A Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 player is calling attention to a legitimate criticism of the implementation of skill-based matchmaking in Multiplayer. Use of SBMM in all kinds of multiplayer games is a frequent focus of feedback. SBMM is used to ensure relatively fair matches, but many players say it makes what should be casual Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer feel too "sweaty" and serious. There are other impactful aspects of SBMM worth considering, too.
SBMM is traditionally well-accepted when used in ranked multiplayer queues. That's where players, whether it's in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 or elsewhere, are trying their hardest to improve their ability and climb the rankings. It's in casual modes that have SBMM enabled where there are larger arguments and no clear answers. Players see casual multiplayer modes as parts of a game where they don't have to play so seriously, but without SBMM it's also true that lower-skill players will struggle to find any success.
It's not just solo queuing that can lead to issues with SBMM, though. A Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 player showed a negative experience that they had due to SBMM recently on Reddit. It's not a gameplay clip, but a screenshot of a chat they had with a friend. The friend tells them that, "idk if I wanna even play with you." They go on to explain that their own lobbies were actually fun, whereas playing with their friend was too "sweaty," saying, "I feel like when I queue with you it's like 110% or nothing."
What the player is saying is that because their friend is treated as a higher-skill player in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, they get matched against higher-skill players when playing together. That makes matches play less fun, while playing alone creates a more fun experience.
The contradictory aspect of this Reddit post is that the lower-skill player is having fun because they're being matched through SBMM against similarly skilled players. The higher-skilled player has an excellent point that they aren't able to team with a friend anymore, because it ruins their fun. But without SBMM, it's unclear if their friend would be able to have matches that were fun at all.
In the end, this Reddit post is unlikely to solve any issues with SBMM in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It's worth acknowledging every problem, though, even if there aren't any obvious solutions. Call of Duty players should be able to play with friends without it ruining everyone's fun. Call of Duty players should be able to have fun without being dominated by higher-skilled players. Call of Duty players should have to feel like they need to try their hardest every match just to have fun. If there's an answer that solves all these problems, no game's implemented it yet.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.