Rumor: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer disables Xbox Live party chat

by Xav de Matos on Nov 2nd 2009 8:00PM

If rumors circulating around NeoGAF prove true, Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward won't be allowing the use of the Xbox 360's party chat feature during ranked multiplayer playlists in its upcoming title. Since a distinction in the post is made between different styles of online matches (ranked and social), we presume the function will not be utilized throughout all of Modern Warfare 2's online playlists.

Speaking with Joystiq, Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling said the company "can't comment on leaks," and was unable to confirm if the feature will, in fact, be disabled. "Players should reserve judgment until they get a chance to experience it for themselves on November 10 instead of viewing it out of context," Bowling added. Have an opinion on the matter? Sound off in the comments.

[Image Source: BL4CK HAWK 8]

Tags: activision, call-of-duty, call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2, infinity-ward, Microsoft, modern-warfare-2, nxe, party-chat, voice-chat, Xbox-360, xbox-live

Reader Comments (200)

I agree with everyone here that the most probable reason for the removal of party chat is to reduce exploits in S&D mode. Now, I didn't play a lot of the first game, but wasn't there a perk that let you listen in on enemy communications?

Seems like party chat would make that perk useless. Not to say that the perk was actually useful to begin with, but it could be on obvious reason for party chat removal if Infinity Ward wanted to make all the perks viable.

If you want to be able to talk to people playing different games, Bitch to MS because IW has no control over that, this is IW's way of fixing a problem MS hasn't.

I think party chat is stupid. You can't tell your teams mates that there is someone behind your team about to kill all of you when the rest of your team is in a party chat.

its not a rumor, playing all day, only 3 playlists (merc tdm, dm, and 3rd person tdm) allow you to have a party chat going

Let me get this straight, they let mw with many months of no bug fixing update, they are destroying pc version, they added like 5 guns and dont even have more perks than uncharted 2 for a brand new game priced $70 and now this ? Im canceling my pre order of its true

this is for the tactical, and teamwork aspect of the game. i've had countless encounters in the previous modern warfare, where i would be the only one in game chat and everyone else is in party chat. with that, i am unable to communicate effectively with my team. It doesnt matter if its in TD or SAD, its the teamwork and communication that matters. i need to be able to hear or talk to my teammates at all times. i hope this is for ALL the modes because i hate playing Modern Warfare right now and after the Fall 2008 update. GOOD MOVE IW

This is a terrible decision. I know so of at least 10 people that came back to gaming on XBL when the Party Chat was introduced.

I understand the issue when it comes to objective matches but for those that mainly play team deathmatch there is no need to disable the Party Chat.

Personally I hate all the jerks that are online and the Party Chat makes the games more enjoyable. In the past 3 days our group has been playing without Party Chat and we've had to block 24 people due to racist or sexist slurs and people just being jerks.

I hope at some point this gets reversed and the Party Chat gets re-enabled.

Wow, this is just stupid. Thanks IW for taking away a feature that I PAY for on XBL. Now I will have to do what PC people will do, talk to my friends using Skype, Ventrilo, or Team Speak instead.

Also, if I'm playing Modern Warfare 2 and my friends are playing Borderlands...I can't talk to them because why???

I think this is where MS needs to step in and say no, you cannot control dashboard features. If this is allowed by MS then what's there to stop other developers from cutting features off of other games? "Don't like our music and want to stream your own from your PC or Zune? Too bad! We took control of your dashboard!"

IW, thanks but no thanks assholes!

Calm down. I'm sure it's just for Search and Destroy, in which case they absolutely should disable party chat b/c it's cheating. Trust me, this is a good thing.

Once again Modern Warfare news/rumors hit Joystiq and all of those who refuse to think things through or wait for facts overreact. Half of these posters sound more temperamental than a four year old girl.

Although I agree that IW should just debunk all of the rumors, they have the right to be irritated at internet morons jumping on every piece of gossip they hear. I assume they'll just let everyone have their hissy fits because they will still buy it when they realize that the game is actually terrific.

One last thing, have most of the people lost all faith in Infinity Ward? Do this many players really think that IW can't make good decisions any more? They have developed quality single and multiplayer experiences for seven years now, have a little more faith and give them the credit they deserve.

