Players Criticize Classic Matchmaking in Black Ops 7, Allegedly "Destroying Multiplayer"

The matchmaking system remains one of the most controversial topics in Call of Duty since Modern Warfare (2019).

The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 5 brought a classic matchmaking system to the game, inspired by the matchmaking approach from Black Ops and Black Ops 2. However, instead of a positive reaction from the community, the new feature sparked a wave of criticism — players claim that the new matchmaking has made multiplayer significantly worse.

Many players have complained for years about overly strict skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), which made matches monotonous, and good results effectively led to more difficult games.

Upon the launch of Black Ops 7, developers focused on open matchmaking, where skill level was minimally considered. Players generally reacted positively to this approach: match searches were faster, connection became more important than skill level, and the composition of opponents was more diverse.

However, in Season 5, Activision added classic matchmaking for Black Ops Classic, Quick Play, and Party Games modes. Developers stated that the system would provide a more balanced team composition, a greater variety of matches, help maintain full lobbies, and improve the game for groups of players with different skill levels.

In practice, the community's reaction was the opposite. Players on Reddit claim that classic matchmaking brought back problems they had been trying to get rid of in recent years, and opponent matching once again became overly skill-dependent.

The situation also raises concerns about Modern Warfare 4. Developers have already stated that open matchmaking options will be available in the beta testing of the new game. From this, some players concluded that the classic system might become the main matchmaking option in the release version. Amidst these developments, some users are even announcing the cancellation of pre-orders.