Got skillz?: player matching, mastery, and engagement in skill-based games

In this paper we explore mastery, a powerful intrinsic motivator, and its relationship to player engagement in a mobile skill-based game platform (Skillz.com). More specifically, we present a unique Elo-based rating system for quickly matching players with similar skill levels, which results in fair tournaments. Our rating system assigns a player with a relative rating that predicts how well they will do against another player. In an n-player game, the players with higher ratings have a higher likelihood of winning against those with lower ratings. We show that a system that promotes fairness allows players to improve by competing against players close to their skill level, which in turn promotes a sense of mastery. We show that when players feel they are improving, their engagement in the game increases. Finally, we discuss the implications of our approach for increasing fairness in gamification by matching users and tasks based on skill level.