REVEALED: Cod players criticize modern warfare 4 beta matchmaking system and disbanding lobbies - The Real Truth

“Call of Duty is about having fun and matchmaking exists to support that. Our goal is simple: make every match a good match,” Activision stated.

According to Activision, the updated system, which was first tested in Black Ops 7 Season 5, considers player skill alongside several other factors. These include 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. Activision also defended its decision to move away from a completely Open Matchmaking system.

Activision’s matchmaking data questioned

Activision 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. According to the developer, 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.

Players also reportedly gave matches 59.2% more “Not Fun” ratings when using Open Matchmaking, with the most competitive players leaving around one in every three matches. The dev argues that the figures demonstrate how completely Open Matchmaking can create a poor experience for players across different skill levels.

However, the explanation hasn’t convinced much of the community. Several players and prominent CoD figures have questioned the data, while others argue 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.

Disappointment over disbanding lobbies

Disbanding lobbies after each match has become another major sticking point for players. Activision said around 50% of players leave after their first match anyway, while almost none of the original lobby remains by the third game.

Based on that, 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. That reasoning hasn’t fully landed with the community, however. Many 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. The early access beta runs from Aug. 21 to 25 while the open beta takes place from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1.

If you have access to the MW4 Early Access Beta, check the exact preload time so you can get everything ready and jump into the game as soon as it goes live. You might want to take a look at the MW4 Beta PC specs to see if your rig is ready.