Solo Queue

Solo queue means entering Dota 2 matchmaking alone, without other members in your party; it describes how you enter the queue, not a separate game mode.

What is Solo Queue in Dota 2?

A player is solo queuing when they search for a match without a premade party. The matchmaker then builds a team around that individual player using the selected matchmaking settings and available player pool. Solo queue can be discussed in both casual and ranked contexts, although specific matchmaking options differ between queues.

Solo queue does not automatically mean every other player in the match is also solo. Dota 2 has used strict solo matchmaking options in ranked play to limit solo players to other solo players, but that is a separate matchmaking setting from the basic meaning of entering the queue alone.

How Solo Queue is used in a match

Players often compare solo queue with party queue because communication and coordination are different. In solo queue, a player cannot rely on established teammates and may need to identify roles, lane plans and calls after matchmaking has already formed the team.

The term also appears in discussions about MMR, ranked climbing and role queue. Saying someone “plays mostly soloq” simply means most of their matches are entered without a premade party.

Do not confuse Solo Queue with...

Do not confuse solo queue with a solo lane. Solo queue describes matchmaking without a party; a solo lane is a lane occupied by one allied hero during the match.