Ever since the big Modern Warfare reboot in 2019, the whole matchmaking system in Call of Duty changed; to one that tries to match players up of a similar skill level above all other metrics. It's a system that should work in theory, but in practice has led to a feeling of being punished for playing well - and it sounds as though Activision has finally caved into the fan outcry on this topic with Black Ops 7.
Following tests in the beta that introduced a matchmaking method where skill was 'minimally considered', developer Treyarch has announced that this will be the default matchmaking system in the full game.
Here's some fresh information on that decision:
"We know the big question on everyone’s minds coming out of the Beta is “how will matchmaking work in Black Ops 7?”
At launch, Open Matchmaking with minimal skill consideration will be the default for Black Ops 7 Multiplayer. Simply put, imagine the matchmaking experience of Open Moshpit from the Beta, but as the standard in Black Ops 7 on day one.
Our team feels strongly about providing players with a more varied experience, and the Beta proved to be a great opportunity to test this approach. We’ll be sharing more details as we get closer to launch!"
What's more, another long-requested feature will also be making its way into this year's game: persistent lobbies. Tying directly into the skill-based matchmaking system of recent titles, online lobbies have 'disbanded' after each match ever since MW19 - so that SBMM can be re-applied for the next game. Starting with Black Ops 7, the older style of COD lobby will return, where players can stick around after each match.
"We’ve heard the community discussion and dialogue around lobby disbanding, and as we mentioned earlier during the Beta, we’re focused on keeping players together from match to match more often. Today, we’re excited to announce we’ll have persistent lobbies at launch for Black Ops 7. We’re committed to improving this experience for players, and will be sharing more details soon."
These are two huge changes that dedicated Call of Duty fans have been clamouring for, and it's good to see them finally implemented here in Black Ops 7. For more information on the almost-finished beta and how that's informed the full release, check out the blog post link down below.