Support NeoGAF

[HeisenbergFX4]

SBMM is a necessary tool. Let’s be real none of your buddies are like 2.5+ KD average. Otherwise they would get stomped game in game out.

The only reason this became a complaint is because trash streamers like Courage kept getting shit on when he capped out on his skill rating so now he can’t make clips of himself dunking on people because he is in fact average and fat.

You take away sbmm and all it does is trash tier people like him get into lobbies to ego boost.

None of your argument makes any sense and no SBMM in casual lobbies are not necessary as so many older CODs did not have it and was much more fun

These Youtubers are still getting into bot lobbies by reverse boosting for 20+ matches and that kills their current team mates

 

[[Sigma]]

yeah these record engagement figures seem incredibly cherry picked

it’s not even the total hours? so we can assume that while the diehards might be playing it more, overall it’s being played less?

First thing that came to my mind.

 

[Mowcno]

This PR just sounds like a parody now. Seems like it did worse in total player numbers if they have to use these stats instead.

"The most engaging third mode in MW history."

 

[FrankWza]

 

[twilo99]

Consumers are idiots.

Those who call people idiots are usually the biggest idiots.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

CoD slowly dying since World at War. Any year now.

Its not a good sign when they want to talk engagement vs give sales numbers like they did last year when MW2 broke actual sales records

 

[Sub_Level]

They literally just sent me an email thanking me for this even though I only have MW2 not MW3. Im wondering if they are counting MW2 owners because we had to download MW3 lmao. Probably just a generic email sent to all accounts on file.

 

[Bond007]

You can tell Microsoft owns them when the new metric is "Engagement"

 

[Cyberpunkd]

CoD slowly dying since World at War. Any year now.

To all the CoD gamers:

 

[TheBomb]

Engagement = profit?

 

[envyzeal]

 

[GrouchyGamer]

Just shows what a disconnect there is between the gaming community and the mainstream. Unless these numbers are faked.

 

[poppabk]

It's less about sales being down but not meeting projections so they use BS terminology to look like they didn't fuck up to their shareholders

Their shareholders are watching the AI drama and tracking Azure numbers, they aren't really gonna care about CoD unless it completely craters.
The campaign stats are funny, shows how little people play the campaign modes - lots of people probably played it just to see how short it was and in doing so played more of the SP mode than they usually do.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Just shows what a disconnect there is between the gaming community and the mainstream. Unless these numbers are faked.

This has been the case since, as someone else said, CoD World at War. Which I thought was incredible, btw. But every year without fail the online gaming community says the game sucks and will signal the beginning of the end of CoD and every year it outsells all of their precious hardcore games and brings in truckloads of cash and ABK has a sequel coming 12 months later.

Online community backlash (and critics) is harsher this year because they took what was originally a DLC for MW2 and made it a full fledged $70 title. Per usual though, it’s selling gangbusters and people who play the franchise seem to be enjoying it

 

[Spukc]

Modern warfare bad

 

[Fake]

Is 'engagement' a new currency?

 

[FalsettoVibe]

MS is trying so hard to make engagement a thing....lol.

 

[Dacvak]

Someday I’m gonna try a CoD game. I know they’re supposed to be pretty good, but I just have absolutely no interest in multiplayer.

But the sound of a short, scripted, linear campaign full of visually spectacular set pieces sounds awesome to me. I don’t really care much about military games, but I bet it would still be fun to play while a little tipsy or high.

Now I just need to find a cheap CoD to play through. Are these games on Game Pass yet?

 

[clarky]

Someday I’m gonna try a CoD game. I know they’re supposed to be pretty good, but I just have absolutely no interest in multiplayer.

But the sound of a short, scripted, linear campaign full of visually spectacular set pieces sounds awesome to me. I don’t really care much about military games, but I bet it would still be fun to play while a little tipsy or high.

Now I just need to find a cheap CoD to play through. Are these games on Game Pass yet?

Think you're better of with a different franchise mate tbh. Or definitely wait for the inevitable game pass drop.

