The first beta period for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has ended on a sour note. What started as criticism surrounding several gameplay decisions has developed into a much broader backlash, with the game’s Steam reviews falling into the Mostly Negative category.
The timing could hardly be worse. Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled to launch on October 23, leaving Infinity Ward with less than two months to address some of the biggest complaints. More importantly, another major test is right around the corner, as the fully open beta begins on August 28.
That weekend could become one of the most important tests Modern Warfare 4 faces before release.
Modern Warfare 4’s Steam Reviews Paint a Rough Picture
During the first beta period, Modern Warfare 4 accumulated thousands of Steam reviews. However, only around 36% of the nearly 7,000 reviews were positive at one point, placing the beta firmly within Steam’s Mostly Negative rating.
Players have criticized several elements of the multiplayer experience rather than focusing on one specific problem.
Common complaints include the game’s spawn system, map design, weapon lethality, footstep audio, aiming, matchmaking and overall gameplay balance. Some players have also questioned whether Modern Warfare 4 currently feels polished enough for a game launching in October.
The Steam rating doesn’t necessarily represent the entire Call of Duty community. Modern Warfare 4 is available across several platforms, while Steam represents only part of its player base. Nevertheless, thousands of negative reviews during a limited beta remain difficult to ignore.
Player Numbers Also Dropped Quickly
The Steam reviews aren’t the only concerning sign.
Modern Warfare 4 reportedly lost almost half of its concurrent Steam beta players within approximately 24 hours. A decline during a limited testing period isn’t unusual by itself, particularly when players only need a few hours to experience the available maps and modes.
Combined with the Mostly Negative reviews, however, the drop becomes more notable.
Instead of simply trying the beta and moving on, a substantial number of players took the time to leave negative feedback about their experience.
That makes the situation considerably more important than looking at player numbers alone.
Infinity Ward Is Already Making Changes
The good news for players is that Infinity Ward appears to be listening.
The developer released updates during the beta that addressed several complaints. Footstep volume was reduced, weapon lethality received adjustments and changes were made to spawn logic across several multiplayer modes.
Additional maps and modes were also introduced during the testing period.
Infinity Ward has made it clear that further adjustments will continue as feedback arrives. That is ultimately what a beta should be used for: identifying problems before the finished game reaches players.
However, the amount of criticism means the studio has plenty of work ahead.
The Open Beta Could Change Everything
The next major moment arrives on August 28, when Modern Warfare 4 enters its open beta period.
Unlike the earlier testing phase, the upcoming weekend will allow a considerably larger audience to experience the game. The open beta will also increase the level cap and introduce additional rewards, maps and modes.
Warzone will join the testing period as well, with players getting access to the new Zodiac Resurgence map.
That larger audience could dramatically change the conversation surrounding Modern Warfare 4.
If the changes made by Infinity Ward improve the experience, the open beta gives the game an opportunity to recover from its rough first impression. Steam reviews could improve as more players join, while positive word of mouth could begin replacing some of the current criticism.
On the other hand, the opposite could happen.
If the same complaints continue once the beta becomes available to everyone, the number of negative reviews could increase significantly.
Modern Warfare 4 Has More Problems Than Just Gameplay
The negative reception also comes after Modern Warfare 4 already faced controversy surrounding suspected AI-generated artwork discovered throughout the beta.
Players highlighted several pieces of environmental artwork containing unusual details and inconsistencies commonly associated with generative AI. Activision previously disclosed the use of generative AI tools in Call of Duty development, although the company has not confirmed whether the specific assets identified by players were AI-generated.
That controversy added another discussion to an already difficult beta weekend.
For some players, the issue is the maps. Others dislike the spawning or matchmaking. Some have criticized the suspected use of AI assets.
Individually, those complaints might have remained relatively small. Together, they have contributed to a much more negative conversation around Modern Warfare 4.
October 23 Is Getting Closer
Infinity Ward still has time to improve Modern Warfare 4.
Betas exist precisely because developers need large numbers of players to expose balancing problems, technical issues and gameplay decisions that don’t work as intended. Several of the complaints raised during the first beta can potentially be addressed through balancing and tuning.
The bigger question is whether enough can change before October 23.
Modern Warfare 4 doesn’t necessarily need to completely reinvent itself before launch. However, Infinity Ward needs to convince players that their feedback is resulting in meaningful improvements.
The open beta beginning August 28 will provide the first real indication of whether that is happening.
For now, Modern Warfare 4 enters its next testing period carrying something Call of Duty certainly didn’t want this close to release: a Mostly Negative Steam rating and thousands of players asking for changes.
