Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is heading into its first beta, but one of its biggest multiplayer changes is already proving controversial.
Infinity Ward has confirmed that the Modern Warfare 4 beta will feature both “Classic” and “Open” matchmaking options as the developer continues experimenting with how players are matched together. However, the decision to continue pushing its newer Classic system has been met with significant criticism from parts of the Call of Duty community.
What Is Classic Matchmaking?
Despite the name, Classic Matchmaking doesn’t simply recreate the matchmaking found in older Call of Duty games.
The system was introduced and tested through Black Ops 7 and represents Activision’s latest attempt to balance factors including player skill, connection quality, matchmaking speed and player retention.
Modern Warfare 4 will also retain Open matchmaking playlists with reduced skill consideration, something Activision previously confirmed would carry forward after positive player feedback.
Infinity Ward is now using the beta to compare the different approaches and gather more data before Modern Warfare 4’s full release.
Activision Says the Data Supports Classic Matchmaking
The developers have defended Classic Matchmaking by pointing toward data collected during Black Ops 7.
According to figures shared by the Call of Duty team, the system resulted in improvements across several areas, including player retention, average ping and matchmaking search times. The developer also claimed that more than half of players experienced a 41% reduction in players quitting matches under the newer system.
From Activision’s perspective, those numbers suggest the system can produce healthier multiplayer matches.
However, not everyone is convinced.
Call of Duty Players Push Back
The announcement has triggered considerable criticism from players who would rather see Modern Warfare 4 move further towards Open matchmaking and reduce the influence of skill when creating public matches.
Some players have also questioned how Activision is presenting its matchmaking statistics. Critics have pointed towards individual playlists and maps where the results appear considerably different from the overall figures being highlighted by the developer.
The debate is particularly important because matchmaking has been one of the most controversial topics surrounding Call of Duty multiplayer for years.
A portion of the community believes stronger skill-based systems can make casual public matches feel overly competitive, while matchmaking systems with less emphasis on skill can potentially produce a wider variety of opponents and experiences.
Infinity Ward Is Listening
Infinity Ward has acknowledged the reaction ahead of the beta, making it clear that player feedback will be part of its evaluation.
The studio essentially wants players to experience the system themselves before reaching a final verdict, with the beta providing Infinity Ward with considerably more information about how Classic and Open matchmaking perform when thousands of players are involved.
That means the matchmaking system players experience during the beta isn’t necessarily what they’ll see at launch.
The official Call of Duty site also confirms that Infinity Ward plans to issue updates throughout the Modern Warfare 4 beta, including gameplay adjustments, bug fixes and changes to available content.
Modern Warfare 4 Beta Could Decide What Happens Next
The Modern Warfare 4 Early Access Beta begins on August 21, giving players their first major opportunity to test Infinity Ward’s latest multiplayer experience.
Matchmaking will likely be one of the most closely watched elements.
If players overwhelmingly prefer Open matchmaking during the beta, Infinity Ward could face even more pressure to make it the primary approach when Modern Warfare 4 launches.
For now, however, the developer appears committed to testing both systems rather than abandoning Classic Matchmaking altogether.
With matchmaking remaining one of Call of Duty’s most divisive subjects, the results of the Modern Warfare 4 beta could have a major influence on how multiplayer works at launch.