Ever since SBMM, Skill-Based Matchmaking, was discovered inCall of Duty: Black Ops ColdWar, members of the game’s community have been protesting. This opposition to the matchmaking system is prevalent throughout theCall of Dutycommunity with many fans expectingBlack Ops Cold Warto have moved past the generally-disliked system. When players logged in to find SBMM still at large, complaints immediately started circulating.
SBMM has gained a rather notorious reputationamong theCall of Dutycommunity. From pros to streamers to even casual players, the debate for and against SBMM has been burning since the launch ofModern Warfare.The issue that SBMM causes may not affect most players, but to those who perform better then the average fan, the system quickly piles up with new problems.
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For many, theprotest against SBMMhas taken the form of angry Reddit posts, Twitter rants, or YouTube arguments. Other fans prefer a more active solution, resulting in a new case of reverse boosting. To do this, players are grouping up and killing themselves inBlack Ops Cold Warlobbies continuously with the explicit goal of decreasing their skill level. With enough deaths under their belts, players will find themselves matched into lower-tier lobbies. For many, the fact that this is even necessary is considered ridiculous as casual play should be casual and outside the realm of SBMM. Others argue that they prefer to play with people their own skill and reverse boosting will mess up the already “balanced” system.
So far theCall of Dutycommunity members that dislike SBMMhave been very loud in their concerns. But it remains to be seen if any changes will be made.
For many fans, the solution is simple. Implement SBMM in a Ranked setting where the more competitive players can fight it out at a competitive level. Meanwhile, casual lobbies should pair completely randomly removingSBMM from the multiplayer equationand providing a truly casual experience.
It is unclear if Treyarch plans to continue using SBMM in the finished version of the game, but members of the community seems dead set on convincing the studio to remove it. Many fans hope thatCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warwill launch with a new ranking systemthat is more balanced towards player’s fun rather than skill.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold Waris set to release on November 13th for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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