Modern Warfare Remastered
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''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered'' is a 2016
first-person shooter A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...
game developed by
Raven Software Raven Software Corporation (trade name: Raven; formerly Raven Software, Inc.) is an American video game developer based in Middleton, Wisconsin, and part of Activision. Founded in May 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel, the company is most ...
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 o ...
. It is a
remastered A remaster is a change in the sound or image quality of previously created forms of media, whether Mastering (audio), audiophonic, Cinematography, cinematic, or Videography, videographic. The resulting product is said to be remastered. The term ...
version of the 2007 game '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'', and was initially released as part of the special edition bundles of '' Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare'' in November 2016 for the
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,
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, and
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. A standalone version was released for these platforms in mid-2017. The game's story follows the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
(USMC) and the
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-terr ...
(SAS), who take on missions to fight against a separatist group in the
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and an
ultranationalist Ultranationalism, or extreme nationalism, is an extremist form of nationalism in which a country asserts or maintains hegemony, supremacy, or other forms of control over other nations (usually through violent coercion) to pursue its specific ...
group in
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. Development began after an
online petition An online petition (or Internet petition, or e-petition) is a form of petition which is signed online, usually through a form on a website. Visitors to the online petition sign the petition by adding their details such as name and email address. T ...
requesting a ''Modern Warfare'' remaster began circulation. Activision enlisted Raven Software—who had assisted in the development of past ''
Call of Duty ''Call of Duty'' is a first-person shooter military video game series and media franchise published by Activision, starting in 2003. The games were first developed by Infinity Ward, then by Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games. Several spin-of ...
'' games—to develop ''Modern Warfare Remastered'', while original developer
Infinity Ward 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 W ...
supervised. ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' features extensive graphical enhancements, updated animations, and revised original sound effects as well as new ones. It retains the original core gameplay, with small adjustments. New multiplayer content, and additional single-player achievements and
cheats Cheating generally describes various actions designed to subvert or disobey rules in order to obtain unfair advantages without being noticed. This includes acts of bribery, cronyism and nepotism in any situation where individuals are given pr ...
are included. Critics lauded ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' for its enhanced graphics, revised sound, and range of other modifications. They praised the gameplay for what was considered a challenging and innovative single-player campaign when compared to later games in the series. The multiplayer mode was complimented for its simplicity and freshness. Criticism focused on the multiplayer mode for balancing issues and the single-player mode for its pacing and
artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
. ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' became the subject of controversy following Activision's decisions to initially release it only as part of a bundle, include
microtransactions Microtransaction (mtx) refers to a business model where users can purchase in-game virtual goods with micropayments. Microtransactions are often used in free-to-play games to provide a revenue source for the developers. While microtransactions ...
, and—in the eyes of players—overcharge for both the
downloadable content content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...
(DLC) and standalone version of the game.


