CoD Players Criticize Modern Warfare 4 Beta Matchmaking System and Disbanding Lobbies

The Call of Duty community is speaking out against Activision's matchmaking plans for the Modern Warfare 4 Beta. Players are voicing their frustration with the return of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) and the decision to disband lobbies after each match.

Activision has confirmed that the MW4 Beta, set to begin on August 21 with an Early Access period, will test its updated matchmaking system alongside an Open Matchmaking option. The developer aims to compare the two approaches and collect more data before Modern Warfare 4 officially launches on October 23.

According to Activision, the updated system considers player skill alongside several other factors, including connection quality, location, time of day, playlist, party composition, platform, cross-play settings, and the overall player population. The dev claims early testing has resulted in better player retention, shorter matchmaking times, and lower average ping.

However, Activision's data on the effects of Open Matchmaking has been met with skepticism by the community. The developer shared data from Black Ops 7, covering the period between launch and Season 4, to explain why it believes fully open matchmaking can negatively affect the player experience. The data reportedly shows that 80% of players saw a 32.7% higher quit rate, 14.4% fewer kills per minute, and a 5.3% lower win rate when playing under Open Matchmaking compared with the Standard system.

| **Matchmaking System** | **Quit Rate** | **Kills per Minute** | **Win Rate** | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Standard | - | - | - | | Open Matchmaking | 32.7% higher | 14.4% fewer | 5.3% lower |

Players have questioned the data, arguing that the updated matchmaking system still doesn't provide the type of matchmaking experience they want, partly due to the lack of players in their regions. Activision's post was also hit with some Community Notes, adding speculation around the dev's explanation and the data it presented.

Another major point of contention is the decision to disband lobbies after each match. Activision claims that around 50% of players leave after their first match anyway, while almost none of the original lobby remains by the third game. Based on this, the developer believes creating a new lobby can get players into their next match faster than keeping the existing lobby together and relying on backfilling.

| **Lobby Disbanding** | **Players Leaving** | **Lobby Remaining** | | --- | --- | --- | | After 1st match | 50% | - | | After 3rd match | - | 0% |

However, many players have questioned whether the change actually improves the overall Multiplayer experience or it just forces the SBMM system. With both the new matchmaking and Open Matchmaking options available in the MW4 Beta, players can see for themselves how the two systems compare. Whether Activision's decision actually leads to a better experience should become clearer as the beta gets underway.