Few features of the new Call of Duty are as discredited as SBMM, skill-based matchmaking. We explain what it’s all about

For several years now, Call of Duty has been using so-called SBMM, which stands for skill-based matchmaking, in multiplayer mode. And in the newly released Modern Warfare 3, this feature is also causing heated discussions among fans. Some are positive about SBMM and find it practical, while others rail against supposedly unfair practices and unclear processes in the background.

We will try to bring you up to date. What are the pros and cons of SBMM? And what does the community currently have to say about it? Find out in this article.

How SBMM works

SBMM is based on the basic idea that players in Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer automatically meet opponents who have roughly the same skill level on the trigger finger. This is intended to prevent newcomers from being worn down by pros and the gaming experience degenerating into frustration

This sounds sensible at first, but as already mentioned, it is not uncontroversial. Firstly, because it has not yet been revealed exactly what criteria the SBMM uses in Call of Duty. This opens the door for critics to theorize, for example, that SBMM could theoretically also be used to boost microtransaction incentives (as a patent from Activision Blizzard shows).

Moreover, many professionals – especially streamers and other content creators – are bothered by the fact that SBMM cannot be optionally deactivated. The frequently voiced complaint: You can’t just relax in a casual match, but always have to sweat against equally good pros, which is just stressful

In addition, every match feels the same instead of a victory falling into your lap or a realistic chance of high killstreaks.

What’s the situation in Modern Warfare 3?

At the moment, it’s not officially known to what extent Modern Warfare 3 will use SBMM. However, this was not the case with earlier parts of the series and yet it is an open secret that at least some SBMM mechanics are active in the background on the servers in Black Ops – Cold War, Modern Warfare 2 and Co.

Modern Warfare 3 has already annoyed some streamers and well-known CoD insiders with the suspected SBMM in the beta:

 

Holy FUCKKKKKK

Man, CoD pubs are INSUFFERABLE with how high tuned SBMM is.

If you use ANY gun but the ACR or UMP, then you just get farmed by slide canceling gigasweats and it’s only day 2 of the BETA.

– Jack “CouRage” Dunlop (@CouRageJD) October 7, 2023

What may bother some players in casual games is important, at least in ranked multiplayer. This is the only way to ensure that competitive matches are played with a balanced field of participants

In the case of Modern Warfare 3, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop after the release of the multiplayer mode.

What is your opinion on SBMM? Have you had good or mostly bad experiences with the technology in the past? Or have you never noticed that such an algorithm is active in the background? Are you looking forward to the multiplayer of Modern Warfare 3? We’re curious to hear your thoughts on the subject, so feel free to write us your opinion in the comments!

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