[4] Typically, the winners are rewarded with a combination of experience items, points, and in-game currency, which can then be used to skip the unnecessary grind and spruce up characters.
[5] To foster competitive integrity during these Quests, video game publishers use modified Elo rating systems to mean and match players' skills, ensuring everyone competes on a level playing field.
[10] In 2021, for example, The E-sports Federation of India (ESFI) started publishing national rankings for various MMORPGs including Valorant, Call of Duty Mobile (Battle Royale), and FreeFire, which are used to field academy rosters.
[16] And since there are very few in-game mechanisms to skip the leveling-up grind and attain the desired rank, weak players result to using ELO boosting service providers to climb the ladder and ramp up their accounts.
[22][23] Depending on the video game, in-game purchases come in different forms including coins, special weapons, rare skins, extra lives, unlocking levels, etc.
[25] A more recent study conducted in 2021 estimated the combined revenue generated by LoL, Overwatch, and DOTA boosting at $119 million, representing a 7% decline over a period of three years.
[26] The decline notwithstanding, the potential income from boosting players in popular MMORPGs such as Overwatch and League of Legends continues to be a major driver of the Elo-boosting industry.
When asked in 2023 why he engages in boosting services, competitive Europe Nordic & East (EUNE) League of Legend player Chausa replied: "I can earn way more doing this than having a regular job.
"[25] A few years earlier in 2015, veteran Chinese League of Legends gamer, XiaoWeiXiao confessed to earning $1300 for boosting a friend's account to LoL's second-highest tier rank, which led to his suspension from the now defunct Team Impulse.
[29] Today, the Elo boosting industry continues to operate in a grey area with no clear rules and regulations from video game providers and governments around the world.
[31] Riot Games can also ban CS-GO and Valorant accounts caught engaging in MMR boosting, with the punishment varying with the severity of the offense.
[32] Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts, on the other hand, also expressly prohibit boosting/account sharing in Apex Legend, citing it goes against the games' Fair Play rules and TOS.
Although MMR boosting and selling in-game items for real-world cash attracts an almost compulsory ban across different video games, there are a select few that condone the practice.
[44] Other popular video games that allow players to skip the grind in exchange for money include Guild Wars 2 (ArenaNet 2012) and Lost Ark (Tripod Studio and Smilegate 2022).
In 2019, Tyler "Ninja" Blevins made $17 million through brand endorsements, fees, and sponsorship due to his massive online following of Fortnite gamers.
Still, there are multiple "legitimate" loopholes that professional MMR boosters can exploit when duo boosting, including the use of Mobile Respawn Beacons to queue for the same matches and farm kills.
[50] In 2021, Blizzard Entertainment co-chief Mike Ybarra came under heavy criticism for promoting his guild raid, which included the sale of Heroic Sanctum of Domination boosting run in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.