Call of Duty is currently navigating challenging times, and it's not just due to declining player numbers as observed on SteamDB. As the second season of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 approaches, the developers have been vocal about their ongoing battle against cheaters. Since the introduction of the ranked mode in November 2024, they've taken decisive action by suspending over 136,000 accounts. The team is also committed to further refining their anti-cheat measures to ensure a fairer gaming environment.

In addition to tackling cheating, the developers have announced enhancements to server configurations, promising improved connection quality in the future. However, these assurances have been met with skepticism. The situation is dire enough that prominent content creators are publicly questioning the developers’ claims, while Reddit threads are brimming with posts indicating that players have yet to experience any tangible improvements in server quality or matchmaking.

Player fatigue with Call of Duty is palpable, and terms like SBMM (Skill-Based Matchmaking) and EOMM (Engagement Optimized Matchmaking) have become contentious within the community. This crisis of trust is starkly evident, and it remains uncertain how, or even if, Activision will be able to address and resolve these deep-seated issues.