With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s beta now over, fans await the game’s official release - but as anticipation rises, so does concern about a significant element of the game: crossplay. With competitive PvP modes, the slightest of an edge can make the difference between an exhilarating kill and an enraging death. As players excitedly prepare to take to the battlefield, some are scrutinizing the unfair advantages - and disadvantages - that may impact the game as a result of crossplay features.
The Call of Duty series has been no stranger to cross-platform compatibility in recent years. It was first introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and it has been integrated into each game since then, so it’s no surprise that the franchise's title will also include full crossplay and cross-progression. According to the preview afforded by Modern Warfare 2's beta, it seems that these crossplay features will be enabled by default. Players will be able to play the game across Steam, Battle.net, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
While PC players might not bat an eye at this, some console players have been voicing their hesitations. It is common knowledge that using a mouse and a keyboard naturally allows for more precise movement and controls, which, in most cases, gives PC players an advantage over controller players. So when it comes to Modern Warfare 2, console players may be inherently faced with a more challenging experience.
Crossplay Negatively Impacts Console Players In MW2
Additionally, it is a lot more common to encounter cheaters on PC platforms than anywhere else. In fact, they made their presence known immediately in the beta, with a surprising amount of Modern Warfare 2 beta players using hacks, such as aimbots or wallhacks. While this issue will likely be sorted out with high priority, some cheaters may still be able to slip through. This puts console players at an even greater disadvantage - one which they unfortunately have no real way of countering.
With this in mind, players using console platforms may not wish to play with the PC player base. Crossplay can be disabled, but since it is on by default, many players might not be aware of this option, and will thus keep it on. Plus, it seems that players are unable to specifically choose which platforms they would or would not like to play with. This means that they either have to queue exclusively with their own platform, or with all platforms. It also means that those who turn off crossplay to avoid PC players with an unfair advantage may be faced with longer queue times due to a limited player pool - as well as the inability to play with any cross-platform friends.
With a large portion of Call of Duty’s player base being console s, the implications of crossplay on the game’s competitive integrity cannot be ignored. With the full game set to release on October 28, the most that fans can do for now is wait. But hopefully, before long, all players will be able to enjoy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, regardless of their platform.
