Warzone Lobby Glitch Lets Call Of Duty Players Bypass SBMM
The ugly debate surrounding Call of Duty's skill-based matchmaking has once against reared its head as a new Warzone lobby glitch is seemingly allowing players to bypass SBMM. While there's no escaping the runaway success of Warzone since its well-timed release in March's global pandemic, there are mounting criticisms that developers have been ramping up SBMM. Although SBMM was what saw Fortnite players leave the revamped Chapter 2 in their droves, Warzone is still one of the biggest games of the pro player scene.
Whether you think SBMM is a fair way to run the battle royale bloodbath or one of Warzone's worst features, it looks like it's here to stay. Despite that, it hasn't stopped crafty players trying to bypass the system in any way they can. The lastest SBMM workaround has grown in popularity, meaning it surely won't be long until Activision has clamped down with the full force of its publishing powers.
How does the Warzone lobby glitch work?
According to @ModernWarzone, players have been making the most of using a Netduma router to change which region you're placed in, therefore allowing you to enter lobbies with players of lesser skill - referred to as bot lobbies. Even Warzone giants like Nick "NICKMERCS" Kolcheff have spoken about this, meaning it might be more widespread than first thought. It has risen prominence as Warzone tournaments have also become more commonplace, suggesting there's something rotten at the very core of the game's competitive scene.
Netduma routers let players select whatever region they want, allowing them to jump into any server. It could be devastating for Warzone, however, take note that @ModernWarzone is looking into the issue and can't guarantee the router exploit is actually running rife. Still, the account claims tournament sites are looking into this. Unfortunately, it also doesn't look like there would be an easy way to figure out who's been using the Warzone lobby glitch.
Warzone lobby glitch: Are there other workarounds?
Activision has a no-nonsense approach to bypassing SBMM, which is an idea it has repeatedly defended. Earlier this month, Matthew "Nadeshot" Haag called out those who've been using "reverse boosting" to trick the SBMM AI. Devs took note of these concerns and started banning reverse boosters, with a slew of suspensions stopping those using the exploit. SBMM issues are prominent in both Warzone and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, but with every new day, gamers are losing another way to get around matchmaking.
Despite the whole SBMM drama, Warzone is up there with Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout and Among Us in terms of 2020's biggest games. Alongside Activision raking in a whopping $3 billion from Call of Duty - with Warzone contributing a large slice - we've seen pro organisations like 100 Thieves put forward their own Warzone teams. As it stands, there's no official way of creating private lobbies, meaning we're at the mercy of SBMM. Still, that hasn't stopped there being calls for a complete overhaul of how matchmaking works. Will 2021 herald a new era? Here's hoping.
Stay up to date with all the latest esports and gaming news by checking out our social channels here: Twitter | Facebook | Discord
Images via Activision
