''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' is a 2009
first-person shooter game developed by
Infinity Ward and published by
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one ...
. It is the sixth installment in the
''Call of Duty'' series and the direct sequel to ''
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare''. It was released worldwide on November 10, 2009, for
Microsoft Windows, the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
, and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
. A separate version for the
Nintendo DS, titled ''
Modern Warfare: Mobilized'', was also released on the same day. A version for
macOS
macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. Within the market of ...
was developed by
Aspyr and released in May 2014, and the Xbox 360 version was made
backward compatible
Backward compatibility (sometimes known as backwards compatibility) is a property of an operating system, product, or technology that allows for interoperability with an older legacy system, or with input designed for such a system, especially ...
for the
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
in 2018.
The game's campaign follows Task Force 141, a multi-national
special forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
unit commanded by Captain
Soap MacTavish
John "Soap" MacTavish is a fictional character in the ''Call of Duty'' story arc ''Modern Warfare''. He first appears as a main playable character in the 2007 video game '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'' where he is part of the 22nd Special ...
as they hunt Vladimir Makarov, leader of the Russian Ultranationalist party, and
U.S. Army Rangers from 1st Battalion/
75th Ranger Regiment who are defending the
Washington, D.C. area from a Russian invasion. The game's main playable characters are Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, of the 141, and Private James Ramirez, of the Army Rangers, with Captain MacTavish becoming playable later in the campaign. An expansive multiplayer mode is featured in the game, with several new features and modes that were not seen in its predecessor.
Development for the game began in 2008, when it was still known as ''Call of Duty 6''. It uses the
IW 4.0 engine, an improved version of ''Call of Duty 4''s
IW 3.0
The IW engine is a game engine created and developed by Infinity Ward for the ''Call of Duty'' series. The engine was originally based on id Tech 3. Aside from Infinity Ward, the engine is also used by other Activision studios working on the ...
. Infinity Ward was inspired by real-life conflicts when developing the campaign mode. They initially tested the multiplayer mode by playing an in-house beta version of the game. ''Modern Warfare 2'' was officially announced in February 2009. Teasing of the game began in March, with short trailers being released for the game and, eventually, a full reveal trailer. The multiplayer mode was revealed shortly after. Two
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
packs were released for it post-release, each containing five new multiplayer maps, with some being remastered maps from ''Call of Duty 4''.
''Modern Warfare 2'' received universal acclaim, with praise for its campaign, multiplayer, and amount of content, although it received some criticism for its short length and a lack of innovation. Within 24 hours of release, the game sold approximately 4.7 million copies in North America and the United Kingdom. As of 2013, the game had sold 22.7 million copies. In addition to its release, a
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. ...
series based on character
Simon "Ghost" Riley was also produced, titled ''
Modern Warfare 2: Ghost''. Despite the game's success, it was subject to
some controversies, with one surrounding
a playable level that had the player carry out a terror attack on an airport. A sequel, ''
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3'', was released in 2011 and finishes the original ''Modern Warfare'' storyline. A remaster of the game's campaign, ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered'', was released in March 2020 on the
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
and on
Microsoft Windows and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
in April 2020.
Gameplay
''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' is a first person shooter, and its
gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pla ...
revolves around fast-paced gunfights against enemy combatants.
The player controls a soldier who can perform several actions, including jump, sprint, crouch, lay
prone, and aim down their gun's
iron sights
Iron sights are a system of physical alignment markers (usually made of metallic material) used as a sighting device to assist the accurate aiming of ranged weapons (such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow or even compound bow), or less commonl ...
. When the player is shot by an enemy, blood will splatter their
heads-up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view inform ...
(HUD), denoting that they have taken damage; if the player avoids gunfire by taking cover, their
health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
will recover. The HUD also displays other information, such as a compass, a
mini-map
A mini-map or minimap is a miniature map that is often placed at a screen corner in video games to aid players in orienting themselves within the game world. They are often only a small portion of the screen and must be selective in what details ...
, and the player's current ammunition count. The game features traditional guns, including
assault rifles,
shotgun
A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge known as a shotshell, which usually discharges numerous small pellet-like spherical sub- p ...
s,
handgun
A handgun is a short- barrelled gun, typically a firearm, that is designed to be usable with only one hand. It is distinguished from a long gun (i.e. rifle, shotgun or machine gun, etc.), which needs to be held by both hands and also brac ...
s, and
sniper rifle
A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long-range rifle. Requirements include accuracy, reliability, mobility, concealment and optics for anti-personnel, anti-materiel and surveillance uses of the military sniper. The modern sniper rifle is a ...
s. The player will be given specific guns at the beginning of each
level
Level or levels may refer to:
Engineering
*Level (instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights
*Spirit level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical
* Canal pound or level
* Re ...
