Activision admits Call of Duty matchmaking used to be better, updates Black Ops 7 with a new system inspired by “classic games” like Black Ops 1 and 2
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Activision has confirmed changes to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's matchmaking system, acknowledging that skill-based matchmaking in earlier entries offered a better player experience than more recent titles. The updated system is designed to draw on the approach used in "classic" Call of Duty games such as Black Ops 1 and Black Ops 2, marking a shift away from the more heavily skill-weighted matchmaking that has drawn sustained criticism from the community in recent years.
The change follows persistent complaints from long-time players that modern matchmaking prioritises tightly skill-matched games over variety and enjoyment, resulting in sweatier and more repetitive lobbies. By citing older Black Ops titles as its inspiration, Activision has signalled a return to matchmaking that favours broader, more varied lobbies rather than close skill-based pairings, addressing one of the community's longest-running grievances with the franchise's recent multiplayer design.
- Activision reworks Black Ops 7 matchmaking after admitting older games were better
- New system takes cues from Black Ops 1 and 2
- Responds to years of complaints about overly skill-matched lobbies
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Call of Duty games have used "skill-based matchmaking" (SBMM) for years, a system that pairs players of similar ability to try to keep matches even. Many long-term fans dislike this approach, arguing it makes lobbies feel intense and repetitive rather than fun, and they often point to earlier entries in the series as having a better, more relaxed feel.
Activision is the publisher behind Call of Duty, and Black Ops 7 is the newest game in its long-running Black Ops sub-series, which dates back to the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2 released well over a decade ago. Those older titles are frequently held up by players as examples of matchmaking done well, before more recent, more heavily skill-weighted systems were introduced.
This matters because matchmaking shapes how enjoyable or frustrating a game feels on a match-by-match basis, and it has been a persistent source of tension between Activision and its player base. Any acknowledgement from the publisher that past systems worked better is notable, since it touches on a long-standing debate about how competitive the core Call of Duty experience should be.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of loosening skill-based matchmaking argue that variety and fun matter more than tightly balanced contests, and that heavily skill-weighted systems have made lobbies feel repetitive, stressful and overly competitive for a game many players simply want to unwind with. They value the sense of unpredictability and camaraderie that older titles like Black Ops 1 and 2 offered, where matches mixed players of differing abilities rather than optimising for close scorelines. Some also suspect that intense SBMM can prioritise player retention metrics over genuine enjoyment, and welcome Activision's move as a return to matchmaking designed around player experience rather than engagement algorithms.
The case against
Defenders of stronger skill-based matchmaking argue it exists precisely to protect newer and less experienced players from being repeatedly overwhelmed by far more skilled opponents, which can otherwise drive them away from the game entirely. They value competitive fairness and see closely matched lobbies as essential to keeping matches engaging for the broad range of skill levels in a large, ongoing player base. They may also caution that nostalgia for classic-era matchmaking overlooks how much smaller and less skill-diverse those player pools were, and worry that loosening matchmaking now could reintroduce lopsided, discouraging blowouts for casual players.
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