I’ve played Brawl Stars for a very long time, since release. What I have noticed over time is that the longer I play, the less control I have over games and even out of games in the meta systems. Matchups become more brawler and kit dependent, rather than player skill and strategy. For some reason brawl stars also thinks we want gambling in the game for buffies and skins, removing useful tools and even backtracking in some aspects.
Although I have no doubt improved in skill since I started playing, and skill is definitely still the major part of who wins a matchup. However, seemingly more frequently sometimes you’re just bound to lose because of what brawler you’re playing against. This is due to the release of new OP, no skill brawlers who play themselves and a sort of arms race of damage and reworks that infect brawlers. For example, I was playing Sandy on solos and I just got dog walked by a Sirius. Chased immediately off spawn, gadgets me and hits me twice, then supers again and now there’s two shadows on me. I couldn’t just walk away since there were other brawlers and I couldn’t fight back since I don’t do nearly enough damage and I’m outraged. Brawlers like Bull are putting out insane damage with crazy health, supplied by stupid star powers, gadgets l, and buffies meanwhile Sandy can mag dump someone and still die. There’s too many brawlers where the best course of action is just to not fight them. Since the average player that I’m playing is of similar skill level, kit matters more than it used to.
Outside of direct gameplay, why does SC tend to do exactly what the community doesn’t want and a really bad job at it anyways? Who didn’t like mythic gears and preferred buffies? Some epic gears like extra reload made brawlers viable, and the buffies don’t make up for it in the same way. In other cases, brawlers just become boosted by insane buffies like Emz. Also, why would they be randomized? I don’t want all the Nita buffies, but I do. You can buy them specifically but at a ridiculous price. Same thing they’re doing with skins now. Who wouldn’t want to buy the thing that they want? If you go to the store wanting pasta and hit a raffle and walk out with rice, that would be stupid. I don’t want randomness.
The developers are focusing more on engagement than balance, and it is hurting the player’s ability. I understand that SC is a business, but a business should make a good product. If you released a new brawler who was unique but not ridiculously OP, then people would still probably buy it. Maybe not as much, but if you keep going down this road you won’t have much of an audience left soon. SC, fix your game and listen to the community.