Summary
Activision has decided to offer some insight into skill-based matchmaking toCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3players. As the 20th game in the mainlineCall of Dutyseries, there are many different details that composeCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s identity. Although many players come to the series to get a kick out of the gunplay, some dedicated fans have focused on factors that influence the way matches are played, like skill-based matchmaking.
TheCall of Dutyfranchise tends to garner heated discussion. However, the utility of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) is one of the most contentious topics surrounding the series and online multiplayer games in general. Many gamers have gone over thepros and cons of SBMM inCall of Dutygames, and one of the most common conclusions is that it’s more important to find a proper balance if the tool is implemented at all.
Data that Activision publishedhas surfaced that covers tests done withSBMM inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. In its tests, Activision sought to examine what would happen if skill was less of a factor in matchmaking. 50% ofModern Warfare 3’s North American player base had the influence of skill and performance in matchmaking decreased. What Activision found as a result was that the variety in gamers' experiences dropped. This research suggests that allowing skill to influence matchmaking lets a more reasonable proportion of wins and losses occur in-game.
Modern Warfare 3 Tests Prove SBMM Is Useful
Developers tend to remain supportive ofusing SBMM inCall of Dutygamesand the data shows why that might be the case. The findings of Activision’s research highlight that when players at lower skill levels lose more often, they quit sooner and are likelier to just stop playing. If skill is not accounted for, it can lead to lobbies where lower-skill players are put up against disproportionately skilled players. This can lead to players getting stuck with the “sweatiest” lobbies possible, and no longer feeling motivated to continue playing, which is a loss for everyone involved.
Some players have responded to this by saying “bad players can’t cope” and that they just need to improve, but it’s not necessarily so simple. Activision notes the value of ensuring its players run into diverse gameplay outcomes more often. Varying the experiences that gamers can get out of a round ofCall of Dutymatches seems to make them want to continue playing more often because the unexpected nature of gameplay appears more enticing to players. With a large wave of new players expected to try the game out following theGame Pass addition ofModern Warfare 3, it could be interesting to see if that data is changed at all.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
WHERE TO PLAY
The war has changed. Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world. In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet
