Activision secretly reduced skill-based matchmaking in Call of Duty to “prove” players prefer it

In summary: Activision has unveiled a detailed white paper examining the inner workings of its SBMM system. The document delves into the mechanics of Call of Duty matchmaking, shedding light on the secret testing that supposedly validates player satisfaction with the system.

In April, Activision released a comprehensive 1,700-word article discussing the intricacies of the game’s skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) titled “Call of Duty: An Inside Look at Matchmaking.” Under the subtitle “Starting the conversation about Matchmaking in Call of Duty,” the company aimed to initiate a dialogue with the CoD community regarding team formation processes.

Activision emphasized that the blog post fulfilled its commitment to engage in a conversation with players about how matchmaking operates in the game. Despite the lack of direct comments on the blog, the company highlighted that its SBMM is designed to pair players of similar skill levels, a fundamental aspect of the system.

Although the ongoing debate surrounding SBMM may never be fully resolved, Activision’s team of writers produced a comprehensive follow-up white paper titled “The Role of Skill in Matchmaking.” This 25-page document elaborates on the various components considered by the SBMM, with player skill being just one factor among several others, including:

• Ping rates
• Time to start
• Input types (Mouse/Keyboard vs. controller)
• Platform
• Voice chat
• Recent maps and modes

While some factors like maps, modes, and voice chat may seem trivial, they can have a significant impact on player experience compared to skill-based matchups. The importance of factors like ping in matchmaking cannot be understated.

“As the community will attest, Ping is King,” Activision affirms. “Connection quality is the most crucial and heavily weighted aspect of the matchmaking process.”

The detailed analysis provided in the white paper offers valuable insights for gaming enthusiasts interested in the intricacies of matchmaking systems. Notably, the section discussing matchmaking testing provides intriguing perspectives.

Team formation in Call of Duty involves more than just complex algorithms; it requires rigorous testing. Over the past five years, many players have unknowingly participated in SBMM testing, where servers were split for A/B testing to evaluate the impact of “loosening” skill disparities.

Analysts examined various metrics, such as player session duration, match-level quit rates, and match outcomes, comparing results between test and control groups. The findings revealed that players in the control group had longer play sessions, fewer match quits, and closer match outcomes compared to those in the test group with reduced SBMM. Activision emphasized that completely disabling SBMM would exacerbate disparities significantly.

While the outcomes of these tests may not resolve the ongoing debate within the community, they underscore Activision’s commitment to continuously refine and optimize the matchmaking system for fairness and balance.