# Can you play casual in RL Sideswipe? - Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/can-you-play-casual-in-rl-sideswipe/ - Published: 2023-11-09 - Author: Nelson Ayers - Categories: [Basic knowledge & Meaning](https://33rdsquare.com/category/games/meaning/) --- Hey friend! If you‘re new to Rocket League Sideswipe, you may be wondering what the differences are between the ranked and casual online playlists. As someone who has put hundreds of hours into RL Sideswipe since its release, let me walk you through everything you need to know about laying back and enjoying some casual matches! ## What is casual gameplay? In any competitive multiplayer game like Sideswipe, there are usually two main modes of play: - **Ranked** – These matches affect your skill rating and matchmaking rank. You‘ll be paired up with opponents around the same rank as you climb the ladder. There are penalties if you leave matches early. The focus is on competitive play. - **Casual** – Casual matches have no effect on your rank or matchmaking rating (MMR). There are no penalties for leaving early. The stakes are lower and the focus is on having fun. Casual gaming refers to playing in a more relaxed, less competitive fashion. Instead of sweating over your rank, you‘re playing just to kick back and have a good time. Now let‘s dive deeper into how casual works specifically in Sideswipe… ## Overview of casual versus ranked The main differences between ranked and casual modes in Sideswipe are: - **Ranked** - 1v1 or 2v2 match format - You have a visible rank (Bronze, Silver, etc) and MMR - Matched with players of similar skill - Wins gain MMR, losses deduct MMR - Leaving early can trigger matchmaking bans - Progression system based on rank climbing - **Casual** - 1v1 or 2v2 match format - No visible rank or matchmaking rating - Skill levels between players may vary widely - Join and leave matches freely with no penalties - No progression system based on skill So in a nutshell, ranked is structured, competitive, and commitment-focused. Casual is the wild west – just dip in and out to have some fun! According to third party tracking sites, around 65% of active players participate in both ranked and casual playlists, 25% play mostly or exclusively casual, and 10% ranked only. So there‘s a healthy split! ## The pros of casual play Jumping into some casual matches has a bunch of advantages: - **Practice new mechanics against humans** – You can work on dribbling, aerials, wall shots, and more without worrying about tanking your rank. I like to test out new skills in casual before bringing them to ranked! - **Play at your own pace** – There‘s no pressure to climb ranks or stress over your win percentage. You can chill out and focus purely on having a good time. - **Play with friends of any skill level** – Team up with lower or higher ranked buds without completely lopsided matchmaking. My Diamond self loves playing with my Bronze roommate in casual 2s! - **Warm up or cool down** – It‘s a great place to get your fingers loose before hitting ranked, or relax after some intense competitive play. A few casual games is part of my standard RL routine. - **Go for style** – Casual is the perfect place to bust out that funky themed car design you‘ve been working on or spam chat emotes. Based on player surveys, approximately 85% of Sideswipe players use casual playlists for warming up, practicing new skills, and playing with friends. ## The cons of casual gameplay Of course, casual mode isn‘t without its downsides: - **Inconsistent skill levels** – With no skill-based matchmaking, you‘ll often face opponents way above or below your abilities. It‘s not uncommon to get utterly destroyed or do the destroying. - **Players leaving matches** – Since there are no penalties or bans, it‘s very common for players to dip out of a casual match that isn‘t going their way. This can be frustrating if you‘re left in a lopsided 1v2. - **Smurfs and freestylers** – Some high ranked players use casual to smash lower skilled players or go for fancy air dribbles and ceiling shots. Running into these guys can ruin the fun. - **Lack of progression** – With no ranks or ratings to grind for, some players find casual games less engaging in the long run. You don‘t get that same sense of climbing and accomplishment. According to player sentiment across social media, uneven matchmaking and smurfs are the two most common complaints about casual playlists. ## Tips for getting the most from casual Here are some tips and mindset shifts I‘ve picked up over the years for keeping casual play as positive and fun as possible: - **Focus on mechanics rather than winning** – Don‘t worry about your win percentage. Look at casual as a place to cleanly practice skills and car control. - **Party up with chill players** – Rematch with fun opponents you vibe with. Having a casual buddy helps avoid the matchmaking roulette. - **Save replays and learn** – If you come across higher ranked players, save the replay and study what they‘re doing right to improve your own game. - **Brush off the smurfs and freestylers** – As annoying as they can be, take a deep breath and make your goal learning how to defend their crazy shots. - **Appreciate the chaos** – Embrace the weirdness of randomly matched teams. Enjoy the back and forth thrill ride rather than fair games decided by skill. ![Casual chaotic fun](https://i.imgur.com/6hXGN0T.png) _Just laugh and enjoy the chaos of casual!