Black Ops 7 Developers Shift to Skill-Minimal Matchmaking for Enhanced Gameplay Diversity

Treyarch has announced that in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 multiplayer mode, player skill levels will be minimally factored into matchmaking by default. In a blog post, the developers explained that the goal of this change is to create a more varied gaming experience.

«Imagine the matchmaking from the ‘beta’ as the standard in Black Ops 7 right from day one,» stated Treyarch. The team emphasized that the beta phase allowed them to test the new system and confirm its advantages.

Critics of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) have long complained about the repetitive nature of matches: players of similar skill levels face each other too frequently, which diminishes the thrill of stunning victories and crushing defeats, turning every game into a grueling struggle. The removal of SBMM is likely to please experienced gamers and streamers, as it will be easier for them to achieve impressive kills.

Additionally, Treyarch will reintroduce «permanent lobbies»—these will no longer disband after each match. Opponents and allies will be able to stick together and compete against each other as often as they like. This format fosters better communication among players within the shooter and positively impacts the social aspect of CoD. Fans have been requesting this change for many years.

It seems that fans of Call of Duty have Treyarch to thank for finally listening to community requests, possibly spurred by the upcoming Battlefield 6. Competition indeed works wonders!

Players will be able to experience the revamped matchmaking in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on PC (Steam, Microsoft Store, Battle.net), Xbox, PlayStation, and on the Game Pass Ultimate subscription starting November 14. The game will also feature a text translation into Russian.