“We won, ***”: Activision will significantly reduce SBMM’s impact in the release version of Black Ops 7

The developers also confirmed the return of persistent lobbies.

Treyarch and Activision released a report on the Black Ops 7 beta. It states that the beta’s test playlist — where SBMM (skill-based matchmaking) had only a minimal effect — will be adopted as the default for the retail version of the new Call of Duty. Rather than matching players primarily by ping, accuracy, playtime, and a host of other metrics, Black Ops 7 will populate lobbies with largely random participants.

Additionally, Black Ops 7 brings back persistent lobbies, a feature absent from Call of Duty since Black Ops 4 in 2018. Beginning with Modern Warfare (2019), lobbies were rebuilt for every match, which many players found frustrating. Fans argue persistent lobbies help sustain competitive intensity and nurture friendships.

The Call of Duty community is absolutely thrilled by the news.

Source: iXBT.games