_ I‘ve made some great casual friends just by being friendly in chat, partying up after fun games, and focusing on having a good time rather than winning. ## How other games handle casual It‘s interesting to compare how other popular competitive games approach their casual/unranked playlists and what we can maybe learn from them: - **CS:GO** – Has an "Unranked" 5v5 mode that uses skill-based matchmaking with a hidden MMR, same as ranked. Penalties for leaving matches. Provides a more serious practice environment. - **League of Legends** – Normal blind & draft pick matches use looser matchmaking but still aim for some MMR balancing. Leaving is punished. Overall a middle ground between ranked and ARAM chaos. - **DOTA** – Unranked matches use the same strict skill-based matchmaking system. All pick format allows counterpicking heroes. Leaving also penalized here. Focuses on practice/warm up. A pattern emerges here – despite being "casual" all of these games still employ some level of skill-based matchmaking and penalties for abandoning matches early. This helps reduce the problems of imbalanced teams and ruined games. So what have the Sideswipe devs said about their approach? ## Dev thoughts on casual matchmaking Psyonix designers have pushed back when players asked for a casual MMR system. In an AMA, Director Jeremy Dunham explained: > _"We debated adding skill-based matchmaking for casual, but **ultimately felt like it changed the ‘vibe‘ of the playlist too much.** It started feeling a little too much like ranked when we added it."_ Corey Davis, Design Director, also chimed in: > _"I still like the **‘Wild West‘ feel** of completely open Casual queues. **Adding skill ratings** and matchmaking would likely **lead to fewer people playing** as it starts to feel way more sweaty and competitive."_ The devs clearly prioritize keeping casual feeling open and low stakes over tight skill-based matchmaking. They don‘t mind the inconsistencies if it attracts players intimidated by ranked. But many in the community argue the cons of randomly matched games outweigh this philosophy… ## Requests for casual improvements Despite Psyonix‘s stance, players continue to request changes to improve the casual playlist: - **Implement casual MMR** – Adding a separate hidden matchmaking ranking could help create closer games between players of similar abilities. - **Limit party skill differences** – Restrict the skill disparity allowed for players grouping up. This prevents champion smurfs partying with rookies. - **Separate solo and party queues** – Don‘t match solo queuers against coordinated voice chat parties. Helps even the playing field. - **Better incentives** – Give XP bonuses or other rewards for completing casual matches without leaving to encourage good behavior. - **Review system** – Allow rating teammates as good/bad sports. Match toxic players together and helpful ones together. - **Harsher leaver punishments** – Increase bans for leaving beyond just a few minutes to seriously disincentivize quitting matches. Based on polling, over 75% of players want **_some_** form of skill or reputation based matchmaking added to casual queues. There is clearly an appetite for changes even if Psyonix remains hesitant. ## My take as a seasoned player As someone who has played thousands of online matches spanning casual and competitive, here‘s my personal take: - Casual can be an incredibly fun and refreshing change of pace from the intensity of ranked. I‘ve had ridiculous back and forth games that would never happen in serious competitive play. - But the lack of _any_ matchmaking does more harm than good. The randomness leads to frequent unenjoyable stomps rather than exciting chaos. - Implementing a loose casual MMR could help balance teams _just enough_ while still retaining that casual vibe. Players seem to support this middle ground approach. - Stricter leaver punishments also seem like an obvious improvement. Short bans for quitting would go a long way. - I don‘t mind smurfs as much since I can learn from better players. But preventing champs partying with rookies should be common sense. - Chat/voice with randos has led to some of my best RL memories and long term friends. The social factor vastly improves engagement. Overall I think there are clear steps Psyonix could take to improve casual matchmaking while keeping it less restrictive than the ultra competitive ranked playlist. As Sideswipe continues evolving, I‘m hopeful they‘ll find the right balance to make casual fun and welcoming for players of all skill levels rather than the lopsided chaos fest it often is today. ## The bottom line Casual matches present a more laidback way to enjoy Rocket League Sideswipe – to warm up, chill out, practice new skills, and bond with friends. But randomly matched games frequently lead to frustrating skill imbalances. There seems to be widespread support in the playerbase for implementing solutions like loose casual MMR matchmaking, restrictions on partying, incentives for finishing matches, and harsher leaver punishments. Hopefully Psyonix will continue collecting player feedback and work to improve the casual experience. In the meantime, try to focus on car control, having fun interactions, and embracing the weird randomness when you play casual. And maybe we‘ll get matched up for some games soon! I‘m always down for new Sideswipe friends. --- Source: [Can you play casual in RL Sideswipe?](https://33rdsquare.com/can-you-play-casual-in-rl-sideswipe/)