Call of Duty YouTuber Launches Petition to Remove Skill-Based Matchmaking Following Successful Destiny Protests

Call of Duty content creator Tdawgsmitty has initiated a petition to eliminate skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) from the popular FPS franchise, following the success of Destiny fans' protests against their game's SBMM system. The YouTuber, who has previously advocated against SBMM in Call of Duty, began tweeting daily to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to draw attention to the issue.

Now, Tdawgsmitty is leveraging the success of Destiny's protests by launching a petition which has already garnered over 500 signatures within a short span of time. The goal of the petition is to remove SBMM from all unranked lobbies in Call of Duty, arguing that it is frustrating for players who want a more competitive experience.

The petition also calls for increased communication about matchmaking and opportunities for the community to test changes themselves. This comes just a month before the release of Modern Warfare 4, which is set to employ a controversial SBMM system introduced earlier this summer in Black Ops 7. The petition indicates that change may be possible, as Bungie's reversal of their decision to drop Destiny 2 after its initial backlash led to a positive response from fans.

Tdawgsmitty cites this as evidence that change is achievable in gaming. Former Call of Duty developer Brian Bright revealed that his team's work on the canceled game NX1 focused on ping and region, while later hiring data scientists to work with marketing for SBMM, raising questions about matchmaking priorities. Tdawgsmitty hopes that the community, through signing petitions, voicing concerns online, and making purchasing decisions, can influence changes in Call of Duty's multiplayer system.

However, Infinity Ward's lead multiplayer developer Jacky Reynolds of Infinity Ward acknowledged that it's a conversation that will continue, as there's always room for iteration and improvement in the system. Ultimately, he believes the focus should be on making matches enjoyable while maintaining variety.