Deadlock Dev Rolls Out ChatGPT Matchmaking

A month ago, the developers of Deadlock announced plans to overhaul the game's matchmaking system. It appears a Valve engineer working on this upcoming MOBA-hero shooter hybrid has now identified an ideal algorithm, thanks to a conversation with the AI chatbot ChatGPT.

Deadlock's New Matchmaking Algorithm Discovered via ChatGPT

Player Feedback Highlights Issues with Previous MMR System

The new matchmaking algorithm for Valve's upcoming MOBA-hero shooter, Deadlock, was discovered using OpenAI's ChatGPT, according to recent posts by Valve engineer Fletcher Dunn on X (formerly Twitter). Dunn shared screenshots of his conversation with the AI, which recommended using the "Hungarian algorithm" for the game's hero selection process, a change implemented just days ago.

A quick look at the Deadlock subreddit reveals numerous player complaints about the previous MMR-based matchmaking system. One player noted, "As I've played more games, I naturally face tougher opponents, but my teammates never seem to be at the same skill level." Others echoed this sentiment, expressing frustration with unbalanced team compositions, especially when new players are matched against experienced ones.

(c) r/DeadlockTheGame

The development team responded quickly to player concerns. Last month, a developer acknowledged on the game's official Discord server that the hero-based MMR system was underperforming and confirmed a complete rewrite was in progress. According to Dunn, this revision led them to the Hungarian algorithm, identified with generative AI's assistance.

Dunn has been vocal about his positive experiences with ChatGPT, stating in a separate post, "ChatGPT has reached a level of usefulness where I keep a permanent tab open for it in my browser." He intends to continue sharing his successes with the tool, hoping to convince skeptics of its practical value for complex problem-solving.

Despite his enthusiasm, Dunn acknowledged the mixed implications of relying on AI. He expressed some conflict, noting that AI can sometimes replace human interaction, like consulting a colleague or posting a question to a community. A social media user replied to his thread, suggesting that skepticism often stems from corporate narratives framing AI as a direct replacement for human programmers.

Algorithms organize data based on specific rules and parameters. A common example is a Google search, where the algorithm returns relevant results based on your query. In gaming matchmaking, an algorithm like the Hungarian method can handle scenarios where only one side (e.g., a player or a team) has preferences, finding the optimal pairings in a two-sided (bipartite) setup.

However, some players remain dissatisfied. One replied to Dunn's post, "This explains the recent surge in matchmaking complaints. It's been terrible lately, all because you're experimenting with ChatGPT." Another criticized thedeveloper, urging him to focus on fixing the game rather than posting AI screenshots.

Here at Game8, we believe Valve is crafting something special with Deadlock. For more insights and hands-on impressions from the playtest, check out our detailed article via the link below.