Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 director shuts down 'Christmas noob' conspiracy

Fan theories and conspiracies have always been prevalent in the gaming world, and a recent one surrounding Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has been dismissed by a developer.

Since the announcement that open lobbies would return in Black Ops 7, speculation has arisen about how much skill influences matchmaking in these playlists. In open lobbies, skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) is reportedly “minimally considered” (though not entirely ignored) when determining opponents.

This feature was well-received during the beta phase in October and remains popular among players. However, there have been ongoing claims that Activision is secretly adjusting the system. The latest theory emerged on December 26, when a user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote: “They have cranked the ever-living f*** out of SBMM for the Christmas noobs lmaoooo. I’ve been finding nothing but master prestige players in every lobby.”

The term “Christmas noobs” refers to new players who received the game as a holiday gift.

In response to these claims, Treyarch’s Design Director, Matt Scronce, directly addressed the issue, stating simply: “No, they haven’t.”

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is out now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.