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With the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 7, the news that the game might exist SBMM mechanism has once again sparked discussions among players. Despite the developers' insistence that the game uses an open matchmaking system, widespread player skepticism has kept the debate escalating.
This system exists in several games, but it has received particular attention in Call of Duty series. If you're also curious about the origins of this controversy and why this system has caused such debate, then read on.
Skill-based matchmaking, also abbreviated as SBMM, is a multiplayer game mechanic designed to match players of similar skill levels together.
Unlike traditional open matchmaking systems that prioritize random matchmaking, SBMM analyzes factors such as win rate, kill/death ratio, and overall performance to create matchmaking rooms.
This system isn't unique to Call of Duty series. Many popular games also use Skill-based matchmaking.
This mechanism was also used in the casual mode of early Call of Duty titles, such as Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare and Black Ops. The game largely disregards player skill level, making match results unpredictable, but allowing players of all skill levels to participate, often resulting in enjoyable gameplay.
Ultimately, the controversy surrounding SBMM mechanism stems from the conflict between players' expectations and needs regarding the game experience.
Players who support this mechanism believe SBMM is an indispensable part of multiplayer modes, balancing the game and ensuring fairness and competitiveness.
Under this mechanism, players of similar skill levels can hone their skills and gradually improve through intense competition.
Casual players won't be overwhelmed by highly skilled players; they'll feel a sense of progress when facing opponents of similar skill levels. And in any game, top players are a minority; they cannot monopolize the game, leading to feelings of being left out.
Skill-based matchmaking mechanism helps new players gradually adapt to the game environment and invest more time and effort in the game.
With this mechanism, new players won't be easily overwhelmed by experienced players in their early stages, thus increasing the likelihood of retaining new players and encouraging them to try out the game mechanics and content.
From this perspective alone, SBMM mechanism is extremely helpful to both the game and its participants, as it can improve player retention and provide players with a better gaming experience.
Opposing players argue that this mechanism robs the game of its casual enjoyment.
Playing games is meant to be a time for relaxation, but SBMM makes each match feel like a high-stakes battle. Players cannot relax, enjoy the game, or experiment with different equipment combinations. Instead, they are forced to repeatedly chase the outcome.
Even more frustrating is that this mechanism matches skilled players with equally skilled opponents, but players cannot be certain of their ability to defeat them.
This results in a rollercoaster-like fluctuation in the outcome of matches, with no one able to predict the result of the next game.
Many veteran players believe it's unreasonable to face stronger opponents simply because of past performances. Refusing to face this situation means constantly failing in the game, but not all players are willing to accept this approach.
Although previous patch notes mentioned Open Matchmaking as the default matchmaking mechanism in CoD Black Ops 7 Multiplayer, players clearly don't fully trust this claim because of the numerous uses of SBMM in previous CoD games.
Furthermore, many players reported that the matchmaking system still groups players of similar skill levels together.
This reignited discussions about the mechanism and deepened player distrust of the game.
Because of the widespread discussion surrounding this mechanism, the developers of CoD Black Ops 7 recently responded. Their response directly stated that all Open Playlists in the game use open matchmaking and Persistent Lobbies mode.
This means that regardless of when or where players enter Multiplayer mode, Co-op Campaign mode, or CoD Black Ops 7 bot lobbies, the players they are matched with are completely random, unaffected by other factors.
However, players don't entirely accept this claim. Some players argue that they need more raw and transparent data to verify the developers' statements. Furthermore, the developers need to provide more specific and detailed explanations of the changes made from SBMM mechanism in CoD BO6 to the open matchmaking system in Black Ops 7.
These controversies surrounding SBMM mechanism in CoD Black Ops 7 highlight the divergence between the game developers' and players' expectations.
Despite the developers' statements that they have adopted an open matchmaking system, the past decision to use SBMM system in several Call of Duty games and the lack of data transparency in the games have made it difficult for players to trust the studio's assurances.
With the continuous updates to CoD Black Ops 7, the player community's demand for a clear and fair matchmaking system remains unmet.
