Call of Duty PC Players Who Do Not Cheat Are Being ‘Penalized’ by New Console-Only Crossplay Option for Regular Multiplayer

With the launch of Season 3 this week, *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* and *Warzone* are set to undergo significant changes that could affect matchmaking queue times for the PC community. Activision has released the Season 3 patch notes, confirming a major update to regular Multiplayer by separating the settings for Multiplayer Ranked Play, *Call of Duty: Warzone* Ranked Play, and introducing a new Multiplayer-only setting for Quickplay, Featured, and Party Games matches.

Starting April 4, when Season 3 goes live, each of these settings will feature the following crossplay options:

• 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 warned that selecting "On (Consoles Only)" may lead to longer matchmaking queue times, and choosing "Off" will almost certainly result in negatively impacted queue times. The introduction of console-only crossplay in regular Multiplayer has raised concerns among PC players, who fear it could lead to longer wait times due to console players opting out of crossplay to avoid PC cheaters.

Cheating has been a persistent issue in *Call of Duty*, particularly on PC, as confirmed by Activision. Some console players already disable crossplay to sidestep potential cheating from PC players. This new setting allows them to further customize their gaming experience, potentially at the expense of PC player queue times.

PC players have expressed their frustration on platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter). Users such as exjr_ and @GKeepnclassy have voiced concerns about the impact on PC lobbies, with some contemplating switching to consoles to maintain a smooth gaming experience. Others, like @CBBMack, highlighted existing issues with matchmaking due to skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), predicting further deterioration with these changes.

Some within the community argue that Activision should focus on enhancing its anti-cheat measures rather than segregating players. Redditor MailConsistent1344 suggested that improving anti-cheat technology could prevent console players from feeling the need to turn off crossplay.

Activision has invested heavily in combating cheating, with notable successes against cheat providers like Phantom Overlay and others, as reported by IGN. The company promises improved anti-cheat technology with the launch of Season 3, which could be crucial, especially with the anticipated return of Verdansk to *Warzone*.

However, the casual *Call of Duty* console audience may not even notice or utilize these new settings. Most players jump into unranked Multiplayer for casual fun without delving into patch notes or settings. As pointed out by *Call of Duty* YouTuber TheXclusiveAce, the majority of console players will likely continue playing with crossplay enabled by default, unaware of the new options or their implications.

TheXclusiveAce also noted that PC players will still matchmake with the largest pool of players, as most won't change the default settings. He emphasized that it's the console players choosing to limit their matchmaking pool by opting for console-only crossplay who will face potential drawbacks, a trade-off some are willing to make.

As Season 3 approaches for *Black Ops 6* and *Warzone*, it remains to be seen how these changes will affect the player base and whether they will help in Activision's ongoing fight against cheating.