The blinding muzzle flash in Modern Warfare 4's gameplay premiere was actually a bug

A vertically split image with Ben Starr illuminated with a very strong light on the left side, and a screenshot of MW4 gameplay on the right, showing a player holding an M4. — (Image credit: Activision)

Before Modern Warfare 4's official hands-on gameplay premiere yesterday, Infinity Ward had to clear the air regarding visual recoil. Effectively, it's aware of the concerns it's buck wild, and will be monitoring feedback during the beta before launch. So what I wasn't expecting soon after was to get blinded by a severe case of muzzle flash every trigger pull while watching the new gameplay yesterday.

Several content creators were invited to play and livestream an early MW4 alpha build, including the new Kill Block mode. But what's gotten more attention online has been the over-the-top effects whenever you shoot: a bright flash and a big puff of smoke that covers the entire screen, almost warranting sunglasses. It was especially prevalent on high-power weapons like snipers, though it was visible on other weapons too, especially in darker environments. It's hilariously distracting in the clip below, where it feels like it would light up my face like Ben Starr at The Game Awards if I were playing in a dimly lit room.

M4 GAMEPLAY ON MODERN WARFARE 4 pic.twitter.com/ZUugLrmqFkJuly 16, 2026

After a clip of Skyrroz showcasing it spread around, Infinity Ward once again had to step in to confirm that, no, this isn't intentional. But it sure is a shame that it's marred the first proper hands-on gameplay the community's been privy to.

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Seeing #MW4 in the hands of players for the first time has been an exciting milestone for the team.These are pre-release Alpha builds and are still very much a work in progress. The muzzle flash VFX issue in today's Alpha gameplay is a bug that will be fixed for Beta.July 16, 2026

"These are pre-release Alpha builds and are still very much a work in progress," the post reads. "The muzzle flash VFX issue in today's Alpha gameplay is a bug that will be fixed for Beta."

This is backed up by previous behind-closed-doors hands-on, including by our own Morgan Park, who played it earlier this year. CoD content creator JGOD also had this to say about that same clip being shared around: "What happened to the version I played and why is he getting flash-banged with every shot?".

Shooting a gun in MW4 pic.twitter.com/sDJ5ZmfIPRJuly 16, 2026

Combined with the already controversial visual recoil, this unfortunate bug has quickly given people the wrong impression. "Nice, need an epilepsy warning to come on every time you shoot a gun," one commenter wrote. "Bruh…..WHAT THE F*CK is that muzzle smoke," said another. Similarly, "That muzzle flash lmfao what im getting flashbanged each shot wtf." You get the picture.

Hopefully the beta, expected to begin in September, won't suffer any other heinous bugs to further sour the mood. Though that's what a beta's for, I suppose.

Rory has made the fatal error of playing way too many live service games at once, and somehow still finding time for everything in between. Sure, he’s an expert at Destiny 2, Call of Duty, and more, but at what cost? He’s even sunk 1,000 hours into The Elder Scrolls Online over the years. At least he put all those hours spent grinding challenges to good use over the years as a freelancer and guides editor. In his spare time, he’s also an avid video creator, often breaking down the environmental design of his favourite games. If you can’t track him down, he’s probably lost in a cave with a bunch of dwarves shouting “rock and stone” to no end.