, but may switch them out with another gun they find. Some guns have attachments, such as
suppressor
A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a muzzle device that reduces the acoustic intensity of the muzzle report (sound of a gunshot) and muzzle rise when a gun (firearm or air gun) is discharged, by ...
s, and heartbeat sensors.
The player can use grenades and
flashbangs when faced with a large group of enemies, as well as a knife for
close quarters combat. In some levels, the player will be given special equipment, such as
night vision goggles
A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The de ...
, or a
laser designator
A laser designator is a laser light source which is used to designate a target. Laser designators provide targeting for laser-guided bombs, missiles, or precision artillery munitions, such as the Paveway series of bombs, AGM-114 Hellfire ...
.
''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' has three different game modes: Campaign, Spec Ops, and Multiplayer.
Campaign is a
single-player
A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. A single-player game is usually a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" is usuall ...
mode where the player completes eighteen levels connected by an overarching plot. Each level features a series of objectives to fulfill, and the player will often switch characters between levels.
If the player dies during a level, they will
respawn at the most recent
checkpoint
Checkpoint may refer to:
Places
* Border checkpoint, a place on the land border between two states where travellers and/or goods are inspected
* Security checkpoint, erected and enforced within contiguous areas under military or paramilitary co ...
. Levels can be played on one of four
difficulties
Difficulty or Difficult may refer to:
*A problem
* Degree of difficulty, in sport and gaming
*Counter-majoritarian difficulty, in legal theory
* Difficult, Tennessee, a community in the United States
* "Difficult" (song), by Uffie
*Hill Difficulty, ...
, and each level can be replayed after it has been completed. Spec Ops mode features twenty-three additional levels that can be played individually or
cooperatively
Cooperation (written as co-operation in British English) is the process of groups of organisms working or acting together for common, mutual, or some underlying benefit, as opposed to working in competition for selfish benefit. Many animal a ...
with a partner. These levels provide specific challenges, such as defusing three bombs within a short period of time.
If one player is shot down while playing cooperatively, they will begin crawling, and can shoot enemies with a handgun. If they are not revived by the other player, then they will die and fail the level.
There are five tiers of Spec Ops levels, with each tier harder than the previous. Only the first tier is available from the beginning, as later tiers can be unlocked with enough stars. The player earns stars by completing the levels on one of three difficulties, with the number of stars earned corresponding to the difficulty chosen.
Multiplayer mode allows players to compete against each other in team-based and
deathmatch-based game types on various maps. Each game type has an objective that requires unique strategies to complete. If the player kills three or more players in a row without dying, they achieve a "killstreak", which gives the player a tactical advantage during a match. These include a
Predator
Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...
missile,
a
sentry gun, and a "
tactical nuke".
Alternatively, if the player dies several times without a kill, they will be rewarded with a "deathstreak" bonus, which evens the match for the player.
A match ends when either a team or player has reached a predefined number of points, or the allotted time expires in which case the team or player with the most points wins. The player's performance in multiplayer is tracked with
experience point
An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Exper ...
s, which can be earned by killing opposing players, completing objectives, or by completing a match.
As the player gains experience, they advance in level, unlocking new weapons. The player will also unlock perks, which modify gameplay elements such as unlimited sprint and increased bullet damage.
Plot
Characters and setting
During the single-player campaign, the player controls five different characters from a
first-person perspective. The player primarily controls Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, a British member of an international
special forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
unit named Task Force 141. In addition to Roach, the player will also assume control of
Private First Class Joseph Allen (
Troy Baker) and
Private James Ramirez of the U.S. Army's 1st Battalion/
75th Ranger Regiment.
The now Captain
John "Soap" MacTavish (
Kevin McKidd) serves as a senior member of Task Force 141, acting as Roach's superior officer and becomes the playable character in the final three missions of the game.
Lastly, the player briefly assumes the role of an astronaut stationed on the
International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest Modular design, modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos ( ...
during the height of the war between the United States and Russia.
