With the last couple of Call of Duty (CoD) titles, as well as competing franchises Battlefield and Halo, leaving much to be desired, fans of the popular first-person shooter genre are looking towards Modern Warfare II (MW2) to deliver where others have failed. Infinity Ward, the developer behind this year’s upcoming CoD title, continues to deliver strong showcases of content from multiplayer maps to modes to mechanics so far leading up to the game’s expected launch in October. This past week gave us arguably the deepest look yet with a “Call of Duty: Next” showcase that spent significant time on a multiplayer reveal, as well as gave us a first look at Warzone 2.0, the sequel to CoD’s ultra-popular battle royale mode.
When it comes to core multiplayer, Modern Warfare II is bringing a number of new aspects to the table from advanced aquatic combat to enhanced movement, on top of the typical change out of weapons, perks, and equipment. In MW2, players will be able flank and attack enemies underwater, but it won’t be without its difficulties, as the increased density underwater will greatly impair the fluidity of the player’s movement. New vehicles will also be entering the fray with the UTV, Light Tank, Heavy Chopper, Tactical Vehicle, and Rigid Inflatable Boat all queued up and ready to go. Taking some tips from Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, MW2 will also be adding in new equipment that includes the Tactical Camera, Shock Stick, Drill Charge, DDoS, and Inflatable Decoy. But wait there’s more! Invasion, Knockout, Prisoner Rescue, Raids, and a new Third Person playlist have all been confirmed as new modes as well. Between all of these content additions and the promise of an enhanced Gunsmith, MW2’s core multiplayer is primed to deliver when it launches in October.
Next on the slate was Modern Warfare II’s take on the popular Warzone battle royale mode, an enhanced version titled “Warzone 2.0.” In addition to revealing the new map “Al Mazrah”, the team at Infinity Ward began to break down some of the new, unique features coming to their newest iteration of the mode. A few of the standouts include changes to the way the circle collapses, an intensified Gulag, and high-tier loot-holding strongholds. When it comes to the circle, players can now expect variations to the traditional collapse with the safe zone sometimes splitting into multiple areas before eventually reconverging into a single safe zone. The Gulag also offers a new, unique twist with the jail being expanded to a multi-level arena that includes combat loot and a partner in its newest 2v2 iteration. Last, but not least, Strongholds will test the skill of players as they attempt to take on a number of AI combatants to secure the location and with it a chunk of high-tier loot for the taking. More modes like MW2’s “DMZ” mode will have more information shared at a later date.
Pre-orders are live now with varying options available. All preorders are entitled to beta access, which will see Beta Weekend Two kick off this weekend from September 22nd-26th.
Image from: Call of Duty/Activision
