Dev Blog - S5 Matching & UX Improvements

Hello Racers, today, I'd like to discuss the Season 5 update with you!

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Before we begin, I'd like to note that we are hard at work preparing a major revamp of KartRider: Drift. We can't wait to show you everything to come, however, the changes that are being worked on will take a good deal of time. We're currently targeting this new direction to be released with our first update in 2024, and will be sharing more details when that update approaches. Keep an eye out for more news, and lets get back to the Season 5 changes!

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For this season, we've included several UI/UX changes and made improvements to matchmaking in addition to the usual new content we add every season, such as new tracks, Racing Pass, and events. I will focus on the changes and improvements for this Dev Blog.

As I mentioned in the last Dev Blog, we've been working on improving our matchmaking systems, which has left players dissatisfied. I personally feel sorry for the inconvenience caused to our players by the current problems with finding good matches with other Racers.

To speed up matchmaking times, we decided to focus on improving the scattered matching system. We removed the Duo mode and 'Racer + AI' matching options from Normal mode, and we've brought the Infinite Boost Mode that was previously available in Normal mode back into the Mode Lab. We plan to rotate through various modes, including the Infinite Boost Mode, in the Mode Lab so that our players can enjoy them on a set schedule.

This is particularly important for the Grand Prix modes, where matching delays were particularly severe. Grand Prix will now only be available during specific times selected to be best available for Racers around the world.

We have also altered Speed Grand Prix to be available with fewer Racers per match if matchmaking is delayed, instead of requiring 8 players for each match.

Due to the changes mentioned above, we will also be adjusting Win Streak Bonus reward grades and the player requirements for receiving Win Streak Bonuses. We have also changed the matchmaking system for Item Grand Prix so that the matchmaking pool expands to find more available players whenever there is a delay in finding a new match.

As I noted in the previous Dev Blog, these matchmaking-related changes are temporary, with the aim to relieve the inconveniences players have been experiencing in the short term. As we roll out more long-term solutions with future updates, these changes will be scaled back and removed.

Next, I'd like to discuss the upcoming UI/UX changes. These UI/UX changes are centered around the core intent to improve menu flow and overall convenience throughout the user interface outside of races.

We've changed the Lobby from a traditional navigate-and-select structure to a tabbed format, making it faster to navigate to submenus like the Garage, Shop, etc. In addition, we've improved on various menus such as Time Attack and Livery that were previously cumbersome to use. We've also changed the Custom Race menu to allow players to easily adjust their Karts, Characters, and other Item settings without having them return to the Lobby. Finally, we've consolidated the numerous control keys, and unified how in-game pop-up messages appear, which was previously inconsistent.

We understand that this update lacks the revamp that many of you were hoping for, but we'll work hard on the Season 5 update with this new direction to ensure that our Racers are happy, and we look forward to sharing more details about what we're working on next in a future Dev Blog.

Season 5 also contains special new content such as our collaboration with BLACKPINK, new tracks, new events, plus the improvements mentioned above. Please log in, enjoy the race, and continue to provide your feedback on KartRider: Drift. We'll make sure to listen to your ideas and work to incorporate them into future updates.

Thank you,

-Director Jaewoo Seo and the KartRider: Drift Team-