With the launch of Season 3 this week, *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* and *Warzone* are set to undergo a significant change that has sparked concerns within the PC community, particularly regarding potential impacts on matchmaking queue times.
Activision has released the Season 3 patch notes, confirming a major update to regular Multiplayer. The update separates the Multiplayer Ranked Play and *Call of Duty: Warzone* Ranked Play settings, introducing a new Multiplayer-only setting for Quickplay, Featured, and Party Games matches. This change will introduce three distinct settings, each with specific crossplay options starting April 4:
- On: Enables matchmaking with all gaming platforms when playing in the selected playlists.
- On (Consoles Only): Enables matchmaking only with other consoles when playing in selected playlists.
- Off: Restricts matchmaking to your current gaming platform only in selected playlists.
Activision has cautioned that selecting "On (Consoles Only)" might negatively affect matchmaking queue times, and choosing "Off" will certainly do so.
The introduction of console-only crossplay in regular Multiplayer has raised alarms among PC players. Many fear that console players opting out of PC matchmaking could lead to longer queue times. This concern is fueled by the ongoing issue of cheating in *Call of Duty*, which is more prevalent on PC. Activision has acknowledged this problem, noting that unfair deaths attributed to console players are more likely due to 'intel advantage' than cheats. Consequently, some console players disable crossplay to avoid potential encounters with PC cheaters.
PC players have voiced their frustrations on social platforms. Redditor exjr_ expressed understanding but worry about the potential long-term impact on queue times, while X / Twitter user @GKeepnclassy lamented the decision, suggesting it unfairly penalizes non-cheating PC players. @CBBMack highlighted existing issues with lobby filling on PC, anticipating further deterioration due to these changes.
Some PC players argue that Activision should focus on improving its anti-cheat measures rather than segregating players. Redditor MailConsistent1344 suggested that enhancing the anti-cheat system would be a more effective solution than isolating PC players.
Activision has invested heavily in combating cheating, with recent successes including the shutdown of prominent cheat providers like Phantom Overlay. Despite these efforts, the battle against cheating remains challenging. With the launch of Season 3, Activision promises improved anti-cheat technology, which will be crucial as the return of Verdansk to *Warzone* is expected to attract a significant influx of players.
However, many in the community believe that the majority of console players, who are often casual gamers, may not even be aware of these new settings. Most players simply jump into unranked Multiplayer for a quick session without delving into patch notes or settings. As a result, the majority might continue playing with crossplay enabled by default, unaware of the option to restrict it to consoles only.
*Call of Duty* YouTuber TheXclusiveAce addressed PC player concerns, noting that the largest pool of players will likely remain unchanged as most won't notice or alter the new settings. He emphasized that it's the players who opt for console-only crossplay who will limit their matchmaking pool, a choice now available to them in public matches.
As Season 3 approaches for *Black Ops 6* and *Warzone*, it remains to be seen how these changes will affect the gaming experience and whether Activision's ongoing efforts to combat cheating will yield noticeable improvements for PC players.
