Activision has confirmed it is scaling back skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) in Call of Duty, introducing a new system inspired by the classic Black Ops matchmaking style for Black Ops 7, with hopes of extending it to Modern Warfare 4. The change follows years of player frustration with SBMM, which many felt made every match feel like an unrelenting sweat-fest, and comes after the surprise popularity of recently released PS5 ports of the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2, which reintroduced players to less skill-weighted matchmaking.

With Black Ops 7's season five launching tomorrow, Activision will update the Black Ops Classic, Quick Play and Party Games modes with the new "classic-inspired" matchmaking, building on the existing "Open" playlist option introduced last year that already reduced SBMM's influence. The same option will also feature in the Modern Warfare 4 beta arriving in August, and Activision says it will use player feedback over the coming months to decide whether the approach carries over fully into MW4's October launch.