Failing to address multiplayer in PVP is a mistake

[Ath192]

It's not so low that they don't provide a separate Ranked queue, which is (meant to be) further divided by the skill level of those ranked players but in practice they all get matched together anyway due to lack of players and sometimes Ranked players give up and join the casual queue like I did.

If they are going to provide that they may as well divide it even more on the off chance it satisfies the players that want to queue as a party.

This is a chicken or egg situation, we don't know if the pop is lower because they intentionally hold back modes that would get more people into PVP, such as playing with friends.... or because PVP was never going to be popular to begin with. Either way, I stand by my opinion no other popular PVP game straight up prohibits queuing with friends.

Private matches requires the intense workload of being a human duty finder for 9 others. So this is not a viable solution except for well organized tournaments, not quick fun. All that needs to happen is for the duty finder to mirror pre-made team headcounts.

Posit the following scenario:

What is more likely to get a shy new person into PVP?

A) A friend getting you into it and queuing with you and showing you the ropes, and you guys make it a habit to play the PVP mode co-op.

B) Queuing solo for the first time and getting absolutely wrecked while strangers spam sarcastic good match! and giving you hate commendations

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It's this mentality that holds Square back, the notion that they are protecting you by limiting your options, but that doesn't protect you, as highlighted in option B, which totally happens, and it only isolates you and makes it less fun.