Currently, this debate still continues. What changes CoD Black Ops 7 needs to make to regain players' trust is a question the developers should seriously consider.
It’s confirmed! Monopoly Go’s next sticker release will be a collaboration with the beloved Harry Potter, themed Harry Potter GO. Prior to this, this controversial board game had already collaborated with Marvel and Star Wars, so both loyal players and casual players wanted to join in the fun of this collaboration.
It’s understood that this collaboration has attracted not only Monopoly Go’s existing player base, but also loyal book and movie fans of the popular IP, meaning the developers face a very large audience. Therefore, this new album may be a big surprise for all players.
So, how much do you know about this Monopoly Go x Harry Potter sticker album? If you know almost nothing, follow this guide to find clues about the new album from existing announcements and leaks. However, please note that this information is not entirely accurate; more details will be available in a more detailed announcement from the developers.
This Monopoly Go Harry Potter GO sticker album is expected to release on December 10th, which is also the end date of Cozy Comforts Album. While the exact release date is uncertain, generally, the next sticker album will follow shortly after the previous one ends. It’s not a seamless transition, but the gaps don’t last long.
The ending of the new album is also uncertain. Based on the duration of previous albums, eight weeks is the most likely outcome, leading many fans and media outlets to speculate that Harry Potter GO will officially end on February 4, 2026. Will Monopoly Go continue with the promised but unfulfilled ice and snow theme from last year? That remains to be seen.
According to the trailer released by the developers, the album was created because Mr. Monopoly was inspired by the popular landmark Platform Nine and Three-Quarters in Kings Cross London while traveling in UK, which instantly transported him to a magical world.
This fantastical game world features board games, mini-games, and a wide variety of collectibles themed around this IP. Most importantly, it will continue to offer over a hundred Monopoly Go cards, showcasing the heroes, wizards, muggles, creatures, and artifacts of this mysterious magical world from the perspective of the board game.
Next up is probably what players are most interested in: how many sticker options will there be in this album? It is reported that Harry Potter GO will still contain 23 sticker sets. This is a lot more sets than before, but don’t worry too much about whether you can collect them all, because the developers will launch more frequent special events in this new collection, which will effectively speed up your progress in collecting the entire set.
Following the tradition of having 9 in-game stickers in each set, this new sticker set will provide all players with a total of 207 stickers with different themed icons. Additionally, there will be a special Sticker Set, obtainable through the new in-game content, Chocolate Frogs. Just a heads-up, this set is themed around Wizards and Witches! Here are the names of the 23 known sticker sets:
Furthermore, based on available information, there are only 23 gold stickers in the entire Harry Potter GO sticker album. Why did the total number of cards increase, but the number of gold cards didn’t change significantly? This is likely because collecting and trading gold cards is more difficult, so the developers simply didn’t modify the number of gold cards to increase the likelihood of players collecting them all.
But are these profit-driven game developers really that kind? It’s hard to say. After all, this game has generated several times more revenue than many similar games in just over a year since its release, so it’s understandable that they’re now changing their ways, listening to player feedback, and trying to see things from the player’s perspective.
In addition to the most important sticker album update, Monopoly Go plans to release more mini-games in Harry Potter GO album. For example, you can compete with other players in Quidditch, Hogwarts and Gringotts Racers events, and team up with your friends in Wizarding World Partners to win meaningful collectibles.
Meanwhile, Blocks Boutique will continue to shine in this collection: claim incredibly generous rewards after browsing through a dazzling array of exquisite items. And for Hogwarts Treasures, you can use a pickaxe (or laser gun) to dig up legendary magical artifacts of various shapes, such as Philosopher’s Stone.
Monopoly Go will be filled with nostalgic elements from the familiar and beloved magical world for you to discover. This concludes the overview of some of the currently known content in Harry Potter-themed sticker collection. A reminder: collect as many duplicate stickers as possible now, as they will be converted into the dice rewards you need on December 10th. Enjoy the game!
