Black Ops 6 skill-based matchmaking even has NBA superstars upset

Skill-based matchmaking is a controversial issue in Black Ops 6, and everyone feels the effects of it, including NBA superstars.

In January 2024, Activision finally explained how skill-based matchmaking works in Call of Duty. The blog confirmed that kills, deaths, wins, and losses contribute to which lobby a player gets placed in, and it has been a factor in the matchmaking process since Call of Duty 4 in 2007.

During MW3, Activision conducted tests to find a better balance and claimed, “Players with a wider skill gap were more likely to quit matches in progress and did not return to the game at a higher rate than players with unchanged matchmaking.”

There are no plans to remove the system because Activision doesn’t want players “consistently on the wrong side of blowout matches.” Still, high-skilled players argue that it unfairly punishes them as they are forced to go up against increasingly difficult opposition if they perform better.

And that’s the case for NBA superstar Donovan Mitchell, who is trying to get better at BO6, but SBMM is ruining his experience.

Donovan Mitchel is the latest CoD player to slam SBMM in BO6

When asked about why his voice was raspy during a press conference on December 19, Mitchell responded, “I’ve been playing Call of Duty with these kids and screaming at them and stuff. So that’s where the voice goes.”

Mitchell has found plenty of success on the court this season, averaging over 23 points a game and helping lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to an Eastern Conference-leading 23-4 record. However, the same can’t be said about his BO6 performance.

“It’s been rough. I genuinely try to get better, which makes me even more upset. I’m still terrible,” Mitchell said. “I reached out to Call of Duty, like, ‘Hey, put me in the trash lobbies, that’s where I belong.’ We’ll see what happens.”

If you are struggling like Mitchell to improve, check out our guide on the best BO6 and Warzone loadouts.