What is the Experimental Playlist in MW3?

Since the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, several new game modes have appeared in the multiplayer lobby menu. One of these game modes is called the “Experimental Playlist,” which has never been seen before in COD and might have some MW3 players confused.

If you decide to hop into a match of the Experimental Playlist, you might notice that some things are a little different than they are in regular multiplayer modes. For example, there could be a blue or red outline around teammates or enemies, which is something not featured in standard multiplayer.

To see exactly what the Experimental Playlist is all about in MW3, check out the guide below.

The Experimental Playlist in MW3

Essentially, the Experimental Playlist is a mode where the developers can try out different updates before they have actually been fully released into multiplayer. The mode could include something small like the outlines around other players or something bigger, such as an update to movement or weapon balancing.

The Experimental Playlist aims to gather community feedback and data on the potential changes. These changes can then be tinkered with or scrapped altogether if the developers don’t like what they see or hear from the Experimental Playlist. However, if the changes go over well, they could be added to all multiplayer modes across the board.

At the time of writing, the only change in the Experimental Playlist is the red and blue outlines around other players. Developer Sledgehammer Games has already changed how bright the outline is, signaling they are keen on implementing the feature into standard multiplayer.

However, additional changes and potential updates will arrive in the mode in the future. The Experimental Playlist features maps and modes from all across multiplayer but the lobbies do tend to be a little harder in terms of skill-based matchmaking due to the reduced player pool. I played for a few matches to test out the outlines and then simply went back to other multiplayer modes, but you can stay in the playlist for as long as you want.

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Sledgehammer Games will announce future updates to the Experimental Playlist through its Twitter or a blog post on the COD website.