One of the big topics that Call of Duty players debate is SBMM, or skill-based matchmaking. This is an invisible system that pairs online players with users who – based on a series of factors – are expected to be at the same skill level. The idea is to create matches that are as fair and balanced as possible.
However, some players say that this is not a good approach if you play casually. It would be better to be able to find yourself in matches where you sometimes win very easily and matches where you are destroyed in a few moments.
Activision explained more clearly how SBMM works in Call of Duty earlier this year, and now they’ve shared some new insights, stating in short that while many users say otherwise, SBMM is actually enjoyed by most.
Activision’s Findings About SBMM Use in Call of Duty
In a 25-page document with graphs and tables, which is incredible for the simple fact that it exists, various components of the game are explained in detail, even concepts like “skill”, tracking eliminations per minute and more.
Some of this has already been explained, but the funny part is that Activision did some testing in early 2024 and secretly reduced the impact of SBMM in Call of Duty matches to see how players would react. This was done in North America in Modern Warfare 3 and the reduction in the impact of SBMM was 50%.
The result? Over 90% of players whose matches had SBMM reduced by 50% played less time in Call of Duty. Only the very best players did not change their play time, since they still won. The bottom line is that matches without good SBMM favor the very best players and make the gaming experience less fun for those of medium or low skill.
Speaking of the video game, Call of Duty has sold content created with AI, per a report that sheds light on Activision’s layoffs.
