Modern Warfare 3: Will Skill-Based Matchmaking Return?

SBMM is a matchmaking system used to pair players based on their skill levels and in-game performance metrics. This includes variables such as total playtime, score per minute, and number of kills.

While SBMM aims to create balanced matches by pitting players against others of similar abilities, it has its critics. Some within the gaming community argue that this system can sometimes unfairly penalize high-skill players, frequently matching them against formidable opponents. Such encounters can be disheartening for players who aspire to improve but find themselves facing seemingly unbeatable adversaries.

The pitfalls of SBMM have been evident in previous Call of Duty titles. In the case of Modern Warfare 2, players participating in Ranked Play experienced glaring issues with the system, particularly concerning Skill Divisions. Matches often turned lopsided, with players in the lowest division forced to confront squads several ranks above them, a situation that discouraged many from engaging with the mode.

We have no confirmation yet wether SBMM will exist in Modern Warfare 3 or not. However, hints about its existence emerged indirectly from insiders at CharlieIntel, who expressed their reservations about its implementation. Their perspective underscored the dual nature of SBMM, noting its necessity for casual players while highlighting the perception that it has been excessively fine-tuned since the 2019 release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This fine-tuning results in players being placed in highly competitive lobbies faster than ever before.

The Call of Duty community at large echoed these concerns. Gamers called upon developers to scale back the "excessive" implementation of SBMM in anticipation of Modern Warfare 3's full launch. The last direct acknowledgment of SBMM from a Call of Duty developer dates back to 2021, when Josh Menke, a seasoned multiplayer developer, confirmed that the feature has been part of the franchise from the beginning. Despite ongoing efforts to refine the system with each game generation, a segment of the Call of Duty community remains skeptical as they approach the release of Modern Warfare 3.