SBMM in Fortnite has always been a hot topic of discussion with the community, with some thinking that it’s good, and others saying that it’s bad and possibly the worst thing ever. But what is SBMM in Fortnite? Here’s our guide to skill-based matchmaking in Fortnite and what SBMM means for you, the player trying to enjoy the game, and the rest of the community also looking to get those Victory Royales.
What is SBMM in Fortnite?
SBMM in Fortnite is skill-based matchmaking. This means looking at your player skill level and pairing you with other similarly skilled players.
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You SBMM rank in Fortnite is different to your public level, which is just how much XP you’ve earned while playing. Though this level can influence SBMM, as more experienced players are more likely to be better, it’s not the only thing affecting skill-based matchmaking.
Like other games, Fortnite looks at a player’s average stats to work out how “good” they are at the game. If you average a load of kills per game, you’ll start to be matched with players who also have gotten a load of kills. If you die more often than you kill an enemy, you’ll begin to be matched with other players who have died more than they have gotten kills.
This is intended to match good players with other good players, and worse performing players with other worse performing players. Epic Games, like others, likely believes that this keeps players enjoying the game.
However, the downside of SBMM is that connection quality can become less of a priority, with players matched by skill level instead of good connection. In some games that use SBMM, lag can become a big problem.
Another reason why SBMM can be seen as bad in Fortnite is that good players will start to get fewer kills, as they are less likely to come across “bad players” in lobbies.
