Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta Struggles To Impress - Kotaku

Activision Call of Duty Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Infinity Ward

Over the weekend, players got their boots on the ground in the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Over the last year, Infinity Ward said their upcoming Call of Duty installment would strip back on the over the top buffoonery the series subjected itself to in recent history. The current beta test for the 23rd entry in the series gave a better idea of what the developers were getting at. As the weekend winds down, some players feel the approach may have grounded itself too deeply, with spawn issues, quick kills and overall lack of razzle dazzle leaving them cold.

Coming in October, the latest Modern Warfare will be strictly current-gen, leaving previous consoles behind but picking up the Switch 2 all the same. Overall graphics and dynamic environmental details seem to impress, making the sacrifice worth the bridge burning. But the beta test still seems to leave a lot to be desired. Among the key issues are unimpressive maps, guns that kill too quickly and poorly allocated spawn points, a trio that all blend together into runs that are over before they begin and a camper’s delight. Weapon attachments don’t seem to carry their weight either, and louder than normal footsteps gives an unfair advantage to stealthier perks.

New update on the Modern Warfare 4 beta:

— They are seeing feedback on TTK and working to make adjustments to it — Reducing the number of cons for attachments for better balance — Spawn changes coming pic.twitter.com/JvXk7WJ9TZ

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) August 23, 2026

These complaints have clearly reached back to Infinity Ward, who have already promised to tinker on spawning grievances and “time to kill.” The beta only included three of the 12 maps that will be included at launch, so it’s yet to be seen if they’ll all remain as plain. What’s less likely to be addressed is how many players seem to be generally underwhelmed by experience. In efforts to undo some of the circus theatrics the series has picked up in recent iterations, acrobatics like wall jumping and Black Ops’ signature omnimovement have been pared down for a more sensitive ground slide. It’s a slower paced experience with quicker deaths nonetheless.

Infinity Ward has a lot to prove. For years the gag has been the worst case scenario for Activision is a half-decent Battlefield, and that appears to be exactly what happened with last year’s Battlefield 6. What was likely eyed as a cash cow for Microsoft, who completed their Activision purchase in 2023, has been lagging in sales. Missing internal milestones so badly they commented on it publicly. It has left the Call of Duty team with a lot of conundrums. Shooters for both purists and casual players have boomed around them, all while their parent company crumbles from within.

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