Call of Duty: Modern Warfare crossplay details revealed

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare open beta running this weekend will include crossplay between PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. We've previously theorized that the feature won't mean much to PC players because it's input-based, meaning that players will be matched up based on whether they're using controllers or mouse and keyboard. We may have been a little premature on that, though, as Activision revealed today that mouse and keyboard control setups will be officially supported on consoles.

Players will require a Call of Duty account in order to engage in crossplay, which will enable cross-platform friends lists and parties without restriction. All multiplayer modes—but not ranked play or competitive tournaments—will be supported, and crossplay voice chat is also built in.

To reflect the new independence of platforms and control schemes, lobby screens will indicate them separately, so players know who's packing what. You can choose to match against only those using the same control device as your party, or play in an unfiltered lobby, where controllers and mice coexist.

Activision also said in a blog post that "crossplay has been designed to factor play balancing across differences in controller type," which production manager Paul Haile touched on during a livestream today.

"Not only have we spent a ton of time balancing and making sure the playing field is level between the control schemes, but also, you know, a ton of surprising user tests where we're looking at high-skill user tests and seeing a mix of those control schemes in the top three every time," he said.

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare beta begins on September 19 for anyone who has preordered the game (and all PS4 players, who got a week head-start on the rest of us), and goes fully open on September 21. It runs until September 23.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.