Call of Duty Black Ops 7 and MW4 Beta Adding Classic Matchmaking Option

Activision is finally listening. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Modern Warfare 4 will test new matchmaking in their beta. The goal? Give players an escape from strict skill-based matchmaking.

What's Changing

Open playlists are coming. These are inspired by classic Call of Duty games. Back when matchmaking was simpler. Back when every lobby wasn't a sweat fest.

Players will have a choice. Jump into the standard SBMM queues. Or try the open playlists for a different experience.

Why This Matters

SBMM has been controversial for years. Some players hate it. They say every match feels like a tournament. No casual games. No relaxing.

Others like it. They want fair fights. They don't want to get stomped by pros.

Activision is trying to make everyone happy. That rarely works. But at least they're testing something new.

The Beta Test

Both Black Ops 7 and Modern Warfare 4 will include these open playlists in beta. If players respond well, expect them in the full games.

This is a big shift. Call of Duty has leaned hard into SBMM for years. Offering an alternative is a direct response to community feedback.

We'll see if it works.