MW3 quietly adds lobby feature that’s been requested for years
ActivisionModern Warfare 3 Season 3 brought plenty of new content to the game, and since the update went live the devs have also been testing out a much-requested lobby feature that players have wanted since launch.
On top of the usual new weapons and buffs and nerfs, Modern Warfare 3 updates often introduce changes or features not listed in the patch notes. Since the Season 3 patch went live, many have noticed that the long-requested persistent lobbies feature has been introduced.
At the end of a match, some players are now given the option to “stay in lobby” at the push of a button, and vote to stick with the same teammates and enemies in the next match. However, the option is only appearing for a handful of players, as the devs look to test it first before making it available to everyone.
Sledgehammer Games confirmed back in November that they would be testing non-disbanding lobbies with a “cohort of players” in a future game update, and that if the “tests go well” they would look to roll it out to all players.
Since launch, MW3 has used disbanding lobbies, meaning that you and anyone in your party would search for a brand-new set of opponents from game to game. With this new feature, however, you have the choice to keep the lobby together and keep any rivalries going.
Persistent lobbies are something that players have been calling for ever since the game arrived back in 2023. Given the controversy surrounding skill-based matchmaking, many don’t want to be forced to find a completely new set of teammates and enemies if they feel the previous match was fairly balanced.
Sledgehammer Games are yet to officially acknowledge that the non-disbanding lobbies test has begun, so it’s not totally clear how many players need to select “stay in lobby” for the teams to roll over. Either way, fans will no doubt be happy to see the feature being tested and hopeful that it’s released more widely in Season 3 Reloaded or beyond.
