[The first weekend of the Modern Warfare 4 beta is wrapping up, and while the numbers are solid, they tell a story about player access and platform fragmentation.]
We’re just hours away from the conclusion of the initial phase of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta. While Activision remains tight-lipped about releasing official figures, we can dive into Steam data to get a sense of how it performed compared to previous Call of Duty betas and even rival franchises like Battlefield.
A Limited Audience, For Now
It’s crucial to remember that this first weekend was primarily limited to players who pre-ordered the full game. While free beta codes were circulating through content creators, social media giveaways, and other channels, this restricted access inevitably impacted the overall reach of the beta. We can expect potentially larger player counts next weekend when the open portion kicks off.
Steam Numbers: A Snapshot
On Steam, the Modern Warfare 4 beta achieved a peak concurrent player count of 115,145 (via SteamDB“>SteamDB). The daily concurrent numbers were strong on Friday but saw a slight dip each subsequent day. Notably, this beta has its own dedicated entry on Steam, which is different from how the full game might eventually be tracked under the broader “Call of Duty” application.
This separation is important because the Call of Duty app also includes free-to-play Warzone and several previous years’ games. This could make it harder to accurately gauge the performance of individual titles if they are all lumped together under a single umbrella.
Context is Key: Comparing to Past Betas
While 115,000 concurrent players is a respectable number, it’s worth putting it into perspective. Last year’s Black Ops 7“>Black Ops 7 beta peaked at 100,000 concurrent players on Steam. A year prior, Activision boasted that the Black Ops 6 beta was the biggest in franchise history“]>, although they didn’t share any concrete numbers to back up that claim.
The Battlefield Factor
However, when compared to other major franchises, the Modern Warfare 4 beta’s performance looks less impressive. The Battlefield 6“>Battlefield 6 open beta, for example, achieved a staggering peak of 521,079 concurrent players on Steam. This highlights the potential for even greater player engagement when access is fully opened up.
Beyond Steam: A Broader Picture
It’s essential to remember that Steam only represents one piece of the puzzle. Console numbers could potentially be higher, and some PC players may have utilized the Battle.net or Microsoft Store versions, which wouldn’t appear in these Steam charts.
Constant Iteration: Infinity Ward at Work
Infinity Ward has been actively updating the beta since its launch, releasing a significant patch on Saturday“>releasing a big patch on Saturday and another one on Sunday. These updates included a new map, a new mode, and a new playlist. They also brought balance tweaks to two of the beta’s most popular weapons and adjusted visibility on one of the maps, demonstrating their commitment to refining the experience based on player feedback.
Source: Eurogamer
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