Treyarch Responds to Black Ops 7 SBMM Conspiracy Theory

Treyarch shut down another matchmaking conspiracy. Hard.

Matt Scronce, design director at the studio, took to Twitter on 26 December to kill a popular theory about Black Ops 7's skill-based matchmaking. One player claimed developers had "cranked the ever living f**k out of SBMM for the Christmas noobs," noting they'd been matched exclusively with master prestige players.

Scronce's reply? Three words: "No they haven't."

The blunt response confirms Treyarch hasn't touched matchmaking systems for the holiday influx. Black Ops 7 still uses the same open matchmaking approach from launch, where skill gets minimal consideration compared to connection quality.

The SBMM debate won't die

This isn't the first time Treyarch has faced accusations about hidden matchmaking changes. Since Black Ops 7 dropped in November, the community has been convinced the game secretly prioritises skill over what developers promised.

The complaints started almost immediately after launch. Players insisted lobbies felt dramatically different from the open beta, despite Treyarch's assurances that nothing had changed.

YouTuber Xclusive Ace ran controlled tests in late November. He compared matchmaking between his main account and a low-skill "bot" account under identical conditions. The results showed his high-skill account averaged 42ms ping whilst the bot account pulled 20ms. That discrepancy suggested the system was deprioritising connection for skilled players.

Treyarch responded directly to Ace's findings. They insisted the matchmaking code remained unchanged from the beta, but acknowledged player demographics and playlist selections differed significantly between the test period and full release.

Charlie Olson weighs in

The conspiracy theories got loud enough that Charlie Olson felt compelled to speak.

Olson spent a decade at Raven Software creating the matchmaking rating algorithms that power modern Call of Duty's SBMM. He left years ago but released a 40-minute video breaking down why players are wrong about Black Ops 7.

His explanation? Open matchmaking doesn't mean SBMM was removed. Skill filters were relaxed, sure. But the experience depends entirely on who populates those playlists.

Right now, the open lobbies are dominated by highly engaged veterans who chase camos and grind for hours. Casual players stick to familiar modes, avoiding the open pool. That's why matches feel "sweaty," not because Treyarch secretly cranked up hidden skill parameters.

Olson also addressed the three pieces of evidence conspiracy theorists cite: competitive lobbies, longer wait times, and worse connections. These are natural trade-offs from reintroducing persistent lobbies, he argued. When you maintain match groups across games instead of reshuffling constantly, matchmaking takes slightly longer and connections vary more as players join and leave.

What Treyarch actually promised

Before launch, Treyarch announced open matchmaking would be the default for Black Ops 7 multiplayer. Open playlists and Quick Play would minimally consider skill whilst featuring persistent lobbies.

Standard Moshpit remained available for players who preferred stricter skill-based matching. Season 1 data showed increased engagement with Standard Moshpit, prompting Treyarch to feature it more prominently.

The studio maintains its position. Open matchmaking functions exactly as designed. Connection takes priority over skill in most playlists. Persistent lobbies are here to stay.

Trust issues persist

Despite multiple official statements, scepticism runs deep.

Content creator PrimitiveAK told the community they need access to raw data or full transparency about what changed from skill to open matchmaking. "[The] community has been lied to for years on end with manipulative matchmaking," he said.

Years of unclear communication around SBMM eroded trust. The 2019 Modern Warfare reboot introduced aggressive skill-based matching that prioritised performance metrics over connection quality. Fans have complained ever since about inconsistent match quality, worse ping, and extreme difficulty spikes after good performances.

Black Ops 7 launched with promises to address these concerns. Sales data suggests the game struggled compared to Black Ops 6, with physical sales down 61% down in the UK, though Xbox Game Pass access complicates the picture.

Looking ahead

Olson made predictions that won't comfort Treyarch. He expects Black Ops 7's player base to "get sweatier" over time, potentially mirroring XDefiant's player retention collapse. He even floated the possibility of Activision switching to a two-year development cycle instead of annual releases.

Season 1 content includes seven new multiplayer maps, three Zombies maps, and the return of fan-favourite weapons like the Maddox assault rifle. Ranked mode arrives in early February following Season 2's launch.

Whether these additions quiet the SBMM debate remains to be seen. For now, Treyarch keeps repeating the same message: the matchmaking hasn't changed. Players keep refusing to believe it.

Welcome to the endless SBMM loop. Round and round we go.