Players Report Deathloop Matchmaking Issues Post-Launch
By Jack O'Dwyer
Several players have started reporting issues with the matchmaking service in Arkane Studios' recent release, Deathloop.
It's not uncommon for new releases to have multiplayer issues right out of the gate. Compounded with the massive popularity of the game, the hype surrounding its release, and the overwhelmingly positive acclaim Deathloop has received from critics, not even a massive publisher like Bethesda Softworks could hope to avoid all possible bugs. The most prominent issue is, perhaps, the most challenging to address: long queue times.
Here's what we know about how to "fix" the matchmaking system.
How to Fix Deathloop Matchmaking
Unfortunately, there isn't a silver bullet to fix matchmaking with Deathloop. There are several variables on both the developer and player side that could be affecting player access to the game's co-op mode.
For those unaware, Deathloop focuses on two elite, rival assassins locked in a time loop. One—Julianna Blake—is tasked with taking down the other—Colt Vahn—before he can assassinate all his targets on Blackreef island. This may not sound particularly intriguing on the surface, but Arkane quickly revealed the caveat to Deathloop's plot: other players can invade an ongoing game and directly pilot Julianna.
Of course, that requires the matchmaking system to be up and running properly.
In order for players to be open to opponent invasion, they need to progress through to a certain level of the game. One facet of this problem could very well be the population of available players considering the fact that the game was released around 24 hours ago at the time of this article's publication. That still doesn't explain a near half-hour long queue time on both sides, however.
According to some, the timing may also be a factor. Reddit user bronze1mechanics explained that they were able to find opponents in minutes in the early morning of Tuesday, Sept. 14. However, by that afternoon, their luck had turned.
Another piece could be the alleged latency issues that Bethesda has both acknowledged and resolved to investigate moments after bronze1mechanics' reply. The issue has since been referred to as "stuttering" or jagged clipping of frame rates during certain parts of the game. A few have chalked it up to the studio's choice of anti-pirate software—though DBLTAP cannot confirm the connection at this time.
Not all hope is lost, however. For some, the payoff for waiting vastly outweighs the frustration. One Reddit user, FlollopingMattress, wrote about their experience and the genuine rush they felt when they finally managed to get past their Julianna not through force, but through smart use of their surroundings.
"I hope others have been able to experience something like this with their invasions." They wrote.