SBMM continues to be a big conversation in Battlefield 6 and online FPS gaming in general. With competing FPS titles lessening their stance on skill-based matchmaking, let’s see if Battlefield 6 players have to contend with the dreaded SBMM.
Skill-based matchmaking is generally accepted as an algorithm whereby a game’s matchmaking uses your data and skill level profile to match you up with other players of a similar skill level. This means a lot of tough matches where either team narrowly wins, and it doesn’t usually lead to gaping deficits and massively one-sided wins.
If you ask most Battlefield 6 players—or FPS fans—they’ll probably say they don’t like SBMM. So, if you’re wondering if BF 6 has it, we can answer this in detail.
Does Battlefield 6 Have SBMM?
Battlefield 6 is confirmed to have SBMM, and while its skill-based matchmaking doesn’t work like other FPS titles, skill is factored into how your matches and lobbies are formed.
It feels like a big blow was struck in the Battlefield and Call of Duty war when Activision announced that Black Ops 7 was getting rid of Skill-Based Matchmaking. CoD players have been asking for the longest time to have SBMM removed from the game, or at least offer a playlist option where it isn’t present.
It is finally happening in BLOPS 7. CoD players will have the chance to enter random lobbies in which a team could have six experts coming up against six noobs and absolutely destroy them. No SBMM guarantees chaos and randomness. On the other hand, Battlefield 6 doesn’t quite do this.
BF 6 does have SBMM, but it doesn’t mean Battlefield Studios won’t add a fully non-SBMM playlist option in the future.
How Does SBMM Work In Battlefield 6?
Battlefield 6 reportedly takes four factors into account where SBMM is concerned: Ping, player’s location/region, how full the server is, and player skill level.
So, it’s been made clear that Battlefield 6 doesn’t employ a full-on SBMM system typically seen in most FPS games—there is some leeway. According to MP1st—who attended a special Battlefield 6 press event where burning questions were answered—the studio is “Prioritizing players’ enjoyment rather than forcing them into a specific matchmaking pool.”
SBMM exists, and it does factor in skill to a degree, but a positive and fast matchmaking experience is the emphasis. There’s a good chance you’ll have matches where the players around you are on a similar playing field, but certainly not always. If the matchmaking determines ping and server fullness to be more of an issue than skill level, then you could feasibly be thrown into a lobby full of players with all sorts of skill levels.
It’s a far more dynamic and flexible skill-based matchmaking system.
Have you encountered matches where you’ve been decimated? Or you’ve destroyed the enemy team? Let us know through the Insider Gaming Forum. Plus, let us know what you think of SBMM in general, and Black Ops 7 removing it.
Don’t miss out on our detailed Battlefield 6 Bloom and Max Level guides for more BF 6 content and answers.
