Infinity Ward Treads Carefully with Skill-Based Matchmaking in Modern Warfare 4 After Black Ops 7

Infinity Ward appears to be taking a measured approach to skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 following the controversial Black Ops 7. The developer told CharlieIntel that MW4's SBMM will "not revert directly back to pre-Black Ops 7" and that the team is analyzing data from last year's title to guide their decisions.

While Black Ops 7 was a divisive entry and a commercial letdown, it introduced changes that fans hoped would stick. Some worried the game's poor reception might lead to a complete rollback, but that may not be the case. Treyarch listened to player feedback on SBMM, which had been notoriously punishing for years. Players often felt that performing above average for a few matches would thrust them into lobbies far beyond their skill level.

Moreover, even if you found a balanced lobby, it would disband after every match, making it hard to maintain a consistent and fun experience. Black Ops 7 largely fixed this by keeping lobbies persistent and minimizing SBMM's impact, resulting in more varied matchups that many considered fairer and more reasonable.

It's unclear exactly what Modern Warfare 4 will do, but Infinity Ward seems to be acknowledging Treyarch's efforts. Previously, players felt Infinity Ward wasn't as receptive to feedback, but that may be changing.

We went hands-on with Modern Warfare 4's multiplayer earlier this month and found it to be a notable improvement over previous games, thanks to the removal of weapon bloom, fluid movement, and tighter gunplay. Free from last-gen console constraints, Infinity Ward has more freedom to create an expansive experience.

"Modern Warfare 4 feels like a confident step forward for the series, not because it's reinventing Call of Duty (it’s not), but because it stopped holding itself back," reads an excerpt from our preview. "It’s still Call of Duty at its core, but it finally feels like a version that isn’t constantly fighting its own limitations. And that alone makes it one of the more interesting multiplayer entries the franchise has had in a while."

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 was officially revealed on May 28, confirming a conflict between North and South Korea. Captain Price returns, but this time he's at odds with his Task Force 141 allies. The story will take players around the globe to restore peace. Infinity Ward is also bringing back DMZ, the extraction mode from Modern Warfare II, and Warzone will return but won't be playable on last-gen consoles this fall.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23 for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.