Activision Has No Plans to Remove SBMM in Call of Duty, States It’s Been Around Since COD4

Not a fan of skill-based matchmaking or more commonly known as SBMM? Well, we have some tough news for you, as Activision has confirmed there are no plans to take it out of Call of Duty.

This was something the company highlighted in an explanation of how Call of Duty matchmaking works. According to Activision, they conducted a test in Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer were 50% of players had skill factor reduced in matchmaking. The test results revealed that about 80% of players were negatively affected with player retention dropping for a large portion of the low and mid-skilled player groups.

• Increased Match Quit Rates: The likelihood for a player to quit during a match increased significantly across 80% of players within the study.
• Return to Matchmaking: Within the sample study group, 90% of players in the loosened skill group did not return at a higher rate than the control group. This indicated that low- to mid-skill players left the game in greater numbers. The net effect of this was a decrease in the overall player population across the study group. Therefore, the likely result of this compounding over time will lead to player populations that feature only higher-skilled players at increasing rates.
• Blowouts: Matches where blowouts – a score delta greater than 30 – increased across all skill levels in Team Deathmatch, as one example.

Another example was a test to tighten skill in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. This had inverse results consistent with the results of the loosening test. Quit rate was down for 90% of players and we saw other improvements in the experience of low-skill players (KPM and SPM). However, we observed negative impacts for high-skill players. As a result, this change was not rolled out as a standard approach in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, as we continue to strive for a balance in our approach to matchmaking.

Activision also released an FAQ for some pressing matchmaking questions players from the community might have,

Does competing against high-skill players make low-skill players better at the game?

A: Playing a better opponent may push players to become more proficient over time, but being severely outperformed in their matches, our testing has shown, instead leads players to quit matches in progress or to not play multiplayer.

Why does Call of Duty measure skill differently between game modes?

A: Skill is split between all major core multiplayer modes as proficiency in one mode doesn’t necessarily indicate proficiency in others. Players should be able to play a mode like Ranked Play as intensely as they choose without impacting their experience in unranked multiplayer modes where players can, for example, experiment with loadouts.

Why is skill a factor in unranked core multiplayer modes when Ranked Play is available?

A: Ranked Play is designed to deliver an expressly competitive environment; accordingly, players must qualify for access to Ranked Play modes. Many players who have qualified for Ranked Play still choose to enter the game in non-ranked playlists. For new players and those who do not participate in Ranked Play, it’s important they can contribute meaningfully to their team and their own personal in-game achievements. The next Matchmaking Series white paper will further detail Ranked Play.

Has Call of Duty considered launching a single core multiplayer playlist that does not use skill as a factor in matchmaking?

A:  Call of Duty has considered this option, and the team will continue to explore.  Historical testing reveals that low- and mid-skill players would be unlikely to participate in such a playlist. As a match can only be created from players actively searching for a playlist, the likely result would be matches composed solely of high-skill players.

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Per Activision, player skill or SBMM has been part of the matchmaking process as far back as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007).

You can read more about Activision’s explanation here.

While it’s great to see Activision finally speak up about SBMM, it seems to be a losing battle as the company’s data clearly shows SBMM is working for the betterment of the player base. Will this stop players from purchasing the latest Call of Duty game? I doubt that, as most players don’t even know or care about SBMM to even factor in their purchasing decisisions.

More Call of Duty Reading:

• Call of Duty Studios Continue to Ignore the Community’s Biggest Complaint — SBMM
• Black Ops 6 Omnimovement Not Meant to Make Game Faster but More Fluid, Won’t Widen Skill Gap Too Much
• Black Ops 6 Scorestreaks Won’t Loop and Will Revert to Traditional Style; Dedicated Melee Weapon Slot Confirmed

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