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Introduction
Brawl Stars, developed by Supercell, has taken the mobile gaming world by storm. With its fast-paced combat, diverse roster of brawlers, and multiple modes, it’s one of the most polished multiplayer experiences available on smartphones. However, despite its commercial success and competitive viability, a persistent issue continues to frustrate both casual and seasoned players alike: matchmaking imbalance. Whether it's inconsistent team compositions, wide trophy gaps, or pairing solo players against pre-made teams, the current matchmaking system significantly affects gameplay quality, skill progression, and enjoyment.
This article takes a deep dive into the matchmaking imbalance problem in Brawl Stars, how it has evolved over time, why it persists, and what it means for the future of the game.
1. Understanding the Basics of Brawl Stars Matchmaking
To grasp the issue fully, we need to understand how matchmaking is supposed to work in theory. Brawl Stars’ system aims to:
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Match players based on their trophy count for individual brawlers
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Consider the power level of the selected brawler
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Take into account the player’s recent performance
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Try to balance teams to create fair 3v3 matches
However, this system, while seemingly logical, starts breaking down as you climb the ranks or play under specific conditions.
2. Trophy Count Doesn’t Equal Skill
One of the key flaws in matchmaking lies in its over-reliance on trophy count. Trophies are earned through wins, not necessarily skill. As a result:
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Players who grind casually may have high trophies but inconsistent mechanics
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Smurfs (experienced players on new accounts) can manipulate trophy counts to dominate
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Players can “tilt” trophies and re-enter low ranks with strong brawlers to farm easy wins
This creates matches where one team has a true beginner while the other has a seasoned veteran simply trophy-dropping.
3. Power Level Discrepancies Create Unfair Fights
Each brawler in Brawl Stars can be upgraded from Power Level 1 to Power Level 11, gaining access to Star Powers and Gadgets along the way. Unfortunately, the matchmaking algorithm often ignores power level entirely—or places too little weight on it.
What this means in practice:
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A Power Level 4 Shelly may be matched against a Level 11 Edgar with a Gadget and Star Power
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Upgraded brawlers have clear advantages in stats, survivability, and utility
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New or F2P players feel punished for not spending resources
This issue becomes especially glaring in competitive events or challenges.
4. Solo vs. Team Queue Imbalance
One of the most frustrating matchmaking issues is pairing solo players against pre-made teams.
Here’s why it matters:
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Pre-made teams use voice chat, coordination, and planned synergy
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Solo players are stuck with random teammates, often without synergy or communication
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Even if skill levels match, coordination is often one-sided
This dynamic results in one-sided matches and discourages solo players from participating in ranked or Power League modes.
5. Brawler Popularity and Meta Skews
Certain brawlers dominate the meta due to:
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Recent buffs
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Map-specific advantages
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Gadget or Star Power strength
When matchmaking fails to account for this, it leads to:
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One team with all meta brawlers
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The other team with off-meta or low-tier picks
Even if trophies and power levels are equal, meta imbalance drastically changes the outcome of matches.
Example: In a control-heavy map, having a Griff, Poco, and Rosa against a Shelly, Jessie, and Dynamike often results in domination—not because of skill, but pure meta difference.
6. Bots in Matches: A Hidden Balancer or Just Frustrating?
To prevent long queue times, especially at low trophy levels or off-peak hours, Supercell sometimes fills matches with AI-controlled bots. While it sounds like a good solution, it comes with problems:
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Bots perform poorly or inconsistently
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Players are not told when they’re in a bot match
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Winning against bots inflates trophies but doesn’t improve skill
In ranked or event modes, bot appearances can ruin competitiveness entirely and make players question the integrity of matchmaking.
7. Club League and Power League Inconsistencies
Competitive modes like Club League and Power League aim to offer higher-stakes gameplay. However, matchmaking issues are even worse here.
Common problems include:
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Matching Gold-ranked players against Diamond+ teams
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Poorly coordinated trio vs. meta-coordinated trios
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Teams with two maxed brawlers vs. teams with under-leveled ones
Even in modes with drafting and banning, if matchmaking pairs imbalanced skill levels, bans and drafts can't save the match.
8. Regional and Server-Based Matching Delays
Players in less populated regions often experience:
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Higher ping
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Long queue times
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Mismatched skill levels due to limited player pools
To speed up queue times, Supercell may relax matchmaking constraints, leading to wildly mismatched matches across:
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Language barriers
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Ping issues
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Playstyle differences
This especially affects players in regions outside North America and Europe.
9. Psychological Effects on the Player Base
Matchmaking imbalance doesn’t just affect gameplay—it affects how players feel.
Here’s how:
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Players get demotivated after constant losing streaks
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Toxicity rises when teammates underperform
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Solo players feel excluded from higher-tier play
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F2P users feel they’re punished for not maxing brawlers
Over time, this leads to player churn, reduced spending, and a toxic community culture, especially on platforms like Reddit and Discord.
10. Potential Solutions and What Supercell Can Do
Supercell has acknowledged matchmaking complaints but changes have been minimal. To fix the system, they could:
1. Rebalance Matching Priorities
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Prioritize power level and win rates over trophies
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Factor in recent win/loss streaks
2. Separate Solo and Team Queues
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Make competitive modes fairer by only matching solo vs. solo, trio vs. trio
3. Add Transparency
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Show average team power level before the match
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Indicate if bots are present
4. Improve Meta Awareness
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Avoid matching teams with multiple off-meta brawlers vs. full meta setups
5. Use True Skill Rating (TSR) or Elo Systems
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Consider backend metrics beyond trophies to judge actual player skill
By implementing these, Supercell could dramatically increase fairness, especially for serious and competitive players.
Conclusion
Matchmaking in Brawl Stars, while seemingly straightforward, is plagued with inconsistencies and flaws that hinder competitive fairness. Whether it’s power level mismatches, team vs. solo imbalances, meta abuse, or bot interference, the current system fails to consistently produce balanced, fair fights. This has ripple effects across player retention, community morale, and competitive viability. If Supercell hopes to maintain Brawl Stars’ reputation as a skill-based, enjoyable multiplayer experience, revamping the matchmaking system must become a top priority.
