‘ELO Hell’ Meaning in Gaming | Esports Terms Explained

ELO hell is a rank where players feel stuck due to uncooperative teammates. It is also called ‘MMR hell’, ‘rating hell’, or ‘ranked hell’. The idea is that players who are skilled and deserve a higher rank are unable to climb because of their bad or toxic teammates. This way, the game becomes frustrating, unfair, and unfun.

ELO hell is related to ELO, a rating system that determines players’ skill levels. ELO works by calculating and updating players’ ratings based on their wins and losses. The rating is a numerical value that represents the player’s skill level. The rank is a category that groups players with similar ratings. Some examples of ranks are bronze, silver, gold, platinum, diamond, and master.

ELO hell is not easy to escape. It requires patience, perseverance, and improvement. It also depends on the game and the developer. Some games have more or less ELO hell than others. Some developers have more or less ELO hell support than others.

How Did ELO Hell Start?

ELO hell started from the game of chess, not video games. Chess is a board game that involves two players and 16 pieces each. It also involves a lot of strategy, skill, and logic. Some players found out that they wanted to know their skill level and compare it with other players. This led to the creation of various rating systems for chess.

ELO was one of the rating systems for chess, created by Arpad Elo, a Hungarian-American physicist and chess player. Elo designed his system in the 1950s and 1960s, based on statistical and psychological principles. He also tested and refined his system with real data and feedback. His system became the official rating system of the World Chess Federation in 1970.

ELO hell was a phenomenon that some chess players experienced or claimed to experience. They believed that they were stuck in a low rank because of their bad luck or unfair opponents. They also complained that they could not progress or enjoy the game because of their low rank.

ELO hell spread to other games that used ELO or similar rating systems, such as Go, Scrabble, and Backgammon. It also influenced the development of new games and genres, such as strategy, puzzle, and esports.

What are the Causes of ELO Hell?

ELO hell has several causes that make it real or perceived. Some of the causes are:

• Teamwork and Communication: ELO hell is a rank where players feel stuck due to uncooperative teammates. This means that players have to deal with teammates who are unskilled, unhelpful, or unfriendly. This also means that players have to communicate and coordinate with teammates who are unwilling, unavailable, or incompatible.
• Variance and Uncertainty: ELO hell is a rank where players feel stuck due to unpredictable factors. This means that players have to face factors that are beyond their control or knowledge. This also means that players have to cope with factors that are random, inconsistent, or hidden. For example, the matchmaking system, the game balance, or the player behavior.
• Bias and Expectation: ELO hell is a rank where players feel stuck due to unrealistic beliefs. This means that players have to confront beliefs that are inaccurate or irrational. This also means that players have to adjust beliefs that are subjective, selective, or self-serving. For example, the Dunning-Kruger effect, the confirmation bias, or the self-fulfilling prophecy.

To Sum Up

ELO hell is a rank where players feel stuck due to uncooperative teammates. It started from the game of chess and spread to other games that used ELO or similar rating systems. ELO hell has several causes that make it real or perceived, such as teamwork, communication, variance, uncertainty, bias, and expectation. ELO hell is not a cheat or a glitch, but a feature and a phenomenon.