The public testing of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 has ended. Many players participated in this test with an open mind.
This game is not a fast-paced gunfight, but a game without promises. Rather than knowing that they need to invest hundreds of hours of experience, players can incorporate the game into a series of time frames, thanks to multiplayer games that last about 15 minutes and frequent levels.
It is disappointing that ease of use does not seem to have improved in the three years since the previous work Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was released. Admittedly, all we've seen in the last two weekends is just multiplayer, but the game's settings tell us what we might see in the full version. What the
beta gives players immediate presentation of some promotional elements of the game, and there is no guidance on how to exit, which is not ideal.
is difficult to get into the settings outside the game itself, as they are hidden behind a small, vague option prompt on PlayStation 5.
available options focus on color blind filters and button remapping. Other aspects are more common. You can reduce motion blur and sharpen images, change the field of view, and have impressive control over dead zones and appearance sensitivity. The option to change the UI and text size is also helpful, given the confusion of the beta menu.
is not much different from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and its sequel beta. In fact, the settings of the last three versions of Call of Duty are surprisingly similar, with little indication in the beta that Modern Warfare 2 will offer anything but basic ease of use—at least, according to the game’s ease of use guide—level of ease of use.
developer Infinity Ward insists on encouraging a range of play styles in two recent series, which has attracted criticism from the core of existing players. If so, it is better to see some evidence.
Other things like damage sliders may be difficult to balance in online multiplayer mode, but should be the standard in single-player mode and private matches. Of course, these should be sliders, not general presets found in past iterations. So, would you be frustrated if you don't see the options for single-slide mode, automatic movement or screen reading?
Infinity Ward also didn't mention ease of use in the feedback from the first weekend of testing. Therefore, it seems unlikely that greater accessibility will occur. The lack of progress in
indicates that Infinity Ward and Activision do not understand the relationship between potential player abilities and gaming disorders. Yes, these mechanisms may play well in competitive areas. But it leaves a large number of players behind and has done little to solve the deeply rooted obstacles in the game series.
For example, the exposure of Call of Duty has been around for some time. In public beta, Infinity Ward did not perform some form of contrast mode, but deleted the nameplate of the opponent's player, thereby reducing the visibility of the game.
This can be improved by adding color to the uniform. Does this go against the realism that many players desire? Maybe, but after a few weeks of release, multiplayer will be overwhelmed by cat ears and animation-inspired trackers. Of course, this is part of the reason Activision is reluctant to try this game, because selling skins is very profitable for publishers. But if it is the choice of Buddhist players, it may be turned off.
This combined with the community's dissatisfaction with various game styles is itself a complaint of neglecting ease of use. Many players are struggling with the hasty style that Call of Duty fans admire. On the contrary, other games are more comfortable. For some, this means shrinking and striving for an easier-to-manage experience.
We can criticize Infinity Ward for its lack of ease of use in public beta, but we also need to understand that the community surrounding the game — and Activision’s relationship with it — does not help.
When you refuse to perform sufficient accessibility, this is no longer about slow processes, but deliberately excludes the player community, as if to retain core players who are opposed to accessibility and the changes represented in the series.
Because if Call of Duty fans are afraid of anything—more than the changes in their beloved minimap, more than someone sitting in a corner—that is change.
This may sound a bit sensational, but if you spend so much time in the Call of Duty discussion, you may be upset with the core players who are strongly opposed to ease of use.
Activision's studio is more willing to cater to these groups than to the wider gaming crowd, which is a strange stance. Given Activision's profit-oriented approach, it would be foolish to exclude a huge potential market.
Not everyone fantasizes that it will be easy to achieve greater accessibility. Three years have passed, and it is clear that the IW engine has not taken this into consideration. But in the public beta of Modern Warfare 2, the accessibility range is very small.
However, it does leave a noticeable gap that other studios can use to create a more open FPS game, like the Call of Duty style, but it addresses accessibility issues that Activision is obviously overlooked. Perhaps the failed attempts of Battlefield 2042 to attract disgruntled Call of Duty fans may be discouraged, but from the perspective of disabled players, the game clearly has a lot of potential.
is envious of those who complained in the public beta of Modern Warfare 2 that the minimap changes ruined their chances of frustrating inexperienced players. For me and many others, public beta is a signal that Activision remains indifferent to meaningful ease of use.
I'm sure Infinity Ward Although Activision is obviously not interested in ease of use, it really hopes to attract more players. But public testing suggests developers' ignorance about these players and the fact that Call of Duty is not suitable for everyone. Although it should be like this and all games.
