Through thorough research and feedback gathering, we have identified problems that we aim to rectify over time. We specifically noted two key issues with the current matchmaker:

Long waiting times in the queue (especially at Tiers I to V) on the ANZ server

Current matchmaking is often not enjoyable for lower-tier tanks as there is a high ratio of battles in which tanks can feel ineffective

To try and solve these issues, we will begin live trials to determine the ideal environment for our players; an Asia-exclusive micro-patch will be released on 13th November. Our trials will come in two-parts:

Tweaking the matchmaker to give more two-tier battles, rather than the most common three-tier battles in the 3-5-7 system

The addition of bots for Tier I to V battles on the ANZ server

This is only a trial for us to better identify and address these deeply rooted issues. The information gathered along the way will be invaluable in our quest to provide our players with an optimal matchmaking environment. We believe that the change will provide an improved experience for all players and we will monitor their impact on everyday gameplay.

Note: With your feedback, we can help shape the future of the game. We are eager to look at your comments during this trial and see how we can improve over time.

Let’s take a closer look at each feature individually.

Matchmaker Tweaks

We are hard at work on a complete overhaul of the matchmaker infrastructure and architecture, but as a stopgap to help alleviate the related issues, a matchmaking tweak will be released as a part of the upcoming micropatch.

IMPORTANT: As previously mentioned, this micropatch will be for the Asia server only.

This micropatch aims to maximize your battlefield experience. It does this by addressing two key points for all tiers:

Improve the combat experience for all tanks

Switching priorities to decrease the amount of battles where there are three tiers within a single battle

The trial matchmaker will switch its priority and increase the amount of two-tier battles when compared to the classic 3-5-7. This means that there are new templates:

6-9 (for Tiers X and IX)

7-8 (for all Tiers) [Note: This will become the main template for all players]

Also, those who take to battle in preferential Premium vehicles will see an increasing amount of battles with vehicles the same or one-tier lower. While it will be possible to get into a battle with vehicles one-tier higher, these instances will be rarer due to switching priorities.

This is just the first step based on the old architecture and we are adjusting it with a trial period. The statistics and feedback from this trial will be collected and analyzed later this year and will help create the future matchmaker architecture.

At the moment, there is no finalized date of when the trial will end, but the more it’s tested, the more information we will be able to gather.

Bots

The decision to add bots was taken to make the game more convenient for those playing at the lower tiers. We noticed that it was taking a long time to get into a battle due to excessively long queue times in Tier I to V combat.

With adding more tanks and vehicles into the queue, those who are new to the game or starting a new tech tree will spend less time staring at the timer and more time in adrenaline-fueled battles!

It’s important to get feedback on the new addition as this isn’t the final state of bots. With your feedback, we will constantly evolve and improve them as they can be incorporated in both Random Battles and special PvE events.

In case you missed it before, here’s all the details you need to know about the bot addition and how they will impact gameplay:

Tiers covered: I–V Maximum number of bots per team: 7 Waiting limit: 20 seconds (or more) before the matchmaker adds bots to a battle How to distinguish: Colon (“:”) and a special badge Maps played: Karelia, Prokhorovka, Mines, Redshire, Steppes, Fisherman’s Bay, Ensk, Lakeville, Ruinberg, Murovanka, Erlenberg, Siegfried Line, Cliff, Sand River, El Halluf, Airfield, Mountain Pass, Mannerheim Line, Glacier, Serene Coast, Overlord

Check out the full Bots FAQ here

We welcome your feedback. Feel free to leave all your comments on the adjusted matchmaker and bots.