Yes, Modern Warfare 4 has skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) in its multiplayer, and right now there’s no Open playlist to get away from it. Activision said in July that Open playlists would stay available “in BO7 and the MW4 Beta”, and it never promised them for the full game. As of October 24, 17:30 UTC, neither Activision nor Infinity Ward has said whether Open matchmaking will come back after launch.
Activision’s own matchmaking white paper from January 2024 says Call of Duty has considered player performance since Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), with connection as “the most critical and heavily weighted factor.” The real question is whether MW4 lets you opt out of skill-based lobbies like Black Ops 7 did. At launch, it doesn’t.
- SBMM in MW4: yes, in every multiplayer playlist at launch
- Open playlist: not in the launch game (Activision said the August beta would have one)
- Official word on Open returning: none so far
At launch, every MW4 multiplayer playlist uses the same skill-aware matchmaking. Image: Activision
Table of Contents
Does MW4 have SBMM? What Activision said
Almost everything official on this has come from the @CallofDuty account on X, not the blog. On July 23 it answered questions about Open and what it called “the new system”. It said the new system brings “smarter team balancing, wide match variety, improvements that help keep matches full, and a better experience for mixed-level parties.” Then it added: “Open playlists will continue to be available in BO7 and the MW4 Beta.”
On August 19, just before the beta, the account published Black Ops 7 data to explain the choice. It said that for 80% of BO7 players from launch to Season 04, Open compared with Standard matchmaking saw:
| Metric (Black Ops 7, launch to Season 04) | Open vs. Standard |
|---|---|
| Quit rate | 32.7% higher |
| Kills per minute | 14.4% fewer |
| Win rate | 5.3% lower |
| “Not Fun” ratings | 59.2% more |
| Quit rate on Nuketown 24/7 | 141% higher |
In the same thread, quoted by Insider Gaming, Activision said the system “is not a return to the tighter matchmaking of recent games” and that “connection remains a top priority.” It said the beta would run both the new system and Open “so we can keep learning from both.” It also defended disbanding lobbies, saying starting fresh “lets us better prioritize ping.” Dexerto reported a fierce backlash from players and creators, and some of the posts drew Community Notes. A follow-up post on August 20 told players: “Matchmaking isn’t just data, it’s a feeling.”
Since then, Infinity Ward has said very little. In September, Infinity Ward studio head Mark Grigsby replied on X that “all Matchmaking info we have at this time is what has been officially stated on the @CallofDuty account.” Multiplayer creative director Joe Cecot told IGN on October 23 that “our end goal is that every match is a good match,” but added, “we’re not talking about exact specifics on matchmaking.”
Is there an Open playlist in MW4?
Not at launch. CharlieIntel reported on October 22, as multiplayer went live in the first time zones, that MW4 “currently has no Open Matchmaking playlists” and that every playlist uses the Standard system from the beta. IGN says a persistent lobby option appears under popular modes, but the game doesn’t say whether that changes matchmaking. Neither the launch patch notes (updated October 23) nor the official maps and modes blog mentions Open matchmaking.
Talk of Open playlists coming back is speculation for now. Game Rant suggests one could arrive in a later update, possibly Season 1, but Activision hasn’t said so. Infinity Ward’s Trello board only has a standing card on monitoring “matchmaking quality.”
Activision said in August that the new system is not a return to the tighter matchmaking of recent games. Image: Activision
How players are reacting
The complaints are loud, but they sit alongside a mostly positive launch. Game Rant reports that some players say it’s harder to keep their K/D up than in earlier games and blame SBMM. Vice notes reports of long queue times and lobbies that feel overly competitive, and says it’s unclear whether matchmaking causes those issues. Game Rant also points out that MW4 holds “Very Positive” user reviews on Steam overall. If you’re hitting connection problems rather than tough lobbies, our MW4 server status and error code guide tracks the known issues.
What’s next
The next chance for news is the first multiplayer patch, which the launch notes say is coming “over the coming days,” and Season 1, which Activision’s launch roadmap puts on November 6, according to Insider Gaming and Game Rant. Ranked Play, the mode built around skill, hasn’t been dated either. We’ll update this post if Activision or Infinity Ward says anything about Open playlists. Meanwhile, see our MW4 maps list and best loadouts guide.
Sources: @CallofDuty (Jul 23), @CallofDuty (Aug 19), Call of Duty matchmaking white paper, MW4 launch patch notes, IGN, Insider Gaming, Game Rant, Vice.
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Featured image: Activision
