# Standard/Quick Match matchmaking and game balance are deeply frustrating right now

**URL:** <https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/standard-quick-match-matchmaking-and-game-balance-are-deeply-frustrating-right-now/287813>\
**Category:** IV - Discussion\
**Created:** [July 23, 2026, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/standard-quick-match-matchmaking-and-game-balance-are-deeply-frustrating-right-now/287813 "2026-07-23T21:06:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bambuuuuu](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/bambuuuuu/32/177865_2.png) [@Bambuuuuu](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/Bambuuuuu)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/standard-quick-match-matchmaking-and-game-balance-are-deeply-frustrating-right-now/287813/1 "2026-07-23T21:06:10Z")

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Hi everyone,

​I’m writing this post to share my extreme frustration regarding the current state of matchmaking and overall game balance in casual / Quick Matches.

​Today I hit my absolute limit: 10 losses in a row. Not due to a lack of effort, but because of a system that seems fundamentally unable to create balanced or enjoyable games.

​The main issues ruining the experience right now are:

​Total team imbalance: Far too often I get paired with teammates who are clearly beginners or completely unaware of basic mechanics, playing against well-coordinated stacks.

​Low-level smurfs: I keep running into players with low-level profiles who clearly possess expert-level build orders, micro, and macro skills.

​Brainless unit spam (Cavalry/Camel massing): On top of the matchmaking, the meta in casual games often devolves into players mindlessly spamming 100+ cavalry or camels and A-moving them across the map. It requires almost no tactical variety, yet it becomes extremely oppressive to deal with when playing with uncoordinated random teammates.

​Age of Empires is a great game, but it has a brutal snowball effect: if a teammate collapses early or if there’s a massive skill gap, there is virtually no way to come back in game. This turns 30 to 40-minute matches into a slow, agonizing drag, leaving you with nothing but frustration.

​I understand Quick Matches are meant to be casual, but that shouldn’t mean they have to be an unfair coin toss or a cavalry raid simulator. We need a stricter matchmaking algorithm that accurately factors in real player skill.

​Are you guys experiencing the same thing lately? How do you deal with mass cavalry spam when queuing with random teammates?