Here is pleased to announce that Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is scheduled to launch its first season on December 4th, featuring brand new and challenging Guild boss encounters that will require you to have a powerful enough character, loadout, and give it your all to complete.
Therefore, the release of CoD Bo7 Season 1 Battle Pass is timely. It is led by the in-game Alden Dorne and includes 2 new weapons and more than 100 Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, Calling Cards, Finishing Moves and more, which will effectively help you complete the entire season's exploration.
Are you impatient already? But take my advice: you need to be prepared for things to go smoothly. Therefore, it is essential to first understand all the specifics of Season 01 Battle Pass for Black Ops 7 and Warzone from this guide, which will definitely give you a head start in obtaining the super generous rewards.
In Call of Duty Black Ops series, the simplicity and complexity of the season pass were among the most frequent complaints from players. Therefore, the developers learned from past mistakes and drew inspiration from the strengths of other games in the same genre, making some adjustments to the season pass in this game.
First and foremost are the much-praised shorter unlock times and shorter initial screens. This not only ensures you earn generous rewards regardless of the game mode or location you explore, but also allows you to access High-Value Targets on later screens much faster, which can be very effective in attracting players who are keen on collecting all items and cosmetic rewards.
Additionally, for the first time, you will be able to earn Battle Pass Tokens by completing daily challenges, including Multiplayer, Zombies, Warzone content, Co-Op Campaign, and Endgame. Based on community feedback, Endgame is also being included in the daily challenges for the first time, giving players who enjoy high-level challenges more opportunities to earn rewards from Battle Pass.
By the way, the developers announced that during certain special periods of the season, completing daily challenges will earn you a Battle Pass Token. However, if you are unable to log in and engage in combat during this period, don't worry, because CoD Black Ops 7 Boosting for sale on EZG.com will help you. As long as you make a request, the professional boosters here will allow you to acquire all the tokens effortlessly.
Having discussed the changes to the new Battle Pass in Black Ops 7 Season 01, let's take a brief look at it. Like its predecessor, the rewards you can obtain are locked across 14 pages, with the first page being BlackCell Instant Rewards, followed by Battle Pass Instant Rewards, and so on.
After completing these 14 pages, you'll unlock Completion Page, which contains some free basic weapons, and some paid content. Throughout the game, you'll earn a total of 1,100 CoD Points, which can be used to acquire new items and attachments to enhance your gameplay experience.
Each page contains six rewards. Aside from BlackCell, Instant, and Completion Pages, each page can contain a maximum of two free rewards. The remaining rewards can be unlocked by acquiring Premium Battle Pass, BlackCell, or Vault Edition. A page is complete when both regular and HVT rewards are unlocked.
While Auto Claim allows you to automatically collect rewards during gameplay, it is strongly recommended that you turn it off. Manually redeeming the rewards you need with your hard-earned Battle Pass Tokens is the best way to maximize its effectiveness.
Next up are some highlights of the rewards included in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 1 Battle Pass, such as new weapons and blueprints.
Based on the teaser images released by the developers, the newly added Kogot-7 submachine gun looks a lot like MP7 from previous games in the series. Some players have even pointed out that it's just a name change. However, its specific effects will only be revealed when the season officially launches. This reward is located on the third page of the battle pass.
Regarding this assault rifle located on Page 6, the developers stated directly that they are bringing back Maddox assault rifle, a favorite among players from Black Ops 4, to Bo7. Compared to the previous submachine gun, this assault rifle is significantly more popular, not only due to its stronger damage output but also its larger Mag size.
Next, we'll introduce the blueprints for crafting powerful weapons; they appear on almost every page, including in BlackCell. Below are all the blueprints available in this Season 1 Battle Pass, along with their specific page locations.
The above details Battle Pass available in Season 1 of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which launches on December 4th. This significantly improved pass system could give you an unparalleled experience in earning rewards. Whether you invest in it or not, you can find the combat resources you need from this reward track. Have fun playing!
