A few hours before the worldwide release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7scheduled for November 14, the Treyarch studio has revealed details of the matchmaking system that will accompany the first days of the game. Unsurprisingly, the developers are banking on an open mode in the majority of playlists, a decision supposed to ease the pressure for newcomers and veterans alike. But one major exception qualifies this promise: a Moshpit mode with skill-based matchmaking, as well as a ranked mode planned for season 2.
Matchmaking mostly open to exit
Treyarch confirmed that “most game modes will feature open matchmaking, meaning game level will have minimal influence.” This choice aims to offer a more relaxed and varied experience, like the open beta of the game, which the studio considers to be representative: “the experience will be similar to that of the open beta of Black Ops 7”.
In other words, players will not be sorted according to their level or their statistics, but will find themselves in more random games, close to the original spirit of the old parts of the license. A way to break away from strict skill-based matchmaking, often criticized for its frustrating effects on the gaming experience.
Moshpit Mode and Season 2 Introduce Ranking
Despite this general openness, Treyarch introduces a nuance with the appearance of a specific Moshpit mode: “a Moshpit game mode, the content of which will be renewed regularly, will be available. In this mode, the game level will have a greater impact”. Unlike other playlists, this mode relies on a performance-based matchmaking system, where players will be divided according to their level.
This decision is already raising some questions within the community, with some fearing that other modes will end up adopting the same operation in the future. Especially since the studio also specified that “the level of play will be an essential criterion for Ranked mode in season 2”. In other words, the SBMM will make its complete return in the months following the launch, within a well-defined competitive framework.
Treyarch announces big adjustments to multiplayer matchmaking
To reassure players, Treyarch says that “the type of matchmaking used for each playlist will be indicated”, allowing them to choose their experience with full knowledge of the facts. Another important promise: “persistent lobbies will be an integral part of multiplayer mode”, a welcome return of a feature absent from several recent titles.
Finally, the studio concludes by reminding that everything remains evolving: “the community will have to wait to see how the developer adjusts the game in the months to come”. A clear message to players: your feedback will count in future matchmaking balancing.