Is Call of Duty removing SBMM? Black Ops 7's new open matchmaking system explained

Black Ops 7's brand new patch notes revealed an update regarding matchmaking. The new title's open beta ended on October 8, 2025. Players will likely see the game next when it gets its full release on November 14, 2025. Matchmaking is at the center of the BO7 Multiplayer, and at launch, SBMM will go easy on the players as per the latest intel.

So the answer to the titular question is no. SBMM will not be removed from Black Ops 7; however, it will be more forgiving at launch. Here's more.

Black Ops 7 to see easier SBMM by default at launch

BO7 to have non-disbanding lobbies and forgiving SBMM (Image via Activision)

Black Ops 7 will see a Multiplayer mode where skill consideration will be minimal, at least at launch. The official post on the Activision website details this with an easy-to-grasp example:

"Simply put, imagine the matchmaking experience of Open Moshpit from the Beta, but as the standard in Black Ops 7 on day one"

Therefore, the competition will be much less cut-throat and brutal, and will instead be more forgiving. This could be especially beneficial to brand-new players who have never played any Call of Duty games before and are freshly jumping into BO7 at launch.

This, however, is not a permanent change. The minimal skill consideration has only been planned for the initial release of the game, i.e., on November 14, 2025. It is likely that soon after, an update will reset SBMM and potentially make it more competitive. This launch period could act as a small buffer for new players to get used to the fast-paced action of BO7.

According to the developers, this approach will help provide players with a more varied experience and has yielded desired results during the beta. As of now, this is all the information we have as per official sources.

Furthermore, players will also enjoy non-disbanding lobbies in the upcoming title. This will help keep players together from match to match more frequently. This feature will also become available to everyone at launch in Black Ops 7 Multiplayer game mode.

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About the author

Prit is an observer, writer, and enthusiastic player of several FPS games. He's been playing games for far longer than he has been writing about them which gives him the unique perspective of a hardened player. He's also spent years writing content, novels, songs, and short stories to master his grip on the written word.

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Edited by Prit Chauhan