The game's
non-playable characters (NPCs) feature prominently in the story: For Task Force 141, Lieutenant
Simon "Ghost" Riley (
Craig Fairbrass), who conceals his face with a skull print
balaclava serves as Soap's second in command.
For the United States Army Rangers, Sergeant Foley (
Keith David
Keith David Williams (born June 4, 1956) is an American actor. He is known for his signature deep voice and commanding screen presence in over 300 roles across film, stage, television, and interactive media.
He has starred in such films as '' T ...
), along with his subordinate, Corporal Dunn (
Barry Pepper
Barry Robert Pepper (born April 4, 1970) is a Canadian actor. He played Private Daniel Jackson in ''Saving Private Ryan'' (1998), Corrections Officer Dean Stanton in '' The Green Mile'' (1999), Roger Maris in '' 61*'' (2001), Joseph L. Gallowa ...
), is initially Joseph Allen's squad leader, and becomes James Ramirez's squad leader later in the story.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Shepherd (
Lance Henriksen
Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor. He is known for his works in various science fiction, action and horror films, such as that of Bishop in the ''Alien'' film franchise, and Frank Black in Fox television series ''Millenni ...
) is the commander of the United States Army Rangers and Task Force 141. Other supporting characters returning from ''Call of Duty 4'' include Captain
John Price (
Billy Murray), MacTavish's former commanding officer in the British
Special Air Service
The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling and in 1950, it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-ter ...
who was imprisoned in Russia, and Russian informant turned mercenary pilot "Nikolai" (Sven Holmberg).
Story
Despite the events
of the previous game preventing a nuclear war, the Ultranationalists ultimately seize control of Russia and Imran Zakhaev becomes a
martyr
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external ...
. Diplomatic relations with the United States plummet as a result, while Vladimir Makarov, an Ultranationalist extremist and Zakhaev's protege, commits to a five-year campaign of vengeance against the West with acts of
terrorism
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
. In 2016, Private First Class Joseph Allen, whose actions in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bord ...
impress U.S. Army General Shepherd, is embedded into Makarov's team, who commit a
mass shooting
There is a lack of consensus on how to define a mass shooting. Most terms define a minimum of three or four victims of gun violence (not including the shooter or in an inner city) in a short period of time, although an Australian study from 200 ...
at an airport in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
,
killing multiple Russian civilians. Makarov, aware of Allen's true identity, kills the American, leaving his body at the airport to implicate the United States in a
false flag
A false flag operation is an act committed with the intent of disguising the actual source of responsibility and pinning blame on another party. The term "false flag" originated in the 16th century as an expression meaning an intentional misr ...
operation.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson is sent with Captain John "Soap" MacTavish to secure an Attack Characterization System (ACS) module from a downed American satellite that has been retrieved by Russian forces and kept in a hangar at an airbase in the
Tian Shan range of
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental coun ...
. After learning of the airport massacre, Soap, Roach, and several other members of the multinational special forces outfit "Task Force 141" are sent to
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of the same name, Brazil's List of Brazilian states by population, third-most populous state, and the List of largest citi ...
and succeed in capturing Alejandro Rojas, Makarov's arms dealer. In retaliation for the airport massacre, Russia launches a surprise invasion of the United States's Eastern Coast, achieved by their earlier capture of the ACS module and disabling American satellites over North America, leaving
NORAD
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...
blind to their attack.
Learning that Makarov's nemesis is imprisoned in the Russian Far East, Task Force 141 partakes in a counterattack there and rescues the prisoner: Captain John Price. Price rejoins Task Force 141, and in an effort to give the U.S. forces a much-needed advantage, boards a Russian
nuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed. Nuclear submarines have considerable performance advantages over "conventional" (typically diesel-electric) submarines. Nuclear propulsion ...
on their next mission and launches a
ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within ...
which detonates above
Washington in the
upper atmosphere. During the counter-attack, the Americans save the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C., NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. preside ...
from a
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...
bomb run to
deny the city to the Russians, retaining control.
