World of Tanks

The matchmaking in this game is completely unbalanced (or maybe even rigged?). Long losing streaks make it hard not to suspect something’s off. It’s a shame, because the core gameplay itself is genuinely fun and rewarding — at least when the system decides to tip the scales in your favor. The community is quite toxic, and it’s not uncommon to receive private messages full of insults from other frustrated players. To have a decent experience, you definitely need skill and a good understanding of the game’s mechanics — things like armor angles, weak spots, and penetration values — but often even that isn’t enough when you’re losing 7 or 8 out of 10 matches on average. Many people say it’s a “skill issue,” and partly it is, but the matchmaking clearly plays a huge role. If one team is filled with experienced players and the other with beginners, the outcome is obvious. Wargaming also seems to prefer short, one-sided battles, where one team completely steamrolls the other. Is it pay-to-win? Yes and no. Having a premium account is almost mandatory if you play high-tier vehicles, otherwise you’ll lose credits after each battle. Premium tanks — which cost real money — do offer some advantages, but they don’t guarantee a higher winrate (again, matchmaking decides that). In the end, this game feels a bit like gambling: you know you’ll probably lose, yet you keep playing, over and over again...