In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, there have been many complaints lately, but no topic seems to excite the community as much as matchmaking. And the problem is self-made, as Infinity Ward simply won’t talk about it.
How are matches created? Creating online matches is a science in itself and must consider many factors. In addition to a reasonable connection, factors such as skill, game progress, or region often play a role.
These parameters can play a role:
- Server region
- Connection quality
- Skills
- Game progress
- Mode selection
- Map selection
- Contact list
- Settings
- Private servers
- Technical requirements
All these factors must be brought together to ultimately create a decent lobby. This is often not that easy, and players frequently complain about poorly assembled lobbies.
The topic is also heavily discussed in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but only by the players. The developers don’t say a word about it.
Skill-based matchmaking in Modern Warfare?
How does matchmaking work in Modern Warfare? Due to the lack of feedback from the developers, it is not easy to say.
However, many players assume a skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) system, and there are already research efforts by players that back this up with data.
Reddit has the answer
Is there evidence for SBMM? The Redditor “OrtusPhoenix” has collected data from a total of 100 matchmakings and comes to a clear conclusion. He used two different accounts with initially the following values:
- His main account
- KD: 2.41
- Points per minute: 233
- A fun account
- KD: 0.38
- Points per minute: 140
The accounts are well suited to explore a skill-based lobby creation. Since it is not possible to check the skills of opponents, “OrtusPhoenix” takes the indirect route through the time of matchmaking.
He measured the time it took for the game to start the match. To account for the changing number of players overall, he swapped accounts after every 5 matches.
Matches that had already started and lobbies where a player dropped out before the match started did not count.
The evidence supports it!
What do the results say? With the results of nearly 100 games, there is a pretty clear statement: There is skill-based matchmaking in Modern Warfare:
- Main account
- about 46 seconds until match start
- 11 games started without a full lobby
- Secondary account
- about 28.5 seconds until match start
- No game started without a full lobby
According to the data, there is SBMM, and it is even strong enough to start matches with not fully filled lobbies. This would currently be a bigger issue for many players, than the 725 that simply cannot be brought under control.
The community feels poorly informed
And the community is not okay with this? The CoD soldiers wish for matchmaking based on connection. However, for many players, it would also be acceptable if the developers would at least talk about it, like they do about their plans and updates.
The thread with a meme requesting the developers to please talk with the community has generated a lot of feedback.
Among the countless comments, the reasons can also be found as to why players wish for a connection-oriented game setup.
[…] It is simply annoying when I have to play a round with an extremely high ping again due to SBMM. It is miserable!
gaelliso24 on reddit (translated)
This ensures a good game connection for those who also have a reasonable connection. gaelliso24 complains on reddit about the partly high pings that would not occur otherwise.
It’s not about crushing noobs for me. I hate SBMM because I am fully challenged in every game – it is simply exhausting!
Without SBMM, you can dominate and sometimes you get dominated, but in the end it somehow balances out.
The connection should take priority over skill in game setup.
GOpencyprep24 on reddit (translated)
However, difficulty also plays a role. With SBMM, each game is a tough challenge and must be played with full concentration to have a chance at that high level.
Developers don’t want to address this at all
Why won’t the developers address this? Currently, one can only speculate, but it seems that the developers are serious about it.
Yesterday, on November 14th, David Vonderhaar, co-responsible for the previous CoD: Black Ops 4, tweeted a few things about the matchmaking of CoD, which have already been deleted again.
In the post, Vonderhaar mentions that CoD developers struggle with the same discussions every year and assures players that the matches are created based on connections.
However, the fact that the post and some others were deleted again raises doubts. On one hand regarding the matchmaking and on the other hand concerning the communication strategy of those responsible.
What do you think, how are matches created? And why doesn’t Infinity Ward want to talk about it?
