Can 4 players play DMZ MW2?
As an avid DMZ player since launch, one of the most common questions I‘ve seen popping up is "can you have 4-player squads?" Many players are used to the standard quartet squad setup from other modes and are wondering if that applies here too.
Well friends, I‘m here to give you the definitive breakdown on DMZ squad sizes, assimilation teams, and how many players can group up in this brutal extraction shooter experience.
The Core Squad Limit
Let‘s start with the baseline: when matchmaking into a DMZ lobby, your squad is capped at 3 players. This applies whether you are rolling with randoms or partied up with friends. I‘ve seen many forum posts asking if there‘s a way to bypass this limit, but unfortunately 3 is the maximum here.
Why the 3 Player Restriction?
This 3 player restriction seems to be a carefully considered design choice by Infinity Ward. After all, DMZ is inspired by hardcore extraction shooters like Escape from Tarkov that utilize small squad sizes. The studio likely felt that 4-player teams would be too powerful and throw off DMZ‘s risk-reward balancing.
Personally, I think 3 is the sweet spot. It encourages teamwork without the mode becoming too much of a zergfest. Duos can be fun too for added challenge!
In-Game Squad Assimilation
Now, while the pre-match limit is 3 players, DMZ provides an awesome in-game squad assimilation system. This allows you to combine forces with other squads to create superteams of up to 6 players!
Assimilation is initiated by one squad sending an invite to another. If accepted, the squads become allied until one chooses to dissolve it. This gives you some exciting strategic options mid-match instead of being locked to your initial trio the whole time.
The Benefits of Assimilation
Based on the DMZ matches I‘ve played, here are some of the key advantages squad assimilation unlocks:
- Take on difficult strongholds and high value targets
- Increase strength against roaming boss AI combatants
- Fend off attacks from especially aggressive enemy squads
- Complete missions requiring multiple simultaneous objectives
The additional firepower and coordination simply gives you better odds of fighting off lethal threats and succeeding at complex tasks.
Max Players in an Assimilated Squad
Through assimilation, you can combine up to 6 players between teams. For example, by having a trio assimilate with another trio or picking up some solo players. This hits the absolute ceiling for how many allies you can have cooperating simultaneously.
Key Takeaways on DMZ Squad Sizes
To summarize the key details on teaming up in DMZ:
- Max squad size at match start is 3 players
- Assimilate mid-match with other squads
- Up to 6 total players through assimilation
- Carefully balanced for an authentic extraction shooter experience
So while you can‘t directly matchmake a 4 stack into DMZ, you have options to build an effective 4-man crew through assimilation with duos and solos.
Combine this with DMZ‘s sandbox design that encourages emergent gameplay scenarios, and you have some incredibly memorable 4-player teamwork moments in store. Whether fending off endless waves of enemies in a defend mission or chasing down a high stakes mysterious cache, uniting multiple squads amplifies the gameplay to the next level.
The Future of DMZ Squads
As a live service mode that will evolve over time, could we see an official 4 player pre-made squad option added down the road? I think it‘s certainly possible, if the community demand remains strong enough. The ability to assimilation may be Infinity Ward testing these larger team dynamics out first before expanding the core matchmaking options.
I‘d personally love to see some limited time 4-player squad DMZ events tried out. Implemented carefully, it could take the chaos and camaraderie of this squad-based extraction shooter into overdrive!
But for now assimilation is our ticket to big team battles. So squad up, send those assimilation requests out, and let loose on Al Mazrah together with up to 6 operatives! See you in the DMZ.
