Call of Duty is facing significant challenges, extending beyond simply declining player counts (as evidenced by SteamDB). Ahead of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's second season launch, developers announced a crackdown on cheaters, revealing over 136,000 account suspensions since the November 2024 introduction of ranked mode. Further anti-cheat improvements are underway.

Alongside this, developers also highlighted server configuration enhancements, promising improved connection quality.

However, this positive outlook is met with skepticism. Prominent content creators are publicly questioning these claims, while Reddit discussions suggest players haven't experienced noticeable improvements in server performance or matchmaking.

Player frustration with Call of Duty is mounting, with terms like SBMM (Skill-Based Matchmaking) and EOMM (Engagement Optimized Matchmaking) becoming common criticisms. This erosion of trust is significant, and Activision's ability to rectify the situation remains uncertain.