Well considering the fact that, if i can't talk to just my friends, i don't want to waste 60 bucks, yeah i'm going to jump on this rumor. IW saying "Wait and see" isn't comforting. They should just tell us. They should have said "Pay 60$ and see." Whether or not i have to hear 10 year olds or 60 year olds, that's not the point. If i can't talk and play with my friends then it's just not going to happen. Maybe you're ok with chatting with tons of morons but i'm not. And i dont give a half a damn if this game scores a 15 out of 10, i play with a few friends and that is all. If i can't talk to just them while i play, they won't get my money. People have used independent means of chatting for years in games like this, why should this one be different? I think you'd rather me chatting with a friend and coordinating objectives than not saying anything. because if i DID buy it, and couldn't talk to friends, i wouldn't give my team mates a heads up on ANYTHING, just out of spite. So no, i don't want to talk to you. I don't care if you win or lose. You didn't buy my game. I don't care if you watch my back or help me. infact, DON'T. Cause i sure as hell won't help you. You're not my friend, you're just 1 out of a million other insignificant ants on the internet. I didn't buy my xbox and pay for live just to save your butt. I paid for everything to be able to chat and play games with my friends. If you dislike that, let me know and i'll give you paypal info so you can pay for the cost of my xbox and service.. THEN you can tell me how to play.

Ohh and yeah, IW makes GREAT decisions, man! Removing dedicated servers and user mods from the PC version.. That's just genius! Stifle the communities creativity, slap PC users in the face, AND be able to force your own priced content on the player base. Excellent decision! these guys get gaming! WOW!

Sarcasm, in case it didn't bleed out of my text.

If true, this is pretty disappointing. I think they are taking themselves too seriously.

If you don't understand why infinity ward is doing this you obviously do not play hardcore search and destroy. Its so annoying when a team of party chatters tell your location and you have to move every time you kill someone. Also some players have one of their friends on the opposing team in a party with them telling them everything from where they died to where the bomb is about to be planted and that is why i believe infinity ward is putting these measures in effect to prevent players with low skill from trying to take unfair measures to compete with elite players like myself.

The term is called " ghosting" and it ruins online multiplayer games. Infinity ward has made the right decision. The people who are against this are obviously the ones who ghost themselves, as bad a cheaters.

This would be genious. Now I would find it unfair if all matches had it disabled, but they obviously thought of that, or potentially did. It is pretty much unfair in matches like S&D when enemies can just tell each other where to go or look. That and I have played 1 on 1 matches with people before who won simply because their friend was spectating and would just fly around and tell them where to go (which doesn't matter too much, it was a private match).

I think IW won't steer us in the wrong direction. The MP is just going to be an improvement over the already awesome CoD4 formula.

And guys, seriously. You all just love crying about it don't you? You don't have to buy the game at all, there are plenty of modern shooters. And honestly, lets see you craft the perfect MP experience and sell millions with it.

Isn't the "perfect FPS experience" a matter of opinion? I wasn't a huge fan of COD4 and this makes me think the same the more I read about it. I just hope they fixed some of the problems from COD2....

Are you serious with this? That's seriously your response? People aren't thrilled about having to talk to the masses of babbling retards in a game so you just up and assume everyone thinks the entire game sucks? Are you dense? Yeah of course they make good games, moron, that's why people are pissed. If the game sucked, no one would care, everyone would brush it off and go play something else. But when a game of this caliber is ruined by a greedy company trying to dictate play styles, that's when it gets stupid. Of all of the brain dead assholes on the internet, you truly raise the bar.

Anyone with eyes and a brain can see that they're getting up on their high horses. Assuming their shit smells like roses. If you're cool with talking to retarded little children (or rather trying to talk over their singing) then more power to you. But check this out: Your argument is incredibly retarded and I pray you don't reproduce.

Oh God..... oh my God..... wow. When is the last time you got laid you little shit head? This is the internet and all you can do is shoot off random insults. I am super glad your mommy buys you everything so you think your opinion is golden.

Look, about 75 percent of the comments I read are people whining about not being able to party chat. I think that party chat is pretty much secondary and isn't needed to enjoy the game. And IW isn't trying to be better than anyone or dictate anything, they are doing what they think is best for the game they are making. So how about you actually get higher than an 8th grade education and learn to read what I am saying.

