Call of Duty Pros Continue the Debate Over SBMM in Black Ops Cold War

Published 11/20/2020, 11:15 AM EST

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Following the release of Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty pros have had contrasting opinions about the strong skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) in the game. Surprisingly, even the best players have been unable to maintain a 2.00 K/D.

Even before the game’s official release, pros like Scump, Attach, and Crimsix, among others, have been vocal about the matchmaking system. Despite constant demands for a ranked playlist, the developers seem to offer no other option to the players.

However, despite all the issues, Seattle Surge’s Octane has been having a blast playing the multiplayer in Black Ops Cold War.

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“Cold War pubs is some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I haven’t been able to stream 6+ hours of pub games in years without getting burnt out.”

Interestingly, he clarified SBMM doesn’t really affect him. Regardless, former professional Doug “Censor” Martin disagreed with Octane’s opinion.

“How do you not get tilted always playing SBMM? Don’t you ever wanna just put your feet up and relax? I always feel so stressed out because every game is  @aBeZy slide canceling a head glitch and shimmying angles for gunfights.”

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Is SBMM a boon or a bane for Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War?

One might notice that a majority of people debating over skill-based matchmaking are professional players. Most casual players, on the flip side, likely do not have an issue with a strong SBMM in the game.

The reason behind this stark classification is simple. Due to SBMM, pros and content creators have to face equally skilled players; naturally, this makes the game sweaty and hurts the content. As a result, every match becomes highly competitive, ebbing the fun aspect of the game.

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The same matchmaking system works in the favor of casual players because they do not have to fear a lobby that would stomp them easily. Instead, they will always face similarly skilled players, making their gaming hours fun and relaxed.

The most interesting aspect of this debate is the composition of Black Ops Cold War’s user base. Even though a game gets its recognition from the most popular content creators who play it, these content creators make up a minimal part of the game’s actual user base.

In hindsight, a majority of players in Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War are casual, and they do not have a problem with SBMM. Content creators, and professionals on the other side make the game popular, and have certain demands from the developers.

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Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War: Best Loadouts For MP5 And AK47

From the looks of it, Treyarch might have to establish a middle ground between the casuals and professionals to sustain the bright future of its latest title.

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Written by:

Aakrit Sharma

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Aakrit Sharma is an eSports author at EssentiallySports, and has written over 600 articles for their eSports division. He is an undergradate student at Delhi University. From getting chased by The Dahaka while playing Prince of Persia Warrior Within, to sweating his way up in ranked Apex Legends matches, he developed his consuming passion for the massive world of gaming and now writes about it with the same enthusiasm.
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