Black Ops 6 Multiplayer Accusations Expose a Sinister Engagement Throttling Strategy

Many major video game studios producing first-person shooters still haven’t mastered the art of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is another prime example. Over the years, Activision has produced many exciting multiplayer experiences through various Call of Duty games, but it still struggles to make the gaming experience fair for everyone.

The game, which was co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, takes SBMM seriously only to a certain extent, however, players strongly believe that it is a mix of SBMM and EOMM (Engagement-optimized matchmaking). There is speculation that the studio has used an algorithm to make the overall experience “artificial.“

Call of Duty Fans Believe That Black Ops 6 Uses An Algorithm That Makes The Multiplayer Experience Artificial

A screenshot of a Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 player is going viral on the r/blackops6 subreddit, briefly describing the matchmaking process in Activision’s latest game. The player believes that the game uses an algorithm that is a mix of SBMM (Skill-based matchmaking) and EOMM (Engagement-optimized matchmaking).

This is the best and most accurate comment I have seen describing current state of COD MP (thank you u/Belial768 I couldn’t have said it better myself) Money calls the shots.
byu/groovygandalf inblackops6

The player believes that the game initially matches a player with other players who are worse, giving them an exciting experience, but the same player can find themselves getting destroyed by other better players later. The player believes that the game uses an algorithm that gives players a 60/40 balance between good games and bad games to keep the players hooked.

The conclusion is that the matchmaking process in Black Ops 6 is artificial as the algorithm is designed in a way to keep players addicted. In the past, players matched with randoms, which was indeed frustrating sometimes, but it still felt like an authentic, competitive experience.

Players Are Not Satisfied With The Maps In Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer

At launch, Black Ops 6 featured 16 different multiplayer maps: Babylon, Derelict, Lowtown, Payback, Protocol, Red Card, Rewind, Scud, Skyline, Subsonic, Vault, Vorkuta, Gala, Pit, Stakeout, and Warhead. The latest addition to this map pool is the classic Nuketown map from the Black Ops series, however, this isn’t enough.

New maps are indeed exciting but the existing ones are so bad that players just can’t stop complaining. Some believe that some maps are too small, leading to unfair and unexpected kills due to a flawed spawn system. On top of this, players have started using the Recon Combat Specialty perk as it allows them to see through walls for a brief period, making the game unfair for everyone else.

The game had a decent launch but if Activision wants to maintain a steady player count, it must roll out immediate updates to rework various aspects such as matchmaking, perks, bugs, and weapons.

Do you think the maps in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 are the issue? Share your views in the comments!