On June 7 (local time), following the Xbox Game Showcase at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, Xbox hosted private sessions for global media and creators.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which recently made headlines for being set in South Korea, held a multiplayer-focused session that we were able to attend. The session consisted of a multiplayer hands-on and a Q&A.
The Q&A featured Geoff Smith, Multiplayer Creative Director at Infinity Ward, and Jack Hoppers, Technical Designer at Infinity Ward.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Multiplayer
The multiplayer hands-on was conducted in two sessions. The first featured a snowy Russian base map, one of twelve 6v6 maps. Each map is designed to support various playstyles, ranging from CQC to open-field engagements.
Modern Warfare 4’s multiplayer offers a realistic and precise combat experience where fluid movement, player choice, and enhanced controls define every engagement. The newly introduced core weapon and gunfight mechanism, ‘Ballistic Authority,’ delivers authentic gunplay. Additionally, hip-fire spread has been removed, allowing for consistent and predictable shooting.
We also played the new ‘Inflation’ mode. Inflation is a bounty-style Team Deathmatch mode where the team that eliminates enemy players and collects the most cash wins. Players drop their held cash upon death, and the team that holds the most at the end of the match wins.
Due to the nature of the mode, the final stages—where individual cash holdings are high—led to intense skirmishes. Since a single death can cause a team’s total to shift instantly, it was possible to turn the tide of the game in the final seconds.
In particular, situations often arose where everyone converged on a single location to recover dropped cash, leading to multiple deaths in an instant, followed by another scramble for the loot—a tragic yet hilarious cycle. It was so entertaining to watch that even the developers who weren’t playing couldn’t help but comment on it.
We also checked out the new ‘Gunny’ system. This customization feature allows players to select their preferred playstyle, and the system automatically combines unlocked attachments to quickly build an effective weapon loadout. This should be helpful for players who find the selection process overly complex.
Apex Attachments,’ unlocked by maxing out weapon progression, are new traits that open up additional tactical playstyles, allowing for the evolution of each weapon.
Developer Q&A
Following the brief hands-on, a Q&A session was held to discuss various aspects of Modern Warfare 4.
Regarding new modes like Inflation, the developers stated they intend to avoid releasing too many new modes at once at launch. If too many are provided simultaneously, players might stick to just one or fail to fully experience the fun of each. Consequently, they plan to introduce new modes sequentially so players can experience them one by one.
As for movement, Black Ops’ ‘Omnimovement’ will not be featured. However, the developers were careful to ensure that players accustomed to Omnimovement would not find Modern Warfare 4 slow or frustrating. They focused on reducing unnecessarily sluggish or slow movement while maintaining control responsiveness and a sense of speed.
Conversely, they aimed to maintain a realistic soldier aesthetic in terms of expression. The developers felt that the bold, free-flowing movement of Omnimovement did not align with the aesthetic Modern Warfare strives for. Instead, they introduced animations linked to explosions.
A prime example is the ‘Shockwave.’ If a player is within an explosion radius but not killed instantly, they are knocked down by the impact. However, they can still aim and fire while downed. For instance, if a player survives a vehicle explosion but is knocked to the ground, they can continue to fight back from that position. The developers explained that this was intended to enhance both cinematic presentation and combat tension.
Modern Warfare 4’s modes appear to have separate progression structures because the developers did not want elements unlocked in multiplayer to carry over directly into DMZ. The intention is to provide a fresh experience of learning and growing from scratch within DMZ.
However, DMZ and multiplayer are not completely isolated. The developers explained that XP earned in DMZ carries over to multiplayer, and multiplayer equipment, killstreaks, and field upgrades can be used in DMZ.
For DMZ, they reflected on lessons learned from the previous DMZ beta. At the time, player progression and replayability were the biggest challenges. Some players found it difficult to know exactly what to do or where to go after entering the game.
Therefore, this DMZ focuses on the aspect of military operations, setting them as the player’s primary objectives. In ‘Dynamic Operations,’ the elements utilized during the process can vary, and the developers aimed to provide this sense of variability.
There was also an attempt to connect single-player and multiplayer through story missions. Players can experience the narrative of DMZ through various events.
One could apply a technique learned in a different mission to crack open a secure casino safe, for instance.
A new stealth mechanism has been introduced, featuring an indicator that offers directional cues when an enemy soldier is on the verge of detecting the player. This feature was specifically crafted with solo players in mind. The developers acknowledged that many users preferred playing the previous installment alone and thus designed this system to provide them with more options to navigate through different scenarios.
For example, players can opt to quietly infiltrate a base using suppressed weaponry for a stealthy approach, or alternatively, they can choose to engage in direct combat and forcefully push through.
The layout of the map is intricately connected to this direction. The developers elaborated that areas abundant in foliage enable players to evade combat or disengage from a confrontation. In the past, if a skirmish erupted, both AI and other players would converge, often leading to challenging circumstances for solo players. However, this time around, players have the autonomy to decide the level of intensity they wish to undertake.
Reasons behind selecting Korea as the backdrop for this installment
Infinity Ward opted for Korea as the setting for Modern Warfare 4 due to various factors. The developers referenced K-dramas and BTS, the latter having recently completed their military service, highlighting the substantial global influence of Korean culture at present.
Simultaneously, they merged the inherent tension of the DMZ with a hypothetical scenario, believing it could yield an intriguing narrative. Internal presentations not only discussed Korea’s cultural impact but also delved into military aspects such as artillery capabilities, range, and proximity to Seoul.
The decision to feature Korea was also influenced by military service. While recent titles from Infinity Ward focused on narratives centered around special forces, this time they aimed to shift back to an infantry perspective akin to classic World War II games. Their goal was to showcase the shock and overwhelming nature experienced by young infantrymen when confronted with sudden events, rather than portraying seasoned special forces operatives.
Through Modern Warfare 4, the developers aspire to illustrate how young soldiers interpret and progress in the face of momentous events unfolding right before their eyes.
While the series extensively covered the Middle East, Russia, and Eastern Europe, Korea presented a fresh stage for Infinity Ward. They concluded that the amalgamation of Korea’s cultural sway, the tension surrounding the DMZ, and the novel terrain and spatial configurations could give rise to a captivating storyline, prompting the expansion of various elements within the game.
Thorough verification processes were conducted to ensure the accuracy of Korea-related portrayals. An internal cultural team extensively researched Korean regions and culture. Subsequently, the developers underwent multiple verification stages to validate the precision and authenticity of the content.
Assigning the title number ‘4’ to the Korean word ‘Sa’ (사) was a deliberate choice. Extensive research was carried out, taking into account symbolism and other pertinent factors. Nonetheless, the developers expressed their desire for players to unravel the significance while immersed in the gameplay.
Scheduled for release on October 23 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 promises an intense military action experience that is both realistic and immersive, characteristic of the Modern Warfare series. Players can anticipate a gameplay journey emphasizing realism and immersion across the campaign, multiplayer, and DMZ.
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