Honestly, out of the two of us, I think you're the one who doesn't need offspring. At least I could teach mine not to directly insult someone they don't know over the internet. I hope you have a good day at school tomorrow junior. Don't forget your Ovaltine.

Thank you. Someone finally gets it.

All people do anymore is bad mouth one of the best developers in modern gaming. I mean, if party chat is such a deal breaker that you would sacrifice the best MP experience to date, you're better off playing UNO and Pac Man on your 360 Arcade bundle.

I stay in party chat when I play COD to keep me from breaking something. Normally I'm talking to friends, either playing the same game or another, about something anything other than the game I'm playin. If it was just S&D that would be fine, I dont play that game type. But if it's Dom, HQ, or even CTF if it's in then I'll be pissed since it pretty much only leaves me with TDM to play.

I have my Xbox set up so I can only communicate with people on my friends list, so i doubt this is going to be much of a problem for me. I only chat with my friends online if we are playing the same game, I have never used the cross game chat feature anyhow.

They should at least comment on it. IF it is true, not commenting on it makes it seem like more of a possibility that they are doing this for sure. I would hate to not be able to chat with friends while playing CoD and they are in another game. IF it is true, it is a fairly bad move. I am sure there are other ways to weed out ghosting than this.

I'm surprised and unsurprised at peoples reactions over this. Sure IW probably should have left party chat in, but you guys are making it sound like the game is unplayable now. Then again, it's the gamer thing to do to hate IW these days lol. Carry on.

Pot, Kettle, Black.

Having to listen to a bunch of squeaky-voiced toddlers not old enough to play CoD in the first place was always much more obnoxious that the occasional intel people got from dead teammates on party chat.

In fact you can really make the other teams' party chat work in your favor. If you know the other team is in party chat and you kill one of them, just MOVE TO A DIFFERENT SPOT! It's always hilarious to see someone who thinks they know where you are come around a corner and stare, while you come up behind them with a knife.

Either that or your dead teammate gives you intel which just ends up confusing you more. "He's right there to the left. I mean right. No, wait, I meant left."

I guess I'll just be having a lot of interrupted conversations with my friends, and I'll be giving the mute function a good workout. Thanks, IW.

I found this on another site

"However, you won't be able to use Party Chat in the following: Domination, Ground War, Demolition, Sabotage, Headquarters Pro, Search & Destroy, Hardcore Search & Destroy, Capture The Flag, Team Deathmatch, Hardcore Team Deathmatch, Third Person Cagematch. "

credit: http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/games/c/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2/modern-warfare-2-to-disable-party-chat-on-xbox-360-$1338219.htm

wtf? how is this no big deal?
wot happens if i log onto xbl and 5 of my buddies are already playing in a server ....

normally, I would Join Party and say something like "Hello, are you going to carry on playin? maybe I'll just start up the game and wait till the end of that round ... then, if you wouldn't mind awfully coming out fellas, I'll join on you, and we can all play together! YAY!

Now ... I will see my buddies playing .... be unABLE to join their party. Then I will be thinking ... i wonder if they're in a round right now .. if they're staying on or whatever. I will then try to ring one of them on their mobile .... they won't be able to pick it up because they're busy playing ...... WTF???!?!??!?!

how is this gonna work???

seriously ... I actually believe that it will be OK because theres no way on EARTH IW / Activison could be retarded enough to allow the above mentioned scenario to occur.

If thats not the case however, then they have seriously punished a lot of innocent people! I would honestly NEVER try to cheat @ COD. Not because I'm so righteous or anything like that but just because I'm not a fcukin SAD CASE!!!!

ps. any1 on here who gives it "get over it. wots the big deal. it stops cheaters etc..." is a fcukin friendless spotty teenage tool!

Its only in a few game modes. S&D and 1 or 2 others. its not restricted in TDM. Proof is in the live streams of people playing it.

I think some of you are missing something here - CoD4 only allowed the Party Chat exploit because the game was made well before the Party chat system was implemented on Live.

And if some of you are really canceling your pre-orders or won't buy the game because you can't exploit a feature to make the game unfair for people not in a party, your multiplayer presence won't be missed.

