Elo is a system used to calculate the relative skill levels of players in competitive games, including many First-Person Shooter (FPS) video games. Named after its creator, Arpad Elo, a Hungarian-American physics professor, the Elo rating system was originally developed for chess but has since been adopted by many other competitive games.
In the context of FPS games, the Elo system works by comparing the predicted outcome of a match with the actual outcome. It assigns each player an Elo score, which increases or decreases based on whether they win or lose matches. The amount of points gained or lost depends on the Elo score of the opponent – beating a higher-rated player results in more points gained than beating a lower-rated player, and vice versa for losing.
The Elo system is designed to be self-correcting. If a player’s Elo score is too high, they will lose more matches and their score will decrease. If their score is too low, they will win more often and their score will increase. Over time, a player’s Elo score should accurately reflect their skill level.
In many FPS games, the Elo system is used to match players of similar skill levels together, ensuring fair and balanced gameplay. It’s also often used in ranking systems, where players can earn higher ranks by increasing their Elo score.