Task Force 141 are sent to two separate locations in search of Makarov; Roach is sent with Simon "Ghost" Riley and other members to a safehouse on the
Georgian border, but are betrayed and killed by General Shepherd to tie up loose ends for his involvement in prolonging the Russian-American war. Meanwhile, Price and Soap are ambushed by Shepherd's own private forces battling Makarov's at an
aircraft boneyard
An aircraft boneyard or aircraft graveyard is a storage area for aircraft that are retired from service. Most aircraft at boneyards are either kept for storage with some maintenance or have their parts removed for reuse or resale and are then s ...
in Afghanistan but manage to escape. Makarov reveals Shepherd's location to the 141 over radio communications; Price and Soap launch a
suicide mission to take revenge on Shepherd. After a lengthy pursuit, Soap attempts to kill Shepherd but is stabbed in the chest. Before Shepherd can execute Soap, Price intervenes and engages in a fistfight with Shepherd, giving Soap enough time to pull the knife from his chest and throw it at Shepherd, killing him. Nikolai arrives by helicopter and evacuates Price and Soap, leading them to a
safe place.
Development
''Modern Warfare 2'' was originally announced as ''Call of Duty 6''.
The game was first announced under the title ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' by Activision on December 3, 2008.
Activision subsequently retracted its announcement, stating that any information about an upcoming ''Call of Duty'' game was "speculative." Infinity Ward then asserted that it had not officially confirmed its latest project at that time. On February 11, 2009, Activision officially announced ''Modern Warfare 2'' and set a tentative release date for "
Holiday
A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or t ...
2009."
The game was tested in an internal
beta
Beta (, ; uppercase , lowercase , or cursive ; grc, βῆτα, bē̂ta or ell, βήτα, víta) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 2. In Modern Greek, it represents the voiced labi ...
by the development team. While both ''Call of Duty 4'' and ''
Call of Duty: World at War'' had been preceded by public multiplayer betas, no such beta was released for ''Modern Warfare 2'' because it was determined that, according to Community Manager Robert Bowling, no public beta was needed unless the internal beta did not provide adequate feedback.
While
Treyarch
Treyarch Corporation ( ; formerly Treyarch Invention LLC) is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1996 by Peter Akemann and Doğan Köslü, it was acquired by Activision in 2001. The studio is known for ...
was able to port ''Modern Warfare'' to the
Wii and release it on the same day ''Modern Warfare 2'' was released, Infinity Ward declined to make a Wii version of the sequel. According to Bowling, Infinity Ward determined that the Wii's technical limitations made it impossible to deliver the same cinematic experience that the sequel aspired to present.
Infinity Ward announced in October 2009 that the PC version of ''Modern Warfare 2'' would not support the use of user-run dedicated servers or in-game console commands. This announcement was received poorly by some members of the PC community,
eventually instigating a response from Infinity Ward in an attempt to put the community at ease.
During brainstorming sessions, an idea came forth on what if the ending of ''Modern Warfare'' was a loss, leading to the sequel.
In an interview with Jesse Stern, he talked to producers of Infinity Ward with ideas such as "outbreaks, viruses, chemical warfare, and even outlandish things such as aliens and the living dead."
Stern mentioned having the game based on real-life conflicts before they halted further planning at first due to events in the
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 Russo-Georgian WarThe war is known by a variety of other names, including Five-Day War, August War and Russian invasion of Georgia. was a war between Georgia, on one side, and Russia and the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of Sou ...
and in the
Mumbai terrorist attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks (also referred to as 26/11, pronounced "twenty six eleven") were a series of terrorist attacks that took place in November 2008, when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamist terrorist organisation from Pakistan, c ...
.
Game engine
The game utilizes the in-house
IW 4.0 game engine, which is claimed to be a generation beyond the capabilities of the engine used in ''Call of Duty 4''.
Although proprietary, the game is based on an unspecified
id Tech
id Tech is a series of separate game engines designed and developed by id Software. Prior to the presentation of the id Tech 5-based game ''Rage'' in 2011, the engines lacked official designation and as such were simply referred to as the '' D ...
engine, and can accommodate larger worlds, enhanced graphic detail, and more efficient rendering.
Infinity Ward has addressed the issue of enemies that continually respawn at different points of a level.
The developer demonstrated that the game engine uses a "dynamic
AI", which has replaced the infinite respawn system and allows enemies to act more independently. These "smarter" enemies are designed to actively seek out and drive the player forward through a level, and can break away from set behaviors such as following a designated route in order to attack. The player cannot depend on enemies to be found in the same locations as a previous play-through because enemies will behave differently each time a level is played.
