Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 players have launched a petition urging Activision and IW to add a pure PvE option to the DMZ mode in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. DMZ currently employs PvPvE extraction gameplay, and whether players should be able to avoid real-player confrontation to focus on cooperative missions and AI combat has sparked division within the community.
Under the current design, when players explore Hajin, complete missions, gather loot, and fight AI enemies, they almost inevitably encounter other real players. Players who prefer PvP approve of this arrangement, while another segment of players desires content focused on cooperation, missions, and AI combat.
The discussion subsequently extended from social media to Change.org. A player created a petition page arguing that a pure PvE mode could satisfy players who prefer narrative or cooperative experiences and provide space for plot expansions in mission formats.
Titles like Escape from Tarkov, Lost Starship: Marathon, Incursion: Red River, Gray Zone Warfare, and ARC Raiders, which is currently testing PvE content, were cited to illustrate that extraction gameplay doesn't have to rely solely on player-versus-player combat. However, what can be confirmed at present remains limited to player petitions and community debates; neither Activision nor Infinity Ward has responded, and there is no indication that a pure PvE mode is in development.
Detailed report from foreign media:
If you haven't paid any attention to news about Call of Duty's new extraction shooter mode in the past few days, let me fill you in on what's happening. Currently, a fierce debate is unfolding on social media: players who prefer PvP are clashing with those who prefer PvE, and the core of the controversy lies in Modern Warfare 4's lack of essential content for PvE players.
In short, DMZ is fundamentally a PvPvE mode. PvP players are quite satisfied with this, but PvE players feel neglected. This has prompted some to take action. Beyond expressing dissatisfaction on social media and tagging Activision's community staff, one disgruntled player even launched a petition demanding the addition of PvE content to DMZ.
So, should DMZ add PvE?
DMZ is essentially a mode centered around PvPvE, meaning you will almost certainly encounter other players while exploring Hajin. The issue is that not everyone wants this kind of experience. Players who simply want to explore the world peacefully, complete missions, secure objectives, and farm AI enemies feel that Activision and Infinity Ward have done them a disservice.
This is the first Call of Duty game in recent years to completely lack PvE content such as Special Ops or Zombies modes, leading this segment of the Call of Duty player base to feel neglected.
Admittedly, this is a tricky question. DMZ is an extraction mode, and some might argue that such modes require player-versus-player combat to thrive, but this argument isn't entirely accurate. Currently, there are more extraction games on the market offering PvE modes or content than those that do not offer PvE at all.
These include Escape from Tarkov, Marathon, Incursion: Red River, and Gray Zone Warfare—the latter being strictly speaking only close to an extraction-style game. As we know, Embark Studios is also testing the addition of PvE content to ARC Raiders. These are just a few examples that come to mind off the top of my head, some of which aren't even multiplayer games.
Many people want to experience the extraction gameplay loop without facing highly skilled players striving for victory at all costs, campers hiding in the shadows, those guarding extraction points, cheaters, and the various forms of toxic behavior typically associated with PvP-oriented and highly competitive platforms. But in DMZ, this kind of experience doesn't exist: you either fight for survival or don't play at all.
On the other hand, some PvP players label those seeking a pure PvE experience as "soft," without realizing that if PvE players leave PvPvE lobbies for dedicated PvE modes, those remaining in the lobbies would be solely those who genuinely want to engage in combat with other players.
Someone has started a petition on Change.org, calling on Activision and Infinity Ward to introduce a PvE mode. The petitioner wrote: "Activision, introducing a PvE option could inject new vitality into Modern Warfare 4. It could serve as a bridge, attracting players who prefer narrative-driven or cooperative gameplay, and potentially boost sales, player engagement, and overall community satisfaction. Adding PvE would also create new opportunities to expand the narrative of Modern Warfare 4, delivering fresh content and storylines through carefully designed missions centered around this unique zone."
I believe IW will eventually add some PvE-focused content. With many similar games offering PvE, it seems somewhat unjustifiable that it currently only has a PvPvE mode, but that is the current situation. This opinion comes from someone who enjoys both styles of gameplay—at least sometimes.
Would you like to see some form of PvE content added to DMZ?