You get hands that are not truly randomized and are pushed to be more playable than truly random.
Also, matchmaking isn't random like in a paper event, but based on matchmaking ratings. Like, do they not fire drafts until they fill up with people with similar-enough ratings?
Bizarre.
Just to explain a bit, for players unfamiliar with Arena:
In best-of-one only the hands are “pushed” towards the general land/spell ratio you should expect from your deck. It’s there to smooth variance that, in paper, is usually addressed with best-of-three. Traditional best-of-three matches/drafts are also available (with no hand adjustment).
Pods aren’t matchmade, but in best-of-one drafts the games are. (You also play outside your pod, similar to MTGO leagues.) Best-of-three drafts are also available, and those don’t feature any matchmaking.
In general we try to offer both a traditional, paper-like experience and a faster, more digital-style one, so players can choose the one they prefer.
I'm actually curious, why is best of one matchmade instead of based on league rankings? Or is it matchmade based on league rankings, not a hidden MMR, and I'm just mistaken? I'm not a game dev, so I don't have much knowledge regarding this and am eager to learn if you have time to explain.
Bo1 is matchmade based on a mix of Rank and record (while Bo3 is pure record). We bring Rank in for Bo1 so we get better matching by player skill. This gives a different environment than purely record-based matchmaking. Since we're trying to pair you up with players at about your skill level, everyone gets games that are closer to even for them. In a record-based matchmaking system, newer/weaker players will lose more often (as they get paired with stronger players), while experienced/stronger players will win more often (as they get paired with weaker players). In a rank-based matchmaking system, both of those extremes get evened out, so you end up with a better-matched challenge in each game.
If you're a new drafter, you probably prefer the rank-based matchmaking, since that puts you up against other new drafters for a more even challenge and easier path to learning the ropes. If you're an experienced drafter, you might prefer the rank-based matching (if you're looking for more of a gameplay challenge) or the record-based matchmaking (if you'd rather have your higher skill net you a higher winrate). Since different players will prefer different things here, we offer both options.
Wizards Jay
Just to explain a bit, for players unfamiliar with Arena:
In best-of-one only the hands are “pushed” towards the general land/spell ratio you should expect from your deck. It’s there to smooth variance that, in paper, is usually addressed with best-of-three. Traditional best-of-three matches/drafts are also available (with no hand adjustment).
Pods aren’t matchmade, but in best-of-one drafts the games are. (You also play outside your pod, similar to MTGO leagues.) Best-of-three drafts are also available, and those don’t feature any matchmaking.
In general we try to offer both a traditional, paper-like experience and a faster, more digital-style one, so players can choose the one they prefer.
Wizards Jay
Bo1 is matchmade based on a mix of Rank and record (while Bo3 is pure record). We bring Rank in for Bo1 so we get better matching by player skill. This gives a different environment than purely record-based matchmaking. Since we're trying to pair you up with players at about your skill level, everyone gets games that are closer to even for them. In a record-based matchmaking system, newer/weaker players will lose more often (as they get paired with stronger players), while experienced/stronger players will win more often (as they get paired with weaker players). In a rank-based matchmaking system, both of those extremes get evened out, so you end up with a better-matched challenge in each game.
If you're a new drafter, you probably prefer the rank-based matchmaking, since that puts you up against other new drafters for a more even challenge and easier path to learning the ropes. If you're an experienced drafter, you might prefer the rank-based matching (if you're looking for more of a gameplay challenge) or the record-based matchmaking (if you'd rather have your higher skill net you a higher winrate). Since different players will prefer different things here, we offer both options.