Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II release date, rumors, developer, and setting
A follow-up to 2019’s Modern Warfare.
Even before the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard, rumors about 2022’s COD installment had already begun circulating. Now, Activision has confirmed that this year’s entry will indeed be titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, serving as a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare. Now that the marketing for this game is well underway, there’s quite a bit we know about it—from its release date, developer, setting, and even potential details about its multiplayer game modes. Here’s what you need to know about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022).
When is the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 release date?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II will launch on October 28, 2022. The publisher released new marketing material for the upcoming game, focusing on the Ghost Operator.
Modern Warfare II will feature Captain John Price, Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley, John ‘Soap’ MacTavish, and Kyle ‘Gaz’ Garrick as part of Task Force 141.
The October release date mirrors the launch window of Modern Warfare 2019, which was a hit for Activision. It seems the company is doing everything it can to replicate the success of its predecessor, including releasing Modern Warfare II in October rather than November—which is when COD games usually come out.
Is there a Modern Warfare 2 trailer?
There were a couple of teasers following the game’s announcement, but on June 8, 2022, Activision finally showed the game in action with an action-packed reveal trailer. It didn’t feature gameplay, but it did include cinematic footage, with appearances from beloved characters such as Soap, Ghost, and Captain Price.
What are the Modern Warfare 2 rumors?
This year’s entry will take place after the events of Modern Warfare 2019.
In 2021, insider Tom Henderson accurately revealed on Twitter that Call of Duty 2022 will, in fact, be a sequel to Modern Warfare. Henderson has accurately leaked Call of Duty information before, such as news of Warzone’s sophisticated anti-cheat system, which Activision announced alongside the reveal of Vanguard.
What’s fascinating is that Henderson said Call of Duty 2022 is codenamed “Project Cortez,” and as Video Games Chronicle reports, the game’s story will cover a war against the Columbian drug cartel. This has yet to be confirmed, but given Henderson’s track record (along with that of VGC), we’re inclined to believe this report.
One thing that is certain is that Modern Warfare II will feature a single-player campaign mode, along with a multiplayer component. Aside from that, a long-rumored third pillar called “DMZ” has been in development since 2018. According to leaker RalphsValve on Twitter, DMZ is said to be an open-world mode with “procedurally generated” occurrences, missions, AI, and different weather effects. It’s unclear if this will be a multiplayer offering or something else entirely, but it seems like it will be one of the main pillars of the game.
Tom Henderson also corroborated this leak, though he questions how it will turn out, based on the current QA issues plaguing Activision.
Given that Warzone is already a competitive, open-world mode, DMZ will have to differentiate itself in a major way so as to not cannibalize the popular battle royale game.
Who is the Modern Warfare 2 developer?
Captain Soap from Modern Warfare 2.
Activision confirmed that Modern Warfare II is being developed by longtime COD studio, Infinity Ward. This is the team that worked on countless popular installments in the series including the original Call of Duty, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, its sequel Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and 2019’s Modern Warfare. Confusing naming scheme aside, the developer has a rich history and has worked on some of the best games in the series.
What are the Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer details?
Modern Warfare II will include a robust Multiplayer suite full of new and returning modes and features.
This game will feature the return of some classic maps. Much like the way Modern Warfare reintroduced old Call of Duty 4 maps, the next installment will bring back fan-favorites from Modern Warfare 2.
We know Terminal and Quarry will return, but those aren’t all. As relayed by ModernWarzone on Twitter, we could see Favela and High Rise in this year’s entry, as well.
There’s also a rumor that a custom map editor will be featured, but this hasn’t been confirmed.
ModernWarzone also spotted a shot of the beloved High Rise map in the recent Modern Warfare II trailer, which was originally featured in Modern Warfare 2 (2009). It’s highly likely this map will make its return this year.
An overhead shot of the High Rise map was spotted in a recent trailer.
We do know the game will feature two “key styles of play,” including Battle Maps and Core Maps.
Battle Maps are large-scale and will be for bigger teams, just like Ground War from previous installments. These maps will be based on POIs from the Warzone 2.0 game.
Core Maps will be smaller and built for traditional 6v6 battles, taking place in locations from the campaign.
One of the most important changes is the new Gunsmith, which will reduce the grind for earning weapon attachments. Now, certain attachments — such as Optics and Muzzles — will unlock universally, as opposed to on a “per-weapon” basis. In other words, earning an Optic for one weapon will unlock it for another. However, other attachments like Barrels and Lasers will still be weapon-specific, allowing players to still work towards various unlocks.
Beyond that, a new Invasion mode will feature large-scale 20v20 Team Deathmatch battles on Ground War-sized maps. This mode will incorporate AI enemies to keep the action at a blisteringly fast pace.
Activision confirmed the existence of swimming, as well, allowing players to battle it out underwater. Bullets will still function underwater, but will definitely be less effective. Water will also serve as a way to take cover from enemy fire, so you’ll want to use it cautiously.
A third-person mode will also come to Modern Warfare II, with dedicated playlists designed for this new feature. Call of Duty has historically always offered intense first-person gameplay, so this new third-person mode will certainly be an interesting addition.
How will Modern Warfare 2 impact Warzone 2.0?
Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare II were built from the ground up alongside one another.
Earlier in 2022, Activision confirmed that Modern Warfare II will tie to the “new Warzone experience.” While this is exciting, there are some concerns about how the integration will work. Seemingly, each new mainline entry going forward will be integrated into the battle royale, just like Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War, and Vanguard. This process will continue with the new version of Warzone.
It was also revealed that “a new engine powers both the new Call of Duty game release and Warzone,” which is a welcome change, considering the current version of Warzone feels like it’s held together with duct tape.
Warzone 2.0 will share a progression system with Modern Warfare II, utilizing the same Gunsmith, weapons, and general mechanics across the board.
We also know the new Warzone experience will serve as a fresh start, and won’t include any items from the previous game. The current version of Warzone has been known to double up on weapons from multiple games, which can be confusing, and overwhelming, especially to a new player, so it will be nice to start the new game with a clean slate.
It’s clear based on the reception to Vanguard and the 2021 integration, that fans are eager to return back to a modern setting in Warzone, which could possibly see the return of Verdansk. This will no doubt bring some players back, but the integration will need to be handled much more carefully than last time, as it was overrun with a number of bugs that pushed a lot of gamers away.
What are the different Modern Warfare 2 editions?
Pre-ordering gives players early access to the open beta (first on PlayStation).
Though Activision has yet to confirm all the versions of Modern Warfare II that will be available at launch, data miners have uncovered details about three different editions (as relayed by CharlieIntel).
The three editions available are as follows:
- Standard ($70): Includes a copy of Modern Warfare II and, if pre-ordered, comes with early access to the beta (first on PlayStation)
- Cross-Gen Bundle ($70): Includes cross-gen edition of Modern Warfare II, if pre-ordered, comes with early access to the beta (first on PlayStation)
- Vault Edition ($100): Includes a copy of Modern Warfare II, early access to beta (first on PlayStation), 50+ battle pass tier skips, Red Team Operator pack, FJX Cinder Weapon Vault, 10 hours of 2XP, 10 hours of 2WXP, and Ghost Legacy Pack
Interestingly, there is no $60 version of the game. Even the standard PC edition is $70, while players looking to buy a PS4 or Xbox One copy, must purchase the Cross-Gen bundle. These are all available to pre-order now.
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