Gameplay

''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered'' features the same core gameplay as the original version: it is a
first-person shooter A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...
in which the player controls several
characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to Theoph ...
during the
single-player A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the gameplay. Video games in general can feature several game modes, including single-player modes designed to be played by a single player in add ...
campaign, alternating from one to another between missions. It includes some modifications consisting of adjusted timing to existing gameplay animations, while remaining nearly identical to their original counterparts. In the prone position, the player character's arms and equipped weapon are visible. In the
multiplayer A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
mode, players can perform a
taunt A taunt is a battle cry, sarcastic remark, gesture, or insult intended to demoralize or antagonize the recipient. Taunting can exist as a form of social competition to gain control of the target's cultural capital (i.e., status). In sociological ...
, by allowing them to inspect the exterior of their gun for example, intended to humiliate a defeated opponent. The single-player campaign is almost identical to the original. It retains the same collectibles and
cheats Cheating generally describes various actions designed to subvert or disobey rules in order to obtain unfair advantages without being noticed. This includes acts of bribery, cronyism and nepotism in any situation where individuals are given pr ...
while adding several more of the latter. The game offers full PlayStation Network trophy and Xbox Live achievement support—trophies were absent from ''Modern Warfare'' because the game was released before they were introduced—by including several new challenges. ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' features an updated version of the multiplayer mode that shares similarities with those featured in later ''Call of Duty'' games. It includes the same weapons, killstreaks—rewards gained that allows the player to locate opponents or call in
military aircraft A military aircraft is any Fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing or rotorcraft, rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary military of any type. Some military aircraft engage directly in aerial warfare, while others take on su ...
to attack themperks, and game modes as ''Modern Warfare''. Existing modes present in other installments are included such as "Gun Game", in which the player receives a new weapon each time they kill an opponent, and "Hardpoint", involving players attempting to secure and defend a designated area from the opposing team. New modes like "Prop Hunt", where players hide as inanimate objects from the opposition, are also introduced. Medals is another incorporated feature present in previous games. These are awarded to players if specific circumstances are met when killing an opponent. The multiplayer mode offers a larger variety of customization options for profile personalization, guns, and characters. The game also added weapons. All new content can be unlocked through completing challenges,
crafting A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale pro ...
, or buying
in-game currency A virtual economy (or sometimes synthetic economy) is an emergent economy existing in a virtual world, usually exchanging virtual goods in the context of an online game, particularly in massively multiplayer online games (MMOs). People enter t ...
through
microtransactions Microtransaction (mtx) refers to a business model where users can purchase in-game virtual goods with micropayments. Microtransactions are often used in free-to-play games to provide a revenue source for the developers. While microtransactions ...
.


Plot

''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered'' features the same plot as the original game. The player mainly controls 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-terr ...
(SAS) recruit Sergeant
John "Soap" MacTavish ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' is a 2009 First-person shooter, first-person shooter game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. It is the sixth installment in the Call of Duty, ''Call of Duty'' series and the direct seque ...
, starting with his enrollment in the 22nd SAS Regiment. The player also controls
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
(USMC) member Sergeant Paul Jackson during five of the levels of Act 1. SAS officer
Captain John Price Captain John Price is a character from the ''Call of Duty'' series of video games published by Activision. First appearing in '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'' (2007) as Captain of the 22nd SAS Regiment, he later joins the international special ...
is playable in two flashback missions from 1996 when he was a lieutenant. The player further assumes the role of an American thermal-imaging TV operator aboard a
Lockheed AC-130 The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily armed, long-endurance, ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport, fixed-wing aircraft. It carries a wide array of ground-attack weapons that are integrated with sensors, navigation, and fir ...
gunship during one level, and a British operative infiltrating a hijacked airliner to save a
VIP A very important person (VIP or V.I.P.) or personage is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social rank, status, influence, or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War II when it was populari ...
in another. Finally, the player controls Yasir Al-Fulani, the president of an unnamed Middle Eastern country before he is executed, although he has no freedom of action beyond turning his head. While the United States invades a small, oil-rich Middle Eastern country following a
coup d'état A coup d'état (; ; ), or simply a coup , is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to powe ...
by the extremist Khaled Al-Asad, a British SAS squad infiltrates a cargo ship found to be carrying a
nuclear device A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear explo ...
. Enemy jets sink the ship, but the SAS team escapes with its manifest and heads to Russia to rescue their
informant An informant (also called an informer or, as a slang term, a "snitch", "rat", "canary", "stool pigeon", "stoolie", "tout" or "grass", among other terms) is a person who provides privileged information, or (usually damaging) information inten ...
, codenamed "Nikolai", from the Ultranationalist party.
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from these operations indicates Al-Asad has a Russian nuclear device. The U.S. military launches an assault on his palace, but the nuclear device is
detonated Detonation () is a type of combustion involving a supersonic exothermic front accelerating through a medium that eventually drives a shock front propagating directly in front of it. Detonations propagate supersonically through shock waves with ...
, wiping out most of the city and everyone in it. The SAS team tracks down Al-Asad in
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
and discovers he was working with Imran Zakhaev, the leader of the Ultranationalist party. The
mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...
then flashes back 15 years where Captain Price, who was a
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
, is sent alongside his commanding officer, Captain MacMillan, on a failed assassination attempt on Zakhaev in Pripyat, Ukraine. After killing Al-Asad, the SAS team, with support from U.S. Marine Force Recon and Russian
loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
, attempt to capture Zakhaev's son, Victor, and learn his whereabouts. They ambush Victor, but he commits suicide. In response, Zakhaev seizes control of a nuclear launch facility. A joint operation is launched to take back the site, but Zakhaev launches
intercontinental ballistic missiles An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear warheads). Conven ...
at the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. The joint teams are able to breach the facility and remotely destroy the missiles before fleeing the area. Zakhaev's forces trap the escaping joint force on a bridge, and during the fight many are killed. He arrives, but a loyalist helicopter distracts him. The player shoots and kills Zakhaev with their pistol before being tended to by loyalist forces.