 

[akaFullmetal]

I also got an email about this and thanking me from sledge hammer about engagement. However I don't have MW3 yet, still playing 2. Wonder if they are adding MW2 people who upgraded the headquarters.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

Engagement is the new sales. Can't sell MTX if people don't engage with the content and where it's all tied into CoD HQ all the numbers add up quickly, even if they probably are skewed by the launcher.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Yeah, boasting about engagement instead of sales seems like an awkward choice for them. Definitely feels like that means it didn't do nearly as well, which wouldn't be too surprising considering all the press and drama around it. A super short ho-hum campaign, recycled maps, a full title price tag, etc.

 

[Games of Today]

Lmao, bloat the campaign with long, shitty, open ended levels on the warzone map and then claim that people are investing more time into it than ever before. Hysterical.

 

[LordBlodgett]

So it looks like overall sales are down, but those who bought it are playing it more than they played the last two. This is 100% due to the insane price for what you get. Sell this as a major DLC with the new short campaign, zombies, and multiplayer for $40 and I bet you beat all the records. I'm looking forward to playing it when the price comes down significantly because multiplayer and Zombies still looks freaking great, but I refuse to reward terrible pricing like this.

 

[KungFucius]

And since when CoD cares about engagement? They were aways strong on sales.

Oh Microsoft...right...

Microsoft has next to no influence on ABK right now. The deal just closed weeks before this game launched. Integrating business functions takes many months. Integrating the people takes even longer.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

We need an engagement meme or something for these occasions.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Games media got it wrong.
Single player gamers upset.

It's our time.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

I see they've adopted the MS corporate speak already.

 

[CoreyFlawless]

Not surprised, it has the best MP since the original Modern Warfare 2.

That’s what I heard from some of my coworkers that play cod every year. I thought about it. I may pull the trigger this year

 

[adamosmaki]

They are really grasping at straws trying to make it look successful
What the f***k engagement record mean? People talking more about it? Sure they are talking more about it its just that is mostly in a negative way you muppets

 

[yazenov]

Embarrassing.

Is this the first time Activision brags about engagement numbers for COD instead of sales and revenue? Talk about the MS influence.

Sales are down from the last COD without a doubt due to it being a shitty game and one of the worst COD-reviewed games in years. November sales charts can't come seen enough so we can have a good laugh at their expense.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

None of your argument makes any sense and no SBMM in casual lobbies are not necessary as so many older CODs did not have it and was much more fun

These Youtubers are still getting into bot lobbies by reverse boosting for 20+ matches and that kills their current team mates

HeisenbergFX4, I love you like a (NeoGAF) brother, but I think you got this one waaaaaay wrong.

SBMM exists to protect 90% of the lower skilled players from getting wrecked by the top 10% most skilled players. The reason why these developers added SBMM to casual playlists is because the fat wolves scare away the rabbits relatively quickly.

These developers don't want to do extra work. They're doing the extra work because their data shows what happens to playlist populations when fat wolves are getting 30+ kill games against 90% of the lobbies.

Now for a controversial take...

If your game is less enjoyable when players of similar skill face off against eachother, you have yourself a bad game.

 

[clarky]

HeisenbergFX4, I love you like a (NeoGAF) brother, but I think you got this one waaaaaay wrong.

SBMM exists to protect 90% of the lower skilled players from getting wrecked by the top 10% most skilled players. The reason why these developers added SBMM to casual playlists is because the fat wolves scare away the rabbits relatively quickly.

These developers don't want to do extra work. They're doing the extra work because their data shows what happens to playlist populations when fat wolves are getting 30+ kill games against 90% of the lobbies.

Now for a controversial take...

If your game is less enjoyable when players of similar skill face off against eachother, you have yourself a bad game.

I see this all the time. I don't think anyone is against the idea of SBMM, its the fact it is way too aggressive.

I'm a below average (50 year old) player with around a 1-1.5kda in most fps games. I do not want to stomp nor get stomped but 90% of the time these are the types of games the Matchmaking in COD forces me into.

I will smash a lobby for a couple of games, kill streak city, get one decent game, then get absolutely crushed for 3 or 4 then rinse repeat. If they put me in lobbies say with a range of players+20% -20% of my skill level all the time then id be a happy camper. If i win a few games then raise the floor and ceiling of the players im against.

