Modern Warfare 2 ‘play again’ feature reignites disbanding lobby debate
Activision Season 5 Reloaded adds a play again feature to Modern Warfare 2 that makes community members question the need for disbanding lobbies.
Sledgehammer Games recently unveiled the first batch of Modern Warfare 3 content. Next, at Gamescom 2023, we got our first look at gameplay and possibly even a sneak peek of the new Warzone map.
Understandably, jumping back into a MW2 match with just a few months left in the game’s life cycle is tough. However, multiplayer fans get plenty of fresh content to sink their teeth into in Season 5 Reloaded. A new 6v6 map, three new weapons, and a new game mode highlight the new additions.
Multiplayer also takes a page from Warzone’s book by adding a play again feature. The announcement sparked a mix of joy and outrage from community members.
Modern Warfare 2 players unsatisfied with play again feature
After a multiplayer match ends in MW2, the lobby disbands, and users load into a new match with a different set of players. Previously, classic COD titles kept lobbies together, which added an extra element of community building as players met new friends and rivals.
COD Vanguard also used disbanding lobbies, and 100 Thieves co-owner Jack “CouRage” Dunlop argued: “I will never understand this change to Call of Duty multiplayer.”
And then, during Modern Warfare 2’s beta, players complained about disbanding lobbies, and Infinity Ward responded: “We’ve heard a lot of you on disbanding lobbies. We’re working on a few tweaks to increase the chance of lobbies staying together and improving the UI when it happens.”
It took months to see that feedback come to fruition, but Season 5 Reloaded introduces a play again feature to MW2 that allows people on the same team to play another game together.
Community members questioned why the devs couldn’t add persistent lobbies instead. One player responded: “At this point, what is the point in even keeping lobby disbanding a thing?”
A second user added: “Is it that hard to just make the lobbies not disband?”
Others looked back fondly on the days of persistent lobbies. A third multiplayer fan argued: “Creating rivals in CoD lobbies is most of the fun.”
What Sledgehammer Games has up its sleeve for multiplayer lobbies in Modern Warfare 3 remains to be seen.