to address these behaviors, we apologize if these efforts still fall short of meeting your expectations.

Clear cases of abnormal gameplay—such as intentionally leaving a match, entering restricted areas to get killed, or feeding—result in immediate restrictions when sufficient evidence is present. However, the line between intentional and unintentional behavior remains challenging. For example, we often receive reports about players engaging in fights they are unlikely to win, which can simply reflect differences in playstyle or judgment; even professional players occasionally make tactical mistakes.

The main concern arises when players exploit this gray area to engage in behaviors that go against Ranked objectives. These players often accumulate a significant number of reports. However, relying solely on report accumulation for restrictions is problematic, as it can be misused.

To address this, we are introducing a new system for temporary restrictions in Ranked Matches:

• Players who accumulate a certain number of reports will face a temporary restriction of up to 3 days and become a high-priority investigation target.
  
• This restriction will apply only to ranked matches; other game modes will remain accessible.
  
• If the investigation finds the reports to be unjustified, the restriction will be lifted immediately. However, if serious traces are uncovered, additional action may be taken.
  
• This new policy is intended to prioritize investigations, not to single out individual players. And as mentioned, clearly abnormal behavior will continue to result in immediate restrictions without requiring multiple reports.
  
• This temporary restriction measure is designed to reduce hard-to-assess cases of trolling and intentional griefing. For more severe instances of abnormal gameplay, strict penalties will apply across all game modes.
  
• Since this policy was already added to the Rules of Conduct on July 11, 2024, we plan to roll out a trial implementation immediately. However, because the system isn’t fully developed yet, we’ll continue refining it during the trial. This includes adding more weight to reports from players who rarely report and excluding reports from players who submit false reports.

While the Ranked system in Eternal Return isn’t perfect, we’re committed to improving matchmaking to create a better experience for everyone. Defining standards for unacceptable behavior can be challenging, but we’re continually working on effective solutions.