Call of Duty faces significant challenges, extending beyond simply dwindling player counts (as evidenced by SteamDB data). Ahead of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's second season launch, developers announced a crackdown on cheaters, reporting over 136,000 account suspensions since the November 2024 introduction of ranked mode. Further anti-cheat improvements are ongoing.
Simultaneously, server infrastructure upgrades are promised, aiming to enhance connection stability.
However, this positive news is met with skepticism. Leading content creators are publicly questioning the efficacy of these changes, and Reddit discussions highlight a perceived lack of improvement in server performance and matchmaking.
Player frustration is palpable, with terms like SBMM (Skill-Based Matchmaking) and EOMM (Engagement Optimized Matchmaking) becoming synonymous with negative experiences. This erosion of trust presents a serious hurdle for Activision, and the path to regaining player confidence remains uncertain.
