Skill-based matchmaking, known as SBMM in short, has been the crux of a huge debate in the video gaming community. For the unaware, it is a mechanic that developers implement in competitive games to match players of the same skill level together. The idea is to ensure a fair environment. However, the Call of Duty community has been divided over the concept since its introduction.

In fact, it’s not just Call of Duty, but the entire competitive video gaming spectrum that has slowly adopted some form of SBMM to enforce fair matchmaking. Has it helped straighten the system out? Well, not as much as it has triggered a seemingly never-ending debate.

For the unaware, SBMM is basically a system that marks players depending on their skills. When a player chooses to join a game, the in-game algorithm will match him/her with players carrying similar skill ratings. Now, every game implementing the basic concept of SBMM adopts a policy of its own.

Will Call of Duty Modern Warfare II break the SBMM rule?

With Call of Duty Modern Warfare II releasing in October, the anti-SBMM community is hoping for Activision to, at least, separate casual and ranked experiences.

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To date, Call of Duty games doesn’t feature a ranked mode, enforcing an SBMM system on all the modes available. Hence, CoD forces players who love casual gaming to play serious matches at all times.

A matchmaking system based on skills definitely helps introduce a balance. Without it, a newbie could end up in a highly skilled lobby and vice versa, destroying the essence of the game.

With that being said, the community also has players who like to keep things casual and enjoy the game. A strict skill-based matchmaking system forces casual gamers to play the game seriously at all times, which is a deal-breaker for them. So, how can Raven Software and Activision solve this dilemma?

In some competitive shooter games like Valorant and Rainbow Six Siege, there is a casual mode to cater to those who want to play for fun. These titles also have a ranked mode for players who love competitive scenes.

Call of Duty, on the other hand, carries the SBMM system in every mode, and there’s no ranked or casual mode. Players don’t even receive a rank or an indication of their skill level, other than the in-game general rank.

With Modern Warfare II, Activision could solve the major debate surrounding SBMM by offering two separate experiences for casual and competitive players. However, the team hasn’t shared any updates as such with fans yet. Players will have to wait for the Call of Duty Modern Warfare II’s release in October to know.

What do you think about SBMM in Call of Duty games? Let us know in the comments!

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