Audio
On August 20, 2009, Robert Bowling revealed through Twitter that
Kevin McKidd,
Craig Fairbrass,
Barry Pepper
Barry Robert Pepper (born April 4, 1970) is a Canadian actor. He played Private Daniel Jackson in ''Saving Private Ryan'' (1998), Corrections Officer Dean Stanton in '' The Green Mile'' (1999), Roger Maris in '' 61*'' (2001), Joseph L. Gallowa ...
,
Keith David
Keith David Williams (born June 4, 1956) is an American actor. He is known for his signature deep voice and commanding screen presence in over 300 roles across film, stage, television, and interactive media.
He has starred in such films as '' T ...
, and
Glenn Morshower
Glenn Morshower is an American character actor. He is best known for playing Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce in '' 24'' and Colonel (later General) Sharp Morshower in the ''Transformers'' film series. He has also appeared in many feature film ...
were confirmed voice actors for the game. It was later confirmed that McKidd would voice the protagonist, "Soap" MacTavish. Fairbrass, who voiced Gaz in ''Call of Duty 4'', provided voice work for "Ghost".
Billy Murray reprised his role as Captain Price from ''Call of Duty 4''. Rapper
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
provided voice work for the Special Ops and multiplayer modes, portraying "one of the squad
embervoices." The main theme of ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' was provided by Hollywood composer
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Oscars and four Grammys, and has been nominated for two Emmys and a Tony. Zimmer was also named on the list of Top 100 Living ...
, while the rest of the score was composed by
Lorne Balfe. The soundtrack was released on June 1, 2010.
The
iTunes page for the soundtrack incorrectly lists Zimmer as the soundtrack's only composer.
Marketing and release
On March 25, 2009, a teaser trailer for the game was revealed at the Game Developer Choice Awards ceremony in San Francisco. The teaser was posted on
Infinity Ward's website,
and released on the
Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Games Store (formerly Xbox Live Marketplace) is a digital distribution platform used by Microsoft's Xbox Series X, S, Xbox One and Xbox 360 video game consoles. The service allows users to download or purchase video games (including both ...
and the
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smar ...
a short time later. A second teaser was released on May 10, 2009, and showed gameplay features such as snowmobile driving and underwater actions. The teaser announced that the game would be "revealed" on
TNT during the
NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 24, 2009. The "reveal" was the first full-length trailer, which debuted extended sequences of actual in-game scenes and combat; the trailer was subsequently made available on the ''Modern Warfare 2'' official website, which was kept updated for the occasion.
A fourth trailer was released on July 27, 2009, and showed the first footage of the game's multiplayer mode.
On October 4, 2009, a second full-length cinematic trailer was released and revealed that part of the game would take place in a war-torn Washington, D.C.
On July 21, 2009, Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling revealed through Twitter that a ''Modern Warfare 2''
controller was in the works.
Peripherals manufacturer
Mad Catz was contracted by Activision to create a line of ''Modern Warfare 2'' controllers and accessories for all platforms that the game would be available on.
Activision stated, in its quarterly earnings report, that pre-orders for the game had broken a company record; more copies of ''Modern Warfare 2'' had been pre-ordered than any other game that the company had published before.
In September 2009,
Monster Energy teamed up with
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one ...
to bring special redeemable codes on the Monster Energy website, where people may submit codes included in Monster Energy packs to redeem items such as
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
Premium Themes and a ''Modern Warfare 2'' Map Pack code.
Title
The original teaser trailer confirmed that the game's title of ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' was officially shortened to just ''Modern Warfare 2''.
After photographs of the official retail boxes were posted by Robert Bowling,
Activision confirmed that the standard-edition ''Modern Warfare 2'' packaging would feature the ''Call of Duty'' brand logo in order to reflect the game's association with the ''Call of Duty'' franchise.
It is speculated that the decision was influenced by findings that
brand awareness
Brand awareness is the extent to which customers are able to recall or recognize a brand under different conditions. Brand awareness is one of two dimensions from brand knowledge, an associative network memory model. Brand awareness is a key consi ...
for the game was significantly lower without the ''Call of Duty'' logo.
However, the developers still prefer to simply call the game ''Modern Warfare 2'' as they consider it a new
IP.
The menus in the game also refer to the title as simply ''Modern Warfare 2''.
