Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 Beta Adds Non-SBMM Playlist, Opens For Everyone

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta rolls on with some major new changes and additions, including the beta opening up to everyone and the debut of a mostly non-SBMM playlist.

Open for all

The Black Ops 7 multiplayer beta kicked off on October 2, but only for people who preordered the game, had Game Pass Ultimate, or obtained a code by another means. As of October 5, however, the beta is now free and open to everyone on all platforms. The beta runs through October 8.

All you have to do is find the game client from your preferred platforms–PC, PlayStation, or Xbox–and you should be all set.

A non-SBMM playlist has finally arrived

Skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) is a hot-button issue in a lot of multiplayer games, including Call of Duty. Some portion of the audience enjoys and embraces SBMM because they say it helps place them into matches with people more aligned with their skills. Other people want to see less SBMM and more “open” playlists in Call of Duty, and that’s now available.

An “open” playlist in the Black Ops 7 beta debuted over the weekend, and people have responded enthusiastically to it. Developer Treyarch, for its part, said it was “excited to see the response” to the introduction of the playlist, which the company says is “classic matchmaking where skill is minimally considered.”

“As a reminder, we’re always listening to our community. As many of you have noted, we continue to prioritize updates (and why we’re making them) based on player feedback. Beta is all about trying things, gathering data and being a part of the community dialogue,” the developer said. “We look forward to sharing more in-depth takeaways from the beta on the road to launch, including more on matchmaking and how we keep players together.”

For years, hardcore Call of Duty fans have bemoaned how Activision reportedly “turned up” SBMM and created what some thought was a negative experience because of it. With this new change for the Black Ops 7 beta, people are saying it’s exactly what they’ve wanted to see for years, with faster matchmaking times, lower pings, and matches populated by players with a variety of skill levels.

Many are hoping that this playlist stays in the game for launch, and one report said that’s the plan, but it remains to be seen if that will actually happen.

Current playlists

The Black Ops 7 beta features both multiplayer and Zombies right now–here is a rundown of what’s available:

Maps

Zombies: Vandorn Farm (Extended to end of Open Beta)
Multiplayer: Blackheart (NEW), Cortex, Exposure, Imprint, The Forge

Playlists

Zombies: Survival, Training Course
Multiplayer: Moshpit, Open Moshpit, Open Hardcore Moshpit (NEW), Open Search & Destroy (NEW), Training Course