Development

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 o ...
became interested in a remaster of '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'' following the circulation of an
online petition An online petition (or Internet petition, or e-petition) is a form of petition which is signed online, usually through a form on a website. Visitors to the online petition sign the petition by adding their details such as name and email address. T ...
. The publisher approached
Raven Software Raven Software Corporation (trade name: Raven; formerly Raven Software, Inc.) is an American video game developer based in Middleton, Wisconsin, and part of Activision. Founded in May 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel, the company is most ...
, which had assisted in the development of previous ''Call of Duty'' games, to be the primary developer;
Infinity Ward 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 W ...
would act as executive producer. Raven's studio director, David Pellas, recalled that every Raven employee agreed to undertaking a remaster. The developers pledged to focus throughout development on redefining the term ''remaster'' while respecting the original game. Much of ''Modern Warfare'' was "rebuilt  ..from the ground up" through the revitalization of its source code, materials, layouts, and effects that Infinity Ward allowed Raven to access. The game runs in a native
1080p 1080p (1920 × 1080 progressively displayed pixels; also known as Full HD or FHD, and BT.709) is a set of HDTV high-definition video modes characterized by 1,920 pixels displayed across the screen horizontally and 1,080 pixels down the sc ...
resolution (increased to 4K for the PlayStation 4 Pro version) at 60
frames per second A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (co ...
, and uses the then latest iteration of the series'
IW engine The IW engine is a game engine created and developed by Infinity Ward, with the current iteration developed in its studio in Kraków, Poland for the Call of Duty, ''Call of Duty'' series. The engine was originally based on id Tech 3 by id Softwa ...
. Raven wanted the remaster to provide a faithful experience for fans of ''Modern Warfare''. They looked to connect newcomers to a world that players were used to in recent ''Call of Duty'' games, albeit one that mirrored reality. To assist in their decision-making, Raven scoured
social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...
websites to find active players of ''Modern Warfare'' to understand what they would want from a re-release of the game. Pellas noted that the risk of negative fan reactions resulting from changes to the original and the desire to meet expectations was daunting for Raven; they were encouraged by their leading principle of keeping the gameplay unchanged. Subtle adjustments were made to the timing of existing gameplay animations, such as the transition between aiming a sniper rifle and the scope overlay appearing, but these were designed to be as close to identical to the original as possible. In bringing ''Modern Warfare''s visuals up to modern standards, enhancements to the environments were designed using a procedure called "paint-over": color schemes were established and screenshots taken of the levels from ''Modern Warfare'' before they were overlaid with
concept art Concept art is a form of visual art used to convey an idea for use in film, video games, animation, comic books, television shows, or other media before it is put into the final product. The term was used by the Walt Disney Animation Studios ...
. Raven wanted to give the environments a sense of history to avoid them feeling generic, with more visual details being integrated into them. The game used improved textures and mapping, effects, and lighting; objects were remodeled and new features such as realistic physics were used to move materials like clothing. The remaster became the first ''Call of Duty'' game to allow each gun to eject spent ammunition rounds accurate to that type, which was achieved through the inserted rounds remaining in the gun before ejection; identical rounds separate from those inserted were ejected in previous games. Raven faced some issues remastering the graphics, as the remaster used a heavily upgraded version of the series' engine. As a result, several of ''Modern Warfare''s visual assets were not suited to the new technology, requiring the developers to enhance or remake them. The movement of
non-player character A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster (or referee) rather than by a ...
s was improved to be more realistic. Several new first-person animations were added to the single-player campaign for immersion during certain scenes and to improve how the camera made use of the player character's body. The remastering of the game's audio included reverberation, depth, and spatial effects; one example a Raven developer noted was that, "Layering out multiple sounds now makes a big difference." A range of other examples of sound not present in ''Modern Warfare'' were used. The original music and vocal performances were retained, although Al-Asad's Arabic dialogue was amended and re-recorded to represent the game's English subtitles more accurately. Other minor dialogue alterations included adjusting the order of several lines and including new ones in the game's training level. Following negative player feedback at the gaming convention Call of Duty: XP 2016, the developers reverted changes to the multiplayer mode's announcers. Similarly, the weapon audio was revised to more closely resemble that found in the original game. As well as the remastering process, the game contained an array of new features. The multiplayer mode's content initially remained largely unchanged. Ten of the original sixteen maps were featured at launch, after the developers realized they could not remaster every map by the release date; the remaining six were released as a free update several weeks later. Raven supported the multiplayer mode from December 2016 to keep players invested in the game, introducing types of cosmetic customization and new melee weapons within a
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. This includes a
loot box In video game terminology, a loot box (also called a loot crate or prize crate) is a consumable virtual item which can be redeemed to receive a randomised selection of further virtual items, or Loot (video gaming), ''loot'', ranging from simpl ...
system, virtual crates branded in-game as "supply drops", which contain randomized items. Supply drops are obtained after purchasing in-game currency called Call of Duty Points (CP) or with Depot Credits earned through playing. Parts are another in-game currency used to craft items, acquired in supply drops or from duplicate items. Raven published playlists and seasonal events, which introduced new but similar customization content, multiplayer modes, and variants of existing maps. Further guns and melee weapons were incorporated during these events along with other game updates.


