SBMM in Black Ops 7: Open vs Standard Matchmaking

Skill-based matchmaking has shaped Call of Duty multiplayer for more than a decade, and its presence (or absence) usually decides how sweaty a game feels. Black Ops 7 brings a major shift to that system, creating the most flexible matchmaking experience the series has offered in years. Instead of a single unified SBMM model, Treyarch has split the entire playlist structure into two matchmaking styles—letting players decide how competitive they want their lobbies to be.

Is SBMM Active in Black Ops 7 Multiplayer?

Yes, SBMM exists in Black Ops 7, but not in the one-size-fits-all form players were used to. BO7 uses two matchmaking models:

Open Playlists – Skill is only “minimally considered,” creating lobbies where matchmaking feels loose and unpredictable.
Standard Playlists – Skill is an “important consideration,” similar to traditional SBMM systems in recent Call of Duty titles.

This means SBMM isn’t fully removed—but you can finally choose how much of it you want to deal with.

How Open Playlists Work

Open playlists are the biggest shift in BO7’s multiplayer philosophy. In these modes:

Skill has very little impact on lobby formation.
Matchmaking feels more random, mixing a wide range of player skill levels.
Connection quality becomes a more important factor.
The experience more closely resembles older CoD titles, before strict SBMM became the norm.

Treyarch has also added persistent lobbies, allowing players to stay grouped with others across multiple matches unless they manually leave. This creates rivalries, recurring teammates, and a more social multiplayer atmosphere—something longtime fans have missed.

Most playlists at launch fall into this Open category, making low-SBMM gameplay the default experience for the majority of players.

How Standard Playlists Work

Standard playlists use a more traditional version of SBMM. Here:

Skill rating plays a major role in matching teams.
Lobbies closely resemble the competitive feel of MW2019 through MW3 (2023).
You can expect tighter matches, faster opponents, and fewer “relaxed” games.

At launch, only one Standard playlist is available, while the rest fall under Open. Treyarch has hinted they may adjust these proportions as they gather player data throughout the year.

Ranked Play and Its Matchmaking System

Ranked Play arrives in Season 2, and it will use full SBMM and competitive rules, as expected. This is the only mode where strict skill consideration is guaranteed.

The announcement of “minimal SBMM” raised excitement and concern at the same time. Players welcomed the return of casual, unpredictable multiplayer—but Treyarch’s wording made some fans nervous. Phrases like “the majority of playlists” and “minimally considered” caused speculation that SBMM might still be active in background systems or could be reintroduced more heavily post-launch.

Creators and community figures pointed out that Treyarch has not promised Open matchmaking will remain permanent. Some players even chose to wait before purchasing the game to see how matchmaking evolves in the first few seasons.

For now, though, Open playlists are delivering the relaxed style fans asked for—especially for players tired of sweaty matches every game.

Should You Play on Open or Standard?

Choose Open if you want:

relaxed, old-school CoD matchmaking
connection-focused lobbies
casual play with friends of mixed skill
more variety in match difficulty
faster XP and weapon progression due to looser lobbies

Choose Standard if you want:

skill-based, competitive matchups
consistent challenge
a taste of Ranked-style pacing
balanced team composition

Most players will likely spend the majority of their time in Open playlists, especially since Treyarch has intentionally designed BO7 around this new, more flexible approach. Play Now!

Read More:

SBMM in Black Ops 7: How Matchmaking Works in Open and Standard Playlists