Revolutionary EA Patent Unveiled to Expose Smurf Accounts

EA has filed a patent that appears to offer a solution to the problem of smurfing in online multiplayer games. Smurfing is when an experienced player creates a new account to compete against less experienced opponents, often using spoofing techniques to manipulate the game's matchmaking system. This has become a serious issue, as demonstrated by Blizzard's request earlier this year for Overwatch 2 players to stop smurfing. With so many players seeking to gain an unfair advantage, there is currently no effective way to prevent this behavior.

Electronic Arts may have a potential solution to the smurfing issue with a new development on the horizon. The company has recently listed a patent seeking to identify gameplay metrics that could aid in detecting smurfing in low-skill online matches. The patent explains that metadata gathered through gameplay could be used to tag players as either newbies or veterans without alerting them. These metrics may include factors such as accuracy, attack placement, damage dealt and received, spawn selection, and more. This system would operate in conjunction with regular matchmaking, remaining invisible to players.

The practice of smurfing has been around for a while, but it seems to be becoming increasingly prevalent. In an effort to combat this issue, Valorant made attempts to discourage smurfing some time ago. The game's competitive nature made it particularly susceptible to situations in which highly competitive players would seek to inflate their stats by playing against lower-ranking players rather than those of similar skill level.

Electronic Arts appears to be taking a more comprehensive approach to improving the multiplayer gaming experience and reducing toxicity. One example of this is a patent filed by the company in late 2022, which would allow EA to ban players for collaborating with their opponents. While these new features and systems are not expected to have an immediate impact, it will take some time for EA's developers to implement them across different competitive titles.

EA's live service games are likely to be the first ones to benefit from the new matchmaking upgrades once they become accessible. Apex Legends, in particular, has been plagued by matchmaking issues and the game's immense popularity means that there are countless players trying to smurf at any given moment. While players can currently do little beyond reporting the most egregious offenders, it's only a matter of time before these matchmaking improvements become available.