To those overreacting saying you'll have to listen to every 12-year old curse you out...I suggest a few things - play with a regular list of people, use the mute feature, and overall, get a thicker skin. If you can't ignore morons, how do you even grocery shop at this point? Are people really that lazy that they can't use existing options to mute annoying people? Or is it that people are seriously not happy unless they find something to bitch about on the internet at least once a day?

Pot, Kettle, Black... again.

how? You make no sense...

It's a saying for hypocrisy. That is all.

Thank god. Party chat should be disabled for any team oriented multiplayer game where a small group of people (2-3) are on party chat and the team they are on can handle 5 players and up. It absolutely ruins the game when you can't talk to a part of your team because they decided to talk to just eachother.

And if they weren't talking to their friends, they'd not be wearing there headset. What's the difference?

*Their, before the grammar nazis arrive.

If they aren't wearing there headsets they shouldn't be playing a team game. Bottom line. There need to be filters in matchmaking for games where people are wearing there headsets and where people aren't wearing there headsets. Just like some games did on Xbox 1 on XBL.

So people should always wear headsets. What about the deaf and mute? I just think that IF all of this is true that it is unfair to the general community. There has to be a better way to produce the same results, while still keeping all players happy. Some people also enjoy playing with others, but may carry a strong social illnesses. Agreed that it is fair and unfair, but a little overboard in my opinion.

And just a heads up I don't mean any of this rudely. I just enjoy debate.

I am glad they added this.

So will they be adding pitch limiters for the shrieking little children that bust my ear drums? Will they have a way to vote out people who sing into the mic or blast music? Will there be a way to report people who are abusing the mic that will actually be effective? Will they require a headset be plugged in, put on, and unmuted? Will IW be paying for my game since they choose to dictate the way i play what i paid for?

Why are people so quick to assume that just because people arent talking, that means they're in private chats? Yeah i only had my headset on when talking to friends when playing MW1. Blame the anonymity of the internet turning mostly everyone into babbling morons since no one can give them the beating they deserve. I've tried my hand at teamwork in public channels and it was the epitome of nauseating. I don't need some enraged gamer trying to boss me around when i know plenty well what the objectives are. My friend and I were extremely efficient in HQ and S&D while in private chat.. but you're right, i'm not playing with my "Team" so i don't deserve to play. You're welcome for the points, team. Sorry i wasn't there to tell you that in game.

Preorder: canceled until there is more light shed on this.

You know, IW, it's not far fetched that someone could find a way to hack this game. It's probably best if you go ahead and force everyone to hack. Make sure we're all on the same page.

But we aren't part of the team!

Worst case scenario you and I can vent, use our cellphones, cups and string for all I care. Or we could be like REAL operatives and use walkie-talkies. It's primitive I know... but it just might work!

I'm willing to set up a MCD (morse code device) if it means me not having to talk to the public in this game. It's not me being anti-social, it's me wanting to keep my sanity. It's painful enough reading forums nowadays. When i play and listen to everyone in the game i get agitated really fast and stop playing much sooner. But why should they care? They already have my money. I pay for Live so don't take away a function provided by another paid service. And no i'm not going to play private unranked crap. I paid for all of the game, not a fraction of it.

Ohh and IW, can I have some money to pay for some new brakes in my car? I mean, the reason i ask is that it just doesn't seem like you don't care on losing out on money, judging by the way you keep constantly boning your customers. Just seems to me like you don't want or need money. Let me know guys, thanks.

O.K. Other than the deaf and mute, everyone playing a competitive team game should be wearing a headset. and not be on party chat when there is more than their group on a team.

I don't know what the hell my comment is doing down here. It should be in the discussion above. Nice job Joystiq.

Get some friends. You'll see what we mean.

i think that disableing them woulod be harmful for the like of the game.... i agree that search and destroy should disable them but tdm and such gametypes it shouldnt be a problem.... for me i love the party chat system so i dont have to listen to all the shit talking 12 year olds on games made for a more mature audiance

http://www.petitiononline.com/PCODMW/petition.html

Well, the game is out and they took party chat out of almost everything. Can we get a follow-up response from IW? This ****ing sucks!

when it gets right down to it, we all just wanna play n socialize, without dealing with the 90%dickbag population on live...i realize it may disable a feature or two...but i'm not exactly looking for 100% real life...hence y i'm playing a game n not joining the army...

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Rumor: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer disables Xbox Live party chat

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