US Edition‘Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7’ Will Vastly Reduce SBMM And Have Persistent Lobbies At Launch
Treyarch reduces skill-based matchmaking impact and adds persistent lobbies in Black Ops 7, improving matchmaking speed and player enjoyment based on beta feedback.
- Treyarch and Activision confirmed on October 9, 2025, that Black Ops 7 will launch with open matchmaking as the default, using `At launch, open matchmaking with minimal skill consideration will be the default for Black Ops 7 multiplayer.`
- During the Black Ops 7 beta, Treyarch tested lower SBMM options after Call of Duty community players long complained it made matches too competitive.
- Prioritizing connection over strict skill, matchmaking will favor faster queues and varied lobbies, while persistent lobbies let players stay in the same session across matches.
- Anti-Cheat data revealed 97% of Black Ops 7 cheaters were caught within 30 minutes, with fewer than 1% of attempts reaching a match, according to Activision.
- Many players and pros say the reduced SBMM restored fun, while critics warn it may produce sweatier matches; observers note the timing coincides with Battlefield 6 competition.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Black Ops 7 won't include controversial matchmaking feature in light of beta feedback
The skill-based matchmaking debate in Call of Duty has been raging for years, and was elevated when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare(2019) revamped how matchmaking works. During the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7beta, Treyarch listened to community sentiment and introduced "open" playlists, which prioritized connection and location over player skill level when finding a match.
Treyarch finally answers the prayers of Call of Duty players by removing skill-based matchmaking
For years, the main vice that {Call of Duty} players have harped on about has been the incredibly aggressive usage of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) in the various shooter titles. The premise for the feature is a rather sound one, namely in that it matches you up with players of equal skill, but in practice it has been a horror story, as it has led to every single multiplayer game feeling like a competitive final in front of a live audience. Thi…
Black Ops 7 "Minimal" SBMM Will Be Default; Lobbies Won't Disband After Every Match
Having trouble viewing the text? You can always read the original article here: Black Ops 7 “Minimal” SBMM Will Be Default; Lobbies Won’t Disband After Every Match During the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta, Treyarch did something that surprised a ton of people, and that’s by dialing down SBMM (Skill-Based Matchmaking), which is something Call of Duty fans have been asking for the past couple of years. The developers started a new “Open Matchmaki…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left, 50% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
