Modern Warfare 4 beta will include low-SBMM playlists as Activision rethinks matchmaking

Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's upcoming beta will include Open Playlist options — low-SBMM lobbies where skill consideration is drastically reduced. The announcement came via the official Call of Duty X account on July 22, 2026, alongside a broader update on where the franchise's matchmaking philosophy is heading.

The studio says it has spent the past year learning from player data and community feedback, and that the warm reception to the re-releases of the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2 alongside Black Ops 7 reinforced those lessons. Open playlists — first introduced in Black Ops 7 as an alternative to the standard skill-sorted matchmaker — will continue in that game and now carry forward into the Modern Warfare 4 beta. Activision is also rolling out a new matchmaking system for several Black Ops 7 modes, including Black Ops Classic, Quick Play, and Party Games. That system is described as inspired by Black Ops and Black Ops 2, building on smarter team balancing, wider match variety, fixes to keep lobbies full, and a better experience for mixed-skill parties.

SBMM has been a flashpoint in the Call of Duty community for years. Critics argue that tight skill sorting removes the casual chaos that made older CoD titles so replayable — stomping or getting stomped was part of the ride. Activision spent a long time defending SBMM publicly, so the shift toward openly offering low-SBMM alternatives marks a genuine change in stance, not just a minor tweak. Modern Warfare 4 is also leaning into grounded gunplay, with the developers emphasising that they want players to feel like they're really behind the gun — a direction that pairs naturally with less algorithmically controlled lobbies.

The Modern Warfare 4 beta kicks off on August 21. One notable change from last year: Game Pass subscribers will not get early beta access, unlike the arrangement that was in place for Black Ops 7.