What you need to know
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's matchmaking will judge you based on your input method
- You can opt out, but if you don't you might occasionally get put into a mixed match.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available to preorder now for $60.
During a Twitch stream on Tuesday, Infinity Ward staff talked about this weekend's forthcoming crossplay beta, which will add 32 v 32 mode Ground War to the mix. However, more importantly, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will also let Xbox One, PS4 and PC players come together for the first time in Call of Duty history.
For those of us who remember the crossplay seen on Xbox 360 shooter Shadowrun, this was met with a little reticence by players who remember getting stomped by PC players while sat at their consoles, but the Call of Duty developers are planning to keep controller and keyboard players separated based on their input method. Controller players, even on PC, will only get domed at long range by mouse-wielding snipers when they're unlucky.
Infinity Ward's Paul Haile said on the stream that the crossplay was the result of wanting to bring players together, and bring down the barriers between different players just because of the platform choices they've made.
But putting everyone into one big pool is tricky, so the current matchmaking algorithm will take the input device being used into account when working out matchups. The system will endeavour to try and keep the two schools of play separate as long as they're not struggling to find a match, in which case you can be matched together, even if it's not viewed as the ideal.
If you don't want to crossplay in the final version of the game, that will be something you can opt out of. However, for this weekend's beta, crossplay will be taking centre stage, as the developers are hoping to smooth the process significantly ahead of the game's full release on October 25.
The beta will start on 10am PST on September 19 for those with an early access code. But don't stress, because a day later Infinity Ward let everyone else hop in across all platforms.
Captain Price and his cigar make a return
The stakes have never been higher as players take on the role of lethal operators in a heart-racing saga that will affect the global balance of power. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare engulfs fans in an incredibly raw, gritty, provocative narrative that focuses on the changing nature of modern war.
