‘Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’ Multiplayer Launches Without Open Matchmaking, Frustrating Players

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer has arrived without Open matchmaking playlists, and the missing option is already sparking frustration among players who hoped to escape the series’ controversial skill-based matchmaking.

The latest entry in the Call of Duty franchise is rolling out worldwide ahead of its Oct. 23 U.S. launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. As players jumped into multiplayer, they discovered that every playlist uses the Standard matchmaking system Infinity Ward introduced during the game’s beta, which factors in player skill when building lobbies. Unlike Black Ops 7, there is also no Classic matchmaking option.

Some players are reporting long waits to find matches, while others say their lobbies feel overly competitive, according to Vice. It is not yet clear what is causing those issues, or whether they are tied to the matchmaking system.

The complaints are not new. During the MW4 beta in August, popular Call of Duty news account CharlieIntel said the new system seemed to grow stricter as the test went on, and that even the beta’s lone Open playlist did not feel very open.

The missing playlists have put a July 23 statement from the official Call of Duty account back in the spotlight. Responding to questions about the difference between Open matchmaking and the new system, the publisher said the new approach would bring smarter team balancing, more match variety, fuller lobbies and a better experience for parties with players of mixed skill levels.

Crucially, the statement added that “Open playlists will continue to be available in BO7 and the MW4 Beta.” While that confirmed the option for the beta, it never promised Open matchmaking at launch, nor did it rule out adding it later.

Activision has defended the shift with internal numbers. In August, the official account shared Black Ops 7 data from launch through Season 4, which Infinity Ward has cited as showing players quit Open matches more often. Activision also said quit rates have dropped across every skill group since Season 5 began, by 41% for more than half of players, along with shorter search times and better ping. Those figures have not been independently verified.

Many fans remain unconvinced. Content creators have criticized the decision, and a Change.org petition is calling for Open matchmaking to become the default for casual 6v6 modes.

Will Open Matchmaking Return?

As of Thursday, Infinity Ward and Activision had not addressed the missing playlists, leaving it unclear whether Open matchmaking will be added in a future update. In July, the team said it would keep listening to player feedback and reviewing match data to refine the system.

The matchmaking backlash comes as an otherwise promising launch gets underway. MW4, the 23rd mainline Call of Duty game and the final chapter of the rebooted Modern Warfare saga, drew early praise for its campaign, set during a war between North and South Korea, and its returning DMZ extraction mode.