The highly anticipated Genshin Impact version 6.2 is about to launch, bringing players a wealth of new quests, playable characters, and exciting content. Among the most anticipated features is the new characters and their designs to be introduced in the first phase.
As the only new four-star character in Luna III, Jahoda has garnered much attention. Her role in the team leans towards support, making her suitable for various team compositions, and her strong versatility makes her increasingly popular.
Below, I will provide a detailed introduction to this new four-star character's design and related content. If your team lacks a character like her, take this opportunity to fill the gap.
Like most characters in Genshin Impact, Jahoda possesses three skills with different effects and power, which collectively shape this character. Below is a detailed description of her skills:
Jahoda can fire an arrow up to three times consecutively. Arrows fired at full charge will be imbued with Anemo DMG, dealing elemental damage to enemies.
Jahoda dashes towards an enemy and enters Shadow Pursuit mode. In this state, if nearby enemies possess Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo attributes, Jahoda will quickly collect that element and store it in Purr-loined Treasure Flask.
When the flask is full, Jahoda will automatically release it, dealing a powerful Anemo DMG to nearby enemies.
It's worth noting that if the flask is full and Jahoda's party has reached Ascendant Gleam rank, the flask will unleash an attack of the collected elemental type, lasting for 20 seconds.
Elemental Burst deals damage to nearby enemies and summons two support robots to heal the player's currently active character.
The upgrade order for these skills varies depending on the player's needs.
As is well known, increasing a character's Constellation in Genshin Impact grants more bonuses. For a four-star character to play a significant role in the game, at least a key Constellation upgrade is required.
If you want to develop Jahoda, you should aim to raise her Constellation to C6. While C0 Jahoda can serve as a support or sub-DPS character, C6 makes her a top-tier support in Moonsign mechanic teams.
Based on current information, Jahoda only appears on Wish Banners during the first phase of Genshin Impact version 6.2. Once this opportunity is missed, there's no other way to obtain her again in the short term.
Therefore, if your team lacks such characters, you can buy Genshin Impact Genesis Crystals from EZG to pull for Jahoda and reach C6 faster. Higher Constellation levels will make your adventure smoother and provide greater team bonuses.
Regardless of your intended role for Jahoda, you'll need to meet her Energy Recharge requirements. The easiest weapon to obtain is the 4-star weapon Favonius Warbow.
A max-level Favonius Warbow boasts a base attack power of 454 and an Energy Recharge of 61.3%, making it ideal for Jahoda.
If you don't have Favonius Warbow, here are some alternatives:
Jahoda's Artifact set can be changed according to the team's development direction, with different sets providing different buffs.
For support teams, the 4-piece Silken Moon's Serenade or 4-piece Instructor are good choices.
The 4-piece Golden Troupe is more suitable for teams where Jahoda is a secondary DPS character.
However, its attributes need to meet certain requirements, which are as follows:
Note that regardless of your final Artifact choice, you need to ensure Jahoda has sufficient Energy Recharge.
As a character from Nod-Krai region, Jahoda can provide special buffs to characters from the same region. However, her skills also allow her to adapt to teams from other regions, providing buffs and healing to other characters off the field, reducing the time needed to defeat enemies.
However, based on the current in-game character design, Jahoda is best suited for teams built around Ascendant Gleam mechanic.
Here are some teams Jahoda can participate in:
Currently, Jahoda is a rather unique character. Her combined healing and damage output allows her to fulfill multiple roles and synergize well with various characters in the game. However, she also has some drawbacks, such as long skill cooldowns and the need for C6 to achieve a significant damage boost.
Overall, Jahoda remains a worthwhile character to pull for, especially for players currently lacking such characters in their teams.
Genshin Impact version 6.2 Luna III is coming soon, and there will be a related character Test Run event. If you are interested in Jahoda, please follow this event and experience her design firsthand. We believe you won't be disappointed.
Recently, the official social media accounts of Path of Exile 2 released a trailer for the next patch 0.4.0, revealing that the next league is called Fate of the Vaal, and is expected to be available to all players on December 12. In this brand-new league, players will explore the ancient civilization of Vaal and challenge themselves with various game content.
