Game Director Pete Actipis of Raven Software has confirmed that Call of Duty: Warzone will transition to an open matchmaking system with the launch of its major Season 1 update, set to arrive on Thursday, December 4. This change marks a move away from the strict skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) system that has been in place since the game’s release. It aligns Warzone with the more traditional setup recently adopted by Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
The key operational change means the game will no longer strictly focus on skill balance among players when creating lobbies. Instead, the open matchmaking system will emphasize basic networking factors, primarily connection quality and ping. While Actipis mentioned that skill would still play a minor role, the main goal is to allow quicker entry into matches. For players, this means lobbies will feature a mixed range of skill levels, departing from the closely matched competition typical of the previous SBMM approach.
Skill-based matchmaking has been part of the Call of Duty franchise since the 2019 reboot of Modern Warfare. Activision originally defended its use as a way to keep players engaged and maintain the game’s health. The intent was to protect casual players from being overwhelmed by more skilled competitors. However, for years, many veteran and dedicated players criticized the system. They often felt that after a successful run, they would be placed into challenging “sweat” lobbies, which undermined their enjoyment and sense of progress.
Raven Software has not clearly explained the change in policy, but it is likely a response to the positive reception from the community after a similar reduction of SBMM in the recent Black Ops 7 release. By acknowledging fan feedback through this action, the confirmation for Warzone indicates a major policy shift across the franchise. The adjustment has received immediate excitement from the player community, suggesting that many believe this new focus on connection stability over enforced competition will improve the game’s core experience in the coming year.
