Dr Disrespect explains how Black Ops Cold War could be “so much more fun”

Alex Tsiaoussidis
Dr Disrespect Black Ops Cold War

Dr Disrespect has chimed in on the much-maligned SBMM system used in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and other titles, and although he doesn’t blame Treyarch, the Doc is less than impressed with the system and wants it removed.[jwplayer BlAHV3BT]

Dr Disrespect is all about violence, speed, and momentum. However, he hasn’t been able to spread his wings in Black Ops Cold War and fly like the eagle he was born to be, and he blames it all on SBMM.

SBMM, which stands for skill-based matchmaking, is a system used in many popular games to try and balance out lobbies.

Some players and developers think it’s a good thing, but many others believe it tends to ‘punish’ higher-skilled players like Dr Disrespect. It throws them into lobbies with other elite players, which results in ‘sweaty’ games where everyone is good and trying really hard to win.

The game becomes more serious and less casual, and it demands more effort, which is less than ideal for streamers like the Doc, who want to entertain.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is one of many games that uses SBMM.

Dr Disrespect has never been one to hold his tongue and mince his words on matters important to him. In his latest stream, he had a frustrating time playing Black Ops Cold War due to SBMM and shared his thoughts.

Man, that SBMM, what a… what a…” he said, struggling to find the words to summarize his rage. “SBMM results [in] the exact same fight every single time.” It’s a sentiment shared by players from many different games and skill brackets.

“It has nothing to do with… game design,” he added.

“Treyarch knocks it out the park… I just think it has something to do with a lot of the technical stuff… I would take that tech out.”

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Dr Disrespect isn’t one to hold back on his opinions, especially when it comes to games.

Dr Disrespect knows that it isn’t Treyarchs fault. Instead, he refers to a “third-party” who works with them and “manages all the data and everything.” He says, “they’re able to make all these tweaks, and all that stuff,” and the fact that SBMM is implemented at all is “such a bummer.”

“I want some sheep in my lobbies,” he said. “I want a couple triple peekers. The game could like just be so much more fun. I don’t understand why they have it.”

The related segment begins at 3:38:30 in the video below.

Dr Disrespect isn’t the first person to express his concerns about SBMM, and he won’t be the last. However, the Doc is a pillar in the gaming community. He has also been involved in some behind-the-scenes level design, so his opinion has some weight.

Either way, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is still loads of fun. SBMM might even help you become a better player if you’re willing to embrace it.