Retail versions
''Modern Warfare 2'' was released in four different retail versions across the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
platforms: Standard, Hardened, Veteran, and Prestige. The standard version consists of the game and an instructional manual, and is the only version available for the Microsoft Windows platform. The Hardened Edition consists of the game and manual (which are packaged in a steel book case), an art book, and a token that allows one to download ''
Call of Duty Classic'', a hi-definition version of the original ''Call of Duty'' game, from
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is a digital video game download service available through the Xbox Games Store, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360. It focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independen ...
or the
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store (PS Store) is a digital media store available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles via the PlayStation Network.
The store offers a range of downloadable conte ...
(''Classic'' was released individually on December 2, 2009). The Prestige Edition contains all of the elements of the Hardened Edition, but also includes a set of fully functioning
night vision goggles
A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The de ...
, imprinted with the ''Modern Warfare 2'' logo, and a stand modeled after the head of the character "Soap" MacTavish. The goggles are powered by five
AA batteries
AA, Aa, Double A, or Double-A may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* '' America's Army'', a 2002 computer game published by the U.S. Army
* '' Ancient Anguish'', a computer game in existence since 1992
* Aa!, a J-Pop musical group
* Do ...
and can see up to 50 feet in absolute darkness.
On September 15, 2009, Activision and Microsoft jointly announced a special, limited ''Modern Warfare 2'' version of the Xbox 360 with a 250 GB hard disk. The unit is highlighted by special game product branding and includes two black wireless controllers, a black wired headset, an
ethernet
Ethernet () is a family of wired computer networking technologies commonly used in local area networks (LAN), metropolitan area networks (MAN) and wide area networks (WAN). It was commercially introduced in 1980 and first standardized in ...
cable, a standard definition
composite A/V cable, and the standard edition version of the game. This is the first Xbox 360 to come with a 250 GB hard drive. On September 18, UK and rep of Ireland retailer
GAME
A game is a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (su ...
announced a Veteran Edition of ''Modern Warfare 2'' would be exclusive to rep of Ireland and UK. It will come with a 12" (30.5 cm) tall statue of "Soap" MacTavish with interchangeable arms and weapons; has the same contents as the Hardened Edition. In September 2009, a Veteran Statue Bundle of ''Modern Warfare 2'' was posted on the
EB Games
EB Games (formerly known as Electronics Boutique and EB World) is an American computer and video games retailer. First established as an American company in 1977 by James Kim with a single electronics-focused location in the King of Prussia mall ...
website and is available for all platforms.
''Modern Warfare 2'' was ported to the
Nintendo DS with the title ''
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized'' and a different storyline, released on November 10, 2009.
It was also ported to
macOS
macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. Within the market of ...
by
Aspyr years after the game's original release. This version was released on May 20, 2014, alongside the macOS port for ''
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3''.
The Xbox 360 version of ''Modern Warfare 2'' was made
backward compatible
Backward compatibility (sometimes known as backwards compatibility) is a property of an operating system, product, or technology that allows for interoperability with an older legacy system, or with input designed for such a system, especially ...
with the
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
on August 28, 2018.
Downloadable content
Activision announced that two
downloadable map packs would be released for ''Modern Warfare 2''.
At
E3 2009,
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation, multinational technology company, technology corporation producing Software, computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at th ...
stated that these map packs would first be made available for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live before they would be released for other platforms.
Robert Bowling stated that the community response to the game and the first ten downloadable map packs would be used in designing other potential map packs.
The first map pack, titled the "Stimulus Package," was released first for
Xbox Live
The Xbox network, formerly and still sometimes branded as Xbox Live, is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft. It was first made available to the Xbox system on November 15, 2002. An u ...
on March 30, 2010 and for
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smar ...
and PC on May 4, 2010, in North America. The pack contains five maps: reincarnations of the ''Crash'' and ''Overgrown'' maps from ''Call of Duty 4'', and three new maps: ''Bailout'', a multi-level apartment complex; ''Storm'', an industrial park littered with heavy machinery; and ''Salvage'', an abandoned car junkyard in the middle of the snow. Within 24 hours of its release, it was downloaded over one million times. Within the first week it had been downloaded 2.5 million times, breaking Xbox Live DLC records. In addition to integrating the maps into all existing game types, the Stimulus Package adds two new game modes, randomizing the built-in game types in either normal or hardcore mode.
Activision released the second downloadable map pack, titled the "Resurgence Package", exclusively for Xbox Live on June 3, 2010, in North America. This release was followed by the PlayStation Network and PC versions on July 6 in North America and on July 7 worldwide.
