Scump slams MW3's SBMM as Call of Duty’s ‘worst’ yet

The annual debate about skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) in Call of Duty has flared up once again, with former pro player Seth "Scump" Abner calling it the franchise's worst yet.

Skill-based matchmaking is once again a hot topic

Skill-based matchmaking is a consistently hot topic in video games, and no series better showcases the divisive attitudes toward the idea than Call of Duty. 

Modern Warfare 3 is the latest release in the franchise, but the way it has implemented SMBB has angered some fans, with former professional CoD player Scump deriding it.

Appearing on the OpTic podcast, he stated, "It's my opinion, but I think skill-based matchmaking this year is super cranked. "I don't know if that's because the player base is going down, but dude… Skill-based this year feels way worse than any other year." 

His views were echoed on Twitter, with someone else adding, "It's not just the SBMM, it's a £100 DLC." Another said, "To the people who are saying skill issue even pro players like Scump complain about SBMM are you guys gonna tell him it's a skill issue," and a third concluded, "Can't even press the slide button before im getting beamed from mini scump because sbmm is ridiculously overpowered."

What is skill-based matchmaking?

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For those who don't know, SBMM is a system of matchmaking that aims to pair up players of a similar skill level, ensuring noobs don't match up with seasoned vets who can run rings around them. 

Its goal is overtly beneficial to the actual players of the game, and is designed with the idea of being fair. It's been implemented in the COD series since Modern Warfare back in 2007, but the exact science behind it has improved its accuracy over the years.

Reading this, you're probably wondering what the actual issue is with SBMM, and frankly, even the biggest critics of it like Scump have trouble explaining the actual issue. 

"People come in and they're like, 'why are you bitching? You're a pro player, you should be able to kill anybody.'" Scump continued, "Dude, I'm using a Sidewinder going for camos, getting slide cancelled by MCWs and Rival 9s the whole game." 

It just comes off as out-of-touch whining that they have to compete against players who actually know how to play, rather than good-faith criticism of the matchmaking system.