Call of Duty faces significant challenges, extending beyond simply dwindling player counts (as observed on SteamDB). Prior to the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's second season, developers addressed their ongoing battle against cheaters, revealing over 136,000 account suspensions since the November 2024 introduction of ranked mode. Further anti-cheat refinements are underway.
Improvements to server infrastructure are also cited, with promises of enhanced connection stability.
However, this positive outlook is met with skepticism. Leading community figures openly doubt these claims, and Reddit threads reflect widespread player dissatisfaction with perceived minimal improvements to server quality and matchmaking.
Player burnout is palpable, with terms like SBMM (Skill-Based Matchmaking) and EOMM (Engagement Optimized Matchmaking) becoming common criticisms. This erosion of trust is undeniable, and Activision's ability to rectify the situation remains uncertain.