Many still don’t now what took place.
Skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) has become a hot topic among gamers, especially in popular multiplayer games like Call of Duty. The system aims to pair players with others of similar skill levels, ensuring fair and competitive matches. However, opinions on SBMM are divided, with some players arguing that it takes the fun out of casual gaming by forcing them to “sweat” every match. This debate is particularly heated within the Call of Duty community.
Recently, Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty, broke its silence on the issue, providing an unprecedented level of transparency about how SBMM works in their games. The company released a 25-page white paper titled “The Role of Skill In Matchmaking,” delving into the mechanics of SBMM, including the various metrics used to evaluate player skill and the rationale behind the system.
@CallofDuty fix your fucking “anticheat” pic.twitter.com/ORXA3cWMX7
— nolan (@n1kolaibelenski) July 27, 2024
Activision’s document addresses several key factors that influence a player’s skill rating, such as total kills, kill/death ratio, and kills per death by enemy. Interestingly, the paper notes that actions like healing teammates or capturing objectives are not directly factored into the matchmaking system, focusing instead on combat effectiveness metrics. The company argues that this approach helps prevent “blowouts,” where one team dominates the other, which can be demoralizing for the losing side.
The white paper also reveals that Activision ran a secret experiment earlier in 2024, toning down SBMM for 50% of players in North America playing Modern Warfare 3. The results were telling: over 90% of players exposed to less stringent SBMM played less frequently, with the exception of the top 10% of players, who were less affected. This finding supports Activision’s claim that SBMM primarily benefits average-skilled players by creating more balanced and enjoyable matches.
Despite these insights, the introduction of SBMM in games like Call of Duty remains controversial. Critics argue that the system reduces the variety of experiences, eliminating matches where players might face either overwhelming opponents or less challenging ones. This has led some to advocate for a more random matchmaking approach, like that used in the free-to-play alternative XDefiant, which has no SBMM.
Activision’s white paper further emphasizes that their primary goal is to balance matchmaking speed with fairness, stating, “When skill is utilized in matchmaking, 80-90% of players experience better end-of-match placement, stick with the game longer, and quit matches less frequently.” The company plans to continue exploring and fine-tuning the system, with future publications expected to shed more light on their methodologies.
Blink and u will miss 🙂 #cod #callofduty #warzone #kbm #flick pic.twitter.com/mu3LcCWuK4
— H kh 🇵🇸 (@eswsuss) July 27, 2024
Key Points:
- Activision’s detailed white paper on SBMM explains its use in Call of Duty, focusing on metrics like total kills and kill/death ratio.
- The company conducted a secret test reducing SBMM for 50% of players in North America, finding that less stringent matchmaking decreased player engagement.
- Critics argue that SBMM reduces the variety of gaming experiences, advocating for more random matchmaking systems.
- Activision claims that SBMM enhances player retention and satisfaction by preventing unbalanced matches.
- The company plans to release more white papers, further exploring the complexities of SBMM in multiplayer games.
Susan Guglielmo – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
