There are two distinct ways to approach the problem with a game: 1. change the players 2. change the game (or system). The second is always the correct choice.

In a game like QL, choosing the 1st is like pouring fish-blood all over toddlers and then throwing them into a shark-tank. People are literally afraid to play QL. A game should not scare away players, whether they are potential players or otherwise.

Instead of having one, big shark-tank for everyone, and a 'matching' system that attempts to pit sharks against other sharks of equal skill, there should be a kiddie-pool, a swimming pool with a gradual decline from shallow to deep, and the open ocean - where the sharks live. By making it that way, the players have no need to fear the game... only some parts of the game. And that's fine, because if there are a million kiddie-pool players, and only 1,000 open-ocean players, everyone gets what they want.

Fact is, QL currently only consists of the open-ocean. Occasionally, the sharks who play QL sometimes recreate scenes from the movie 'Jaws'. This is otherwise called 'tier-slumming'. Just like in Jaws, every time it happens, people are afraid to go swimming. Plus, the old lady slaps the police chief... which makes him upset. Honestly, how can anyone blame the little kids for trying to swim and play around on their blow-up rafts?

Well, if you could follow that many metaphors, then congratulations. Hopefully, the point is clear.

P.S.: Would the skill-matching system work better if your rank depreciated through lack of play-time? I mean, if you're not playing, you are getting worse, so it would make sense for your calculated skill to decline apportionately.