Activision has announced the permanent disabling of leaderboards and combat records for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023) in preparation for the upcoming release of Modern Warfare 4 in October. The publisher stated this decision is part of "optimizing backend services" as the launch of the new title approaches.
This announcement has been met with confusion and dismay from the player base. Many fans are questioning the perceived lack of connection between maintaining historical game data and preparing services for a new release. The response on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, saw players using the "no correlation" SpongeBob Squarepants meme to express their bewilderment.
Concerns have also been raised about the long-term value of investing time and effort into new Call of Duty titles if historical achievements and statistics are subject to arbitrary removal. Some players voiced apprehension about purchasing Modern Warfare 4, fearing their own progress and records could similarly disappear in the future.
Discussions on Reddit suggest that many players are not entirely surprised by this move, with reports indicating that the in-game leaderboards and combat records for MW2 and MW3 have been non-functional for years. Activision has yet to offer a more detailed explanation beyond the statement regarding backend service optimization.
GameSpot has reached out to Activision for further clarification on the matter. Infinity Ward, a key developer involved in all three titles, led the development of 2022's MW2 and assisted Sledgehammer Games with 2023's MW3. While Infinity Ward is the lead developer for Modern Warfare 4, the project also benefits from the collaborative efforts of Activision's broader network of studios, a common practice for the franchise. Modern Warfare 4 is slated for release on October 23, approximately one month before Grand Theft Auto 6 arrives on November 19.