I don't know why anyone would argue against that, and can't see why that would be so hard to implement.

 

[havoc00]

 

[clarky]

Cool Story.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

I see this all the time. I don't think anyone is against the idea of SBMM, its the fact it is way too aggressive.

I'm a below average (50 year old) player with around a 1-1.5kda in most fps games. I do not want to stomp nor get stomped but 90% of the time these are the types of games the Matchmaking in COD forces me into.

I will smash a lobby for a couple of games, kill streak city, get one decent game, then get absolutely crushed for 3 or 4 then rinse repeat. If they put me in lobbies say with a range of players+20% -20% of my skill level all the time then id be a happy camper. If i win a few games then raise the floor and ceiling of the players im against.

I don't know why anyone would argue against that, and can't see why that would be so hard to implement.

I see your point.

I play a ton of Fortnite and the same thing happens there though. They'll put me in lobbies with people near my skill level for 10 matches in a row and then they'll bump me up to pro Fortnite level lobbies where my KD is ~.5 or so.

I stick with Fortnite because many times losing to crazy high skill players is still fun. In CoD, it's not.

I just think it's something gamers like us don't understand. I sincerely doubt Activision and Epic games are brazenly incompetent. I think it's likely that they're choosing the best of two bad options.

 

[Sushi_Combo]

Can we see how many people uninstalled the game within a 30 minute playtime?

 

[clarky]

Can we see how many people uninstalled the game within a 30 minute playtime?

Not a lot going off the OP.

 

[PSYGN]

MWZ is the most engaging third mode

Congrats beating out all the games with a "third mode" I guess.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I bought last year's. Won't be buying one for a long while.

I went CoD 1/2 PC, COD4, MW2 PS3, MW2 2022.

The casuals can buy but I'm not one of them.

 

[fatmarco]

Half the levels in the campaign restart from the beginning if you die, so it's no surprise it's taking people longer to complete the campaign / creating players who put more time into the campaign.

Those awful Warzone levels are absolutely perfect for an industry built on "engagement" numbers...

 

[Gavon West]

"Engagement" is a meaningless stat. Often employed by companies in an effort to hide sales, revenue, and profit.

Engagement means, "gamers cannot translate how it amounts to financial gain so it must not have meaning."

...nevermind that just about every company is using the same metric these days. All we know is Treyarch are happy. They get to keep making the games and people get to keep playing em. What else matters?

 

[clarky]

I bought last year's. Won't be buying one for a long while.

I went CoD 1/2 PC, COD4, MW2 PS3, MW2 2022.

The casuals can buy but I'm not one of them.

How hardcore of you.

 

[clarky]

Half the levels in the campaign restart from the beginning if you die, so it's no surprise it's taking people longer to complete the campaign / creating players who put more time into the campaign.

Those awful Warzone levels are absolutely perfect for an industry built on "engagement" numbers...

LOL congratulations for dumbest post of the thread so far.

 

[EverydayBeast]

The eyes are on call of duty I’ll make sure to never buy one again.

 

[Flutta]

When sale numbers are low talk engagement. They are learning from the best

 

[0neAnd0nly]

Anecdotally,
I have bought every release since WW2 (originally I was a KZ player and didn’t like CoD) outside of Vanguard - and of the group of 5 (me making the 6th) NONE of us purchased MW3 yet or plan to.

Now, I would imagine 1 or 2 will end up getting it at some point. Me and 2 of the others are hard against it - nothing to do with the merger, more to do with the rumors of this game originally being a DLC but now a hurried “full release” for “full release money” after really not doing a great job in keeping MW2 fresh and updated with new stuff.

I also don’t care for sledgehammer.

So yeah, just my anecdotal addition to this thread.

 

[Neolombax]

The MP has been pretty good, in fact I feel its in the best place MP has ever been among the newer CODs. Its way less frustrating to play compared to say MW2 last year.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

The new parent company spin tactics now being done by the children.

 

[Phase]

This is the exact line 343 trotted out when we all knew what the real story was. It's just deceptive advertising. You can create any metric you like to promote a product. It doesn't mean the metric is actually meaningful or impactful when you back out from the intentionally created perspective they want you to view through.