Marketing and release

News of ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered'' leaked on
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on April 27, 2016, before its official announcement. The leak included a screenshot of a reservation card for the retail chain
Target Target may refer to: Warfare and shooting * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artille ...
with the Legacy Edition of '' Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare'' and the bundled remaster. A tweet in response on ''Call of Duty''s official
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
account the same day included two
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in reply to a fan's 2014 tweet expressing excitement at the possibility of a ''Modern Warfare'' remaster, seemingly confirming its existence. On April 29, 2016, a leaked retailer advertisement for ''Infinite Warfare'' revealed that ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' would include the single-player campaign and ten multiplayer maps. ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' was officially announced on May 2, 2016, during the reveal trailer for ''Infinite Warfare''. The game was featured at
2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016 (E3 2016) was the 22nd E3, during which hardware manufacturers and software developers and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products to attendees, primarily retailers and ...
, showing a trailer for its campaign. It revealed that PlayStation 4 users who pre-purchased the special edition bundle of ''Infinite Warfare'' could play ''Modern Warfare Remastered''s campaign 30 days before its release date as part of Sony's exclusivity deal with Activision. A gameplay video for ''Modern Warfare Remastered''s "Crew Expendable" mission was released online on July 14, 2016. The game's multiplayer mode was revealed during the Call of Duty: XP 2016 convention, and attendees were able to play it first. In September 2016, trailers were released for both single and multiplayer modes. ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' was released worldwide on November 4, 2016, for 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 ...
,
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
, 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 console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
as part of the Legacy, Legacy Pro, and Digital Deluxe editions of ''Infinite Warfare''. At the time, the game was available only by purchasing one of these editions of ''Infinite Warfare''; with physical versions, ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' could only be played via ''Infinite Warfare''s game disc. Activision confirmed ''Infinite Warfare'' must be permanently installed to use the included remaster. In June 2017, a standalone version of ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' was announced alongside its trailer; the game was released for the PlayStation 4 on June 27, 2017, followed by the Xbox One and Windows exactly a month later. On March 8, 2017, Activision announced that a remastered version of the Variety Map Pack
downloadable content content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...
(DLC) originally released for ''Modern Warfare'' would be made available for ''Modern Warfare Remastered''. It includes the same four maps and 10 rare supply drops. The map pack was released as a separate purchase for the PlayStation 4 on March 21, 2017, and for the Xbox One and Windows exactly a month later; it was not included with any retail versions of ''Modern Warfare Remastered''.


