Content creators are protesting against a new feature of Activision’s FPS that comes to ruin their hopes of showing off.
The new enemy of gamers call of duty bears the sweet name of SBMM, the acronym for “skill based matchmaking” (hear talent based matchmaking). This new system implemented in the reboot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Allows players to be grouped according to their level. The objective is tooffer much less punishing games for new players who now face opponents at the balanced level. This way of managing multiplayer modes has existed for years in many competitive games and has proven itself by providing a much more pleasant gaming experience. However, some veteran Activision FPS players disagree and want to see this system gone.
So why are streamers and other YouTubers announcing one by one that they no longer want to touch the multiplayer mode when the title has become fairer? The charm of competitive shooters lies in the adrenaline and the joy of winning over other struggling players. It is this recipe that has made the success of Counter-Strike, Team Fortress 2 or more recently Valorant and Overwatch. But obviously, having to give their all to win a game is not to the taste of the players of call of duty.
Show who is stronger
Returning to the origin of the clips call of duty published during the early years of YouTube, these rely exclusively on party dominance. A single player putting misery to an entire lobby has indeed the merit of being spectacular, but what about the pleasure of play for the others? Over the years, the franchise has continued to capitalize on this type of gameplay, but as more strategic and competitive first-person shooters gain popularity, it was time for call of duty to get into matchmaking by level of play.
Unfortunately, some now complain that they have to work harder to win their games. More than a real concern for balancing, it is the disappearance of the very essence of the title that arouses frustration among players accustomed to having fun by dominating the others. Nevertheless, these reactions can be understandable when the dynamic of a title that we have been following for years changes overnight. Activision will no doubt have to look for a happy medium to satisfy all of its community. This type of matchmaking could for example be implemented in ranked games only, where balancing is most needed. In the meantime, we will have to be content with giving our best to win the victory. The title of best player will no longer be obtained at the expense of beginners, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to train and become even stronger.