The package includes five new multiplayer maps: reincarnations of the ''Strike'' and ''Vacant'' maps from ''Call of Duty 4'', and three new maps: ''Carnival'', a desolated amusement park; ''Trailer Park'', a mobile home park; and ''Fuel'', an oil refinery. Both of the map packs were made available for purchase on macOS on May 20, 2014, when the macOS port of the game was released.
Comic
A six-part
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. ...
mini-series related to the game has also been produced. Announced by Robert Bowling on August 17, 2009, ''
Modern Warfare 2: Ghost'' is focused on the backstory of the character Ghost, who appears in the video game as a member of Task Force 141. The series is published by
WildStorm
Wildstorm Productions, (stylized as WildStorm), is an American comic book imprint. Originally founded as an independent company established by Jim Lee under the name "Aegis Entertainment" and expanded in subsequent years by other creators, Wilds ...
. The first issue of the series debuted on November 11, 2009.
Short film
A
fan-made prequel to ''Modern Warfare 2'', entitled ''
Find Makarov: Operation Kingfish'', premiered at
Call of Duty: XP 2011. The video was produced by We Can Pretend, visual effects by The Junction, and was endorsed by
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one ...
. The first film, Find Makarov, was a non-canon fan made film. Activision contacted We Can Pretend about the video and helped produce a second canon short film, Find Makarov: Operation Kingfish.
The prequel tells the story of how Task Force 141 first tried to capture Vladimir Makarov, who was known then as Kingfish. It also tells how Soap got his facial scars, and how
Price
A price is the (usually not negative) quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services. In some situations, the price of production has a different name. If the product is a "good" in t ...
was captured and incarcerated in a gulag.
Reception
''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' received "universal acclaim" for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, and "generally positive" reviews for the PC version, according to
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
.
Reviewers praised the in-depth story mode, mini missions, and multiplayer.
1UP.com
''1Up.com'' was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, ''1Up.com'' provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused conten ...
stated "Mixing real-world locations with bombastic set-pieces ''MW2'' continues the guided, thrill-ride experiences of its predecessor, and adds even more depth to its multiplayer offerings. It might not have fixed all the problems from the first game, but there's just so much quality content packed into this game that it will almost certainly be one of the most-played games in your library for a long time to come".
''
Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 ...
'' noted praised the game for its polish and iteration on the series, as well as its strong presentation and wealth of playable content.
IGN called it a "no-brainer purchase", thanks to its online multiplayer, its co-op mode, and its campaign.
GameTrailers
''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
stated "The air of unpredictability and the care that was paid to each separate element puts it in lofty company. The multiplayer hasn't received an overhaul, but considering most shooters are still playing catch-up with Call of Duty 4, the tweaks and twists make it the best multiplayer shooting experience in the industry. Few games manage to meet such high expectations".
''
Computer and Video Games
''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') was a UK-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot website ...
'' called the game "Loud, epic and incredibly polished,
ndthis year's biggest must-have shooter".
Criticism of the game focused on the short length of the single player campaign. IGN's Mark Bozon remarks that the single-player of "''Modern Warfare 2'' is surprisingly short, and doesn't live up to the standard set by previous ''Call of Duty'' games."
In addition, many reviewers have complained about the lack of innovation to the formula of the series.
''Famitsu'' named ''Modern Warfare 2'' as the number one game on the top 10 video games sold in 2009, beating games such as ''
Metal Gear Solid 4'', ''
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves'', ''
Halo 3
''Halo 3'' is a 2007 first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the ''Halo'' franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in 2001's '' Halo: Combat Evolved'' and continued i ...
'' and ''
Grand Theft Auto IV
''Grand Theft Auto IV'' is a 2008 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the sixth main entry in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2004's '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', and the ...
''. It also gave the game a score of 39/40, being one of the few Western games released in Japan to have the same score as ''Grand Theft Auto IV''. In 2011, readers of ''
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition'' voted Simon "Ghost" Riley as the 40th-top video game character of all time.
Sales and revenue
According to preliminary sales figures from Activision, ''Modern Warfare 2'' sold approximately 4.7 million units in the United States and the UK combined in the first 24 hours of its release. The total revenue from first day sales in the U.S. and the UK was $310 million, making ''Modern Warfare 2'' the biggest entertainment launch in history at the time, surpassing in revenue its predecessor, ''
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'',
as well as items from other media types.
After five days of sales, the game had earned revenue figures of $550 million worldwide.