Reception

''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered'' received "generally favorable reviews", according to review aggregator
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
.
OpenCritic OpenCritic is a review aggregation website for video games. OpenCritic lists reviews from critics across multiple video game publications for the games listed on the site. The website then generates a numeric score by averaging all of the numeri ...
determined that 87% of critics recommended the game. ''
Push Square Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British digital media company based in London. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and oth ...
'' described it as "a ridiculously faithful remake" that "spruc sup an old care package for a more modern age to near-perfection." ''
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'' used the accolade of "Best Remaster" in 2016 to praise it. Critics lauded the enhanced graphics, revised sound, and other modifications. ''Push Square'' and ''GQ'' thought the remaster looked and sounded like a modern release, calling it "nothing short of a profound feat" and "an amazing technical overhaul". Several felt the game was more akin to a remake thanks to the range of enhancements. ''
Destructoid ''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017 and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022. Histor ...
'' complimented the "subtle" differences, highlighting level areas that felt more alive and the enhancements to the first-person cinematics. Although praising its scope, some considered the graphics were not quite cutting edge and occasionally exhibited minor shortcomings. The modern-day setting and core gameplay of the single-player campaign were praised. Critics viewed the narrative as "forward-thinking" and sincere, and having pushed the boundaries of storytelling in the first-person shooter genre; others were reminded how the campaign had long endured with fans as a result. ''Destructoid'' felt the story had since been topped by its competition, but that it was still worth playing because of the mission variety and the relationship between Soap and Price. The gameplay was considered pleasantly challenging and urgent, with ''IGN''s reviewer noting it made them feel "relatively weighed down, encumbered, and more desperate". The game's level design, set pieces, and emphasis on teamwork attracted further praise. The multiplayer mode received similar praise. ''Push Square'' appreciated its faithfulness to the original. ''Destructoid'' complimented the map design and praised the gameplay for being welcoming to more casual players by requiring only moderate skill and agility. Critics considered the mode to be "refreshing" and just as enjoyable as faster-paced versions of more recent ''Call of Duty'' installments. Comparisons were made with ''Infinite Warfare''; some thought that ''Modern Warfare Remastered''s simpler design showed that "less can be more" and enjoyed that it allowed for different gameplay styles. Certain aspects that were thought to have aged poorly or needed improvement received scrutiny. Critics attributed this to a desire to preserve ''Modern Warfare''s authenticity for fans. The multiplayer mode was described as "outdated" and criticized for balancing issues involving overpowered perks and weapons and for its
collision detection Collision detection is the computational problem of detecting an intersection of two or more objects in virtual space. More precisely, it deals with the questions of ''if'', ''when'' and ''where'' two or more objects intersect. Collision detect ...
. ''IGN'' felt many of the multiplayer maps and campaign levels were uninspired and primarily designed for players to use