KDA

KDA is a three-part statistic: kills (opponents you defeated), deaths (times you were defeated) and assists (times you helped a team-mate defeat an opponent). It is usually shown as three numbers, such as 8/3/12, or as a single ratio calculated from them. Many shooters and team arena games display KDA on their scoreboards and in post-match summaries.

A closely related figure is K/D, the kill-to-death ratio, which ignores assists. A K/D of 2.0 means you defeated twice as many opponents as you were defeated.

How the ratio is calculated

Games and tracking sites use slightly different formulas, but a common version adds kills and assists together, then divides by deaths. So 8 kills, 12 assists and 4 deaths gives a KDA of 5.0. Some formulas weight assists less than kills. Because the methods vary, comparing KDA figures between different games is not very meaningful.

What KDA misses

KDA is easy to understand, which makes it popular, but it is a rough measure. A player can have an impressive KDA while ignoring the actual objective – capturing points, escorting a payload, defending a base – and contribute little to winning. Support players may have low kill counts despite playing very well. Some players protect their KDA by avoiding risks their team needed them to take. Experienced players usually look at KDA alongside objective time, damage and, most importantly, whether the team won.

A healthier way to look at stats

For new players, focusing on deaths can be more useful than chasing kills: dying less often usually helps a team more. It is also worth knowing that comparing KDAs can turn unkind in team chat. Encouraging young players to judge their games on what they learnt and whether they helped their team, rather than on one number, tends to make competitive play more enjoyable.