For some people, that headline is all they want to hear. It’s been an unknown element of Modern Warfare 3 for PC players for several months now, and had its share of rumors. But thanks to this interview and these tweets from Gamescom, it’s been definitively answered — PC gamers are getting dedicated server support in MW3.
That may be all you want to hear, but if you’re not a PC player, you might like a brief history of Call of Duty dedicated servers to understand why this information is so important. If so, read on.
This is all you see on a dedicated server -- text of what's going on.
For anybody who might not be familiar with the term, a dedicated server is a PC that you set up solely to run an online game. All players connect to it, so no one player has an unfair advantage by playing as the server itself. What’s more, the server can be set up with custom rules, levels, and all other manner of modifcations — great for competitive clan matches, homemade levels, and even complete overhauls. It’s a freedom that many PC loyalists have come to expect.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare offered dedicated server support for PC gamers. The upside: All that flexibility — anybody could install the game on a PC and tell the world “come and play here by our rules.” The downside: Hackers and cheaters who used that freedom to give themselves unfair gameplay advantages. Changing the game is one thing; breaking it by letting aimbots shoot through walls is another. That’s simply not fun for the average player, and they hold the game makers responsible. There were complaints.
Log into MW2 on Steam and you'll see IWNet.
So, for Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward tried a different approach: dedicated server support was replaced by IWNet, which employed console-style matchmaking. The upside: Players could easily jump on and find a non-hacked game and enjoy MW2 as it was intended to be enjoyed. (That was the goal, anyway.) The downside: All that aforementioned customizing and tweaking was lost, there were still issues with disruptive players, plus the console-style hiccups of host migration. There were complaints.
Treyarch, for its part, supported dedicated PC servers in Call of Duty: Black Ops, but tried to reach a middle ground by going with an official server provider. The servers are customizable and reliable, but you don’t get complete freedom, and if you want to run one, you have to pay a fee. There were complaints.
Now, after listening to players, IW and Sledgehammer will try the first method again. Modern Warfare 3 will feature free, run-it-yourself COD4-style dedicated server support because the hardcore fans have been very clear (if not terribly polite) in their feedback. As the saying goes, give the people what they want. I’m happy to see it.
Personally, I prefer dedicated servers, but I don’t think there is a “perfect answer” to this, and I don’t blame any developer for trying different approaches. Yeah, this might open the door to the miscreants again, but I have sort of adopted one Black Ops PC server for my public events, and I suspect I’ll do the same with MW3 when I find a server that I like. I just want a fair fight when I play the game.
So…what kinds of games will be able to play on these dedicated servers? Call of Duty XP may hold the answers. We’ll hear more about multiplayer modes soon.
