17 May 2023 1:38 PM +00:00 UTC

Modern Warfare 2 May 16 update completely breaks ranked play

Screenshot of Modern Warfare 2 player looking away from gun and Modern Warfare 2 soldier holding gun wearing night vision goggles

On May 16, 2023, Infinity Ward released a small update for Modern Warfare 2. The first minor update of Season 3 Reloaded saw a wealth of changes to multiplayer and thanks to the patch notes, the developer has opted to nerf a number of pistols.

In addition to the GS Magna nerfs, the update included a number of bug fixes in a bid to improve the gameplay experience for those dropping into casual and ranked play matches.

Instead of improving Modern Warfare 2, players soon noticed that the update had managed to completely break ranked play much to their annoyance.

Modern Warfare 2 update ruins ranked play

Spotted by Reddit user Muckerpuck, the update caused constant flickering in addition to the inability to select a loadout at the start of a match.

“The most advanced Call of Duty in history,” jokes the frustrated fan looking to get their fix of competitive action. Alongside the stuttering and lack of loadout selection, some players were left unable to move left and right, rendering them useless during a ranked play match.

Players would think a patch containing numerous bug fixes would enhance the game rather than make it worse. “I’m convinced ChatGPT could’ve made a better game than this,” comments another member of the community.

Check out: Modern Warfare 2 Season 4 - Release date and everything we know

Whether an AI could make a better shooter game than Infinity Ward is another matter but the fact a small update managed to cause chaos is a concern for future updates arriving ahead of Season 4.

Thankfully, Infinity Ward released a fix for the issue a few hours later, stopping any kind of stuttering and allowing players to regain full control of their favourite Operators.

For now, the bug has disappeared but there’s always a chance it resurfaces when another update is applied. Keep an eye out for players moving forwards and backwards in case they’re still suffering from the issue.

Before dropping into the next match, check out our Modern Warfare 2 guides showcasing the best ranked play loadouts and when the next double XP event takes place.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Gaming News and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 page.

Jon Nicholson

FPS Editor

Call Of Duty Expert

Jon is our Call of Duty expert and our FPS Editor. He's worked with Gfinity since 2014, covering Activision's shooter franchise. When he's not topping the scoreboards, you'll find him on EA Sports FC or sim racing.

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