Based on the existing trailers, it can be inferred that POE 2 0.4.0 patch intends to introduce Atrizi, Queen of the Vaal as an important new character in the new league, but unfortunately there is no concrete information yet. We may have to wait for the developers’ live stream for a detailed explanation.
However, it’s certain that Druid will be included in this early access as a brand new class, which may bring a fresher exploration gameplay style. If you haven’t looked into it closely, you might want to follow this guide for a detailed analysis of the trailer to see what new surprises the latest patch will bring!
First up are Vaal Gems, originally special corrupted Skill Gems from the original game, which possess additional skill effects. Besides the usual requirement of selecting them using Uncut Skill Gems, these skill gems also require you to defeat a specified number of enemies in combat before they can be used.
This skill gem itself isn’t particularly outstanding, but given that the league theme in this sequel is Vaal, it’s highly likely it will appear in the 0.4.0 patch notes. Furthermore, considering the addition of Atziri, it’s very possible this skill gem will become part of players’ frequently used skill rotations.
However, the possibility of appearing Vaal Uncut Spirit Gems is not very high, because in PoE 1, Vaal Gems could be obtained through the corruption of regular gems, so this overly direct acquisition method might not align with the developers’ intention to create a challenging experience for this sequel.
To be fair, this high level of challenge is a dilemma set by the developers themselves, but many players don’t seem to care because without sufficient exploration depth and incredibly generous rewards, even the most difficult battles or encounters lack appeal.
When discussing the game’s depth, it’s worth mentioning that the developers have once again promised a major overhaul of the endgame content: in version 0.3.0, the focus is on simplifying the campaign flow, so that players in the endgame map are no longer simply farming and grinding.
While this received positive feedback, it still lacked depth. Although the trailer didn’t reveal what changes the latest patch would make to Endgame, based on some leaked information, the developers are likely to revamp the way PoE 2 Currency is acquired and used in the game, abandoning the previous approach of simply stacking item rarity affixes.
In addition, the interface state of Delirium Fog will be adjusted to disrupt its linear movement trajectory. Most importantly, more endgame mechanics will be added. These might make players react more positively, but the actual impact will only be felt after all the content is released.
POE 2’s severe lack of in-depth and well-developed endgame content is nothing new. Although it’s still in Early Access, the developers have already launched several leagues, making it virtually indistinguishable from the full version. Therefore, it’s understandable that players have higher expectations.
The addition of Abyssal Lich to Rise of the Abyssal League was met with great positive feedback, and the developers tasted success. Although there’s still no clear patch announcement indicating new Ascendancy classes in version 0.4.0, it’s safe to assume they won’t pass up this opportunity to turn things around.
Huntress and Witch are likely the top choices for classes that will receive a completely new Ascendancy. Not only because Huntress itself has a dark theme related to Ritual, but also because it was significantly nerfed in the last patch due to player resistance, so it is very likely that an Ascendancy will be created for it as compensation.
Although Witch’s Blood Mage and Vaal thaumaturgy have a very close relationship, given the developers’ tradition, it’s not impossible that they could release another game with similar elements. I think all players should be looking forward to the fourth Ascendancy class, since this kind of new feature that enriches in-game character creation is something we all love to see.
Although the newly added class is Druid, which theoretically shouldn’t require additional weapons, it’s said that the developers are still planning to add a greatsword suitable for melee combat in patch 0.4.0, as it fits the background story of this league very well.
Given the long-standing tradition of sequels inheriting items from the original work and the theme of this Fate of the Vaal league, the added sword is likely to be from either Story of the Vaal or Fate of the Vaal, and both can be obtained as rewards from Vaal Incursion.
The above outlines some of the new game content for Path of Exile 2 that will be included in the new league released alongside patch 0.4.0. While leaks are rampant, more concrete and authoritative information will be available during the developers’ livestream regarding the latest patch. There may be even more surprises waiting for you then. Enjoy the game!