, it has taken over $1 billion in sales. Activision also claims that ''Modern Warfare 2'' had 8 million players online within the first five days, constituting the largest 'army' of players in the world.
On March 8, 2010,
Robert Bowling
Infinity Ward, Inc. is an American video game developer. They developed the video game ''Call of Duty'', along with seven other installments in the ''Call of Duty'' series. Vince Zampella, Grant Collier, and Jason West established Infinity Ward ...
announced that the game had amassed 25 million unique players. In June 2010, Activision's CFO Thomas Tippl revealed that the game had sold 20 million copies. In August 2011, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg revealed that the game had sold 22 million copies. A month later in September 2011, ''Modern Warfare 3'' producer Mark Rubin, said that the game's number (not confirmed as players or sales) was between 28 and 29 million. In November 2013,
IGN put the game's sales at 22.7 million.
According to the
NPD Group, ''Modern Warfare 2'' sold approximately 4.2 million units for the Xbox 360 and 1.87 million units for the PlayStation 3 in the U.S. during the month of November 2009. In Japan, ''Modern Warfare 2'' sold 64,000 copies for the PlayStation 3 and 42,000 copies for the Xbox 360 in its first week of sales. The game later sold 117,000 copies on the PlayStation 3 and 61,000 on the Xbox 360. Anita Frazier of the NPD Group reported in March 2010 that the game had sold slightly under 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.
The game had also became the second best-selling game of all time in both the UK and the U.S.
After it became backward compatible with the Xbox One, the NPD Group reported that ''Modern Warfare 2'' was the eighth-best selling video game in the United States during August 2018. It had sold more copies in that month than the then-most recent entry in the series, ''
Call of Duty: WWII'', which came out in November 2017. During the previous month, before becoming backward compatible, ''Modern Warfare 2'' was at only number 321 on the best sellers list.
Awards
''Modern Warfare 2'' received awards from various gaming sites and publications, it gained high praise from some video game magazines. At the
2009 Spike Video Game Awards, ''Modern Warfare 2'' received the Best Shooter and Best Multiplayer awards. Both
GameSpy and
GameTrailers
''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
gave the game the ''Best Overall Game of 2009'' award
and received from ''
GameTrailers
''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
'' overall six awards.
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
and
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, both gave it the ''Best Xbox 360 Game'' award,
and from
GameTrailers
''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
received the game the ''Best Multiplayer'' award
including the ''Best First-Person Shooter'' award.
Controversies
Various portions of the campaign have caused some controversy, including the depiction of a massacre carried out in a Russian airport, in the mission "
No Russian", the fourth mission in the game. This mission can be skipped entirely before the player begins the single-player campaign.
Anders Behring Breivik
Fjotolf Hansen (born 13 February 1979), better known by his birth name Anders Behring Breivik () and by his pseudonym Andrew Berwick, is a Norwegian far-right domestic terrorist, known for committing the 2011 Norway attacks on 22 July 2011. On ...
claimed in his manifesto that he used the game for training to prepare for the
2011 Norway attacks
The 2011 Norway attacks, referred to in Norway as 22 July ( no, 22. juli) or as 22/7, were two domestic terrorist attacks by neo-Nazi Anders Behring Breivik against the government, the civilian population, and a Workers' Youth League (AUF) ...
. Coop Norway, a chain of retail stores in Norway, removed the game from its shelves as a result of this attack.
A YouTube user claimed that two paintings in the multiplayer map Favela offended
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abra ...
. Activision removed the controversial paintings and apologized for its offense to Muslims. The amended Favela map was added back into the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game, however was permanently taken out of the PC version.
Technical problems
After the
successful hack on the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
in January 2011, some ''Modern Warfare 2'' players on the PlayStation 3 have had their stats hacked or completely deleted.
Infinity Ward replied that their advice was to play in private games, waiting for
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
to fix the problems on the platform side, saying that they could not patch the security problem themselves.
Remastered version
''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered'', a visually-updated version of the original, was released for
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
on March 31, 2020,
and for
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
and
Microsoft Windows on April 30, 2020.
It only includes the campaign mode with no multiplayer and Spec Ops components; when purchased players unlock various cosmetic items in 2019's ''
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare'' and 2020's ''
Call of Duty: Warzone''.
On Metacritic, the PlayStation 4 version of the remaster holds a weighted average score of 71 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Notes and references
;Notes
;References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
*
*
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