Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is making a major quality-of-life change that fans have been wanting to see for years.
Starting with Modern Warfare 4’s launch, double XP tokens will only count down during matches. Most double XP tokens last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. It’s a great way to rank up, but for years, players have grown annoyed by the way they’re used.
Previously, they would begin to count down the second they were activated, and would remain active even in pre-game lobbies where you couldn’t earn any XP. Now, Infinity Ward is making it so the double XP timer only works when you’re actively in a match. That means you’ll get a lot more usage out of them!
More time to make your 2XP count.
Tokens will count down in game time and your existing tokens will be usable starting in Modern Warfare 4. pic.twitter.com/AZNVBdLVc9
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) September 28, 2026
This is just one of many changes Infinity Ward is implementing to show that it’s listening to fans ahead of Modern Warfare 4’s launch. Last week, the studio confirmed it would also be adding a toggle to allow players the ability to turn off skins. So, if you don’t want to see someone’s obnoxious skin, you no longer have to be subjected to that. Instead, they’ll be shown as a default character model.
Some fans are hoping that these changes will lead to bigger ones, such as major adjustments to skill-based matchmaking. Whether that happens remains to be seem, but it seems like Activision is trying to woo fans as much as it cans as it enters arguably its most competitive launch window in years. Call of Duty will have to contend with the GTA 6 this fall, a game that will be a black hole when it comes to media coverage, engagement, and overall spending. Whether that hurts Call of Duty in the long run will be interesting to see.
Cade Onder
Freelance Writer
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
