Activision is making good on its promise to dial back skill-based matchmaking in Call of Duty, rolling out further reductions in Black Ops 7 and extending the changes to the upcoming Modern Warfare 4 beta. The shift, announced today, brings the franchise closer to the connection-focused matchmaking of the original Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2 era.
The official Call of Duty account posted the update, stating that after a year of analyzing player data and community feedback, the team is "updating Black Ops Classic, Quick Play, and Party Games in Black Ops 7 with a new matchmaking system inspired by those classic games." Starting with Season 05, which launches today, these modes will deprioritize skill in favor of connection quality. The same "Open playlist" option will also be available in the Modern Warfare 4 beta.
Why Activision is pulling back on SBMM
This isn't the first time Treyarch has tweaked the formula. Earlier this year, the studio reduced SBMM in Black Ops 7 for the first time in years, a move that was widely praised by long-time fans who felt the system punished improvement by matching them against increasingly sweaty lobbies. The new changes go further, specifically targeting modes like Party Games and the newly launched Black Ops Classic mode, which recreates the feel of the original 2010 title.
The timing is deliberate. Activision recently re-released Black Ops and Black Ops II on PS5, and the positive reception to those older, connection-based experiences likely reinforced the message that the community wants a return to simpler matchmaking. The company acknowledged as much, saying the "recent love for Black Ops and Black Ops II" showed that "there are many elements of those experiences that players appreciate."
What this means for players
For the average player, this change should result in faster lobby times and less frequent matches where one team is stacked with top-tier players. The trade-off is that you may occasionally face opponents of wildly different skill levels, which is how Call of Duty worked for over a decade before SBMM became aggressive around 2019. For casual players, this is mostly a win — less sweat, more variety. For competitive players who enjoyed the challenge of high-skill lobbies, the new Open playlists remain available as an option.
The impact on the Activision ecosystem is significant. Call of Duty's matchmaking has been a hot-button issue for years, with pro players and content creators frequently calling for change. By rolling this out across both Black Ops 7 and the Modern Warfare 4 beta, Activision is signaling that this is a franchise-wide philosophy shift, not just a one-off experiment.
Is this enough? The skepticism
Not everyone is convinced. While the changes are welcome, Black Ops 7's existing Open matchmaking option has been criticized for not going far enough — skill is still a factor, just less dominant. The new system in Season 05 may face the same criticism if players don't feel a meaningful difference. Some on the Call of Duty subreddit have expressed concern that the changes only apply to specific modes, leaving core playlists like Team Deathmatch and Domination untouched.
Reaction on Reddit was swift, with many calling the change long overdue but wanting more transparency. Others pointed out that the announcement specifically mentions "Black Ops Classic, Quick Play, and Party Games" — ranked and competitive modes are not included, which makes sense given their purpose.
The broader trend here is clear: after years of aggressive SBMM across nearly every major shooter, from Overwatch to Apex Legends, players are pushing back. Call of Duty's pivot is part of a larger industry recalibration, where connection quality and variety are being prioritized over perfectly balanced matches. Whether this satisfies the community long-term depends on how noticeable the changes actually are in practice.
What to watch for
Season 05 for Black Ops 7 goes live today, so players can jump in and test the new matchmaking immediately. The Modern Warfare 4 beta, expected later this year, will be the real test — if the Open playlist option delivers noticeably faster and more varied lobbies, it could set the standard for future Call of Duty titles. For now, Activision is asking players to "jump in and let us know what you think," and given the franchise's passionate community, they'll hear plenty.
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