Activision has confirmed that Modern Warfare 4‘s beta will run dedicated low-SBMM playlists alongside standard matchmaking, keeping the community’s multiplayer matchmaking debate in focus ahead of launch.
Skill-based matchmaking has been widely debated among Call of Duty players, with supporters and critics differing over how tightly opponents should be matched by performance. The beta will include both approaches, giving players a choice at the playlist screen rather than applying matchmaking silently in the background.
Activision says it is still learning a lot about multiplayer matchmaking. The confirmed details establish that the beta will offer dedicated low-SBMM playlists alongside standard matchmaking, but do not provide further specifics about how those playlists will operate.
What’s confirmed for the beta
- Standard matchmaking will run alongside dedicated low-SBMM playlists rather than being replaced by them.
- No playlist names, skill thresholds, or specific numbers have been shared.
- There is no firm commitment on which matchmaking system Modern Warfare 4 will use at full launch in October.
The beta is being treated as a test and does not establish the final matchmaking experience at launch. With no final direction confirmed, the outcomes of the beta remain unsettled.
What comes next
Modern Warfare 4’s beta will place both matchmaking systems in the same client, allowing players to choose between them. Activision has not confirmed which approach will carry over to the full game, so the beta does not provide a final answer to the matchmaking debate.