Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War fans are continuing to debate the effects of Skill-Based Matchmaking, or SBMM, on the game. While some players are moving to try and have the system removed, there is another group who seem to not care. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has one of the strongest SBMM systems seen to date, and the community knows it.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has a split community over the issue of SBMM. While the developers have openly defended the system, many players believe that the game would be better off with open matchmaking in casual lobbies. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War pros, streamers, players, and insiders have all taken part in voicing their opinion on the controversial system.
The debate revolving around SBMM is simple, as it is an argument over competition versus casual environments. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is made up of a diverse community of players from many backgrounds and skill levels. While many players prefer the game to be a casual experience, others seem to enjoy the competitive environment that SBMM brings to the table.
While the system itself is only responsible for matching players based on a variety of parameters, it tends to brew competitive lobbies that force all players to be at the top of their game. This has caused many fans to call for the SBMM system to be toned down or turned off, but Call of Duty insider Tom Henderson says that the developers will not be toning the system.
Tom Henderson took to Twitter and pointed out that for the system to be changed, players have to be unified in their message. Right now, there is a large portion of the community calling for the removal of the system, but the other half are more worried about marketing their creator codes. While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War could have a less strict SBMM system, Tom Henderson doubts that the community could come together and work towards a singular goal.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War fans have taken it upon themselves to counter the system. From actively voicing their opinion to participation in reverse-boosting, many players are doing their part in making the game more balanced to their tastes. Meanwhile, the other side of the community seems content with the game, as is with many pros and streamers defending the matchmaking system.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
