I encourage everyone to check out Knockout City. It’s a fun game I recently started playing but their AFK system is the best I’ve ever seen in a competitive PVP team based game.

Here’s how it works:

Everyone who queues up for play is entered into a pool of players who will either connect to a new game lobby (like in Valorant) OR you might replace a player who had AFK’d or DC’d from a game.

Here are the benefits of “replacing” an afk player:

1. If the game ends in a loss you will NOT lose any points. However, you will be awarded points for winning.
2. You get bonus XP points for leveling up (for doing a good deed)
3. You find a game much faster
4. You’re more likely to try harder because you’re “joining in” to help players and you will not be punished for losing.
5. Players are more likely to try harder to comeback since their afk player is replaced.
6. A punishment system exists to deal with afk players just like in Valorant.

Just in a few days of play, I’ve come back some many times after teammates afk’d and then were quickly replaced by new players. Likewise, I’ve lost game after the same happened for enemy teams.

It’s a much better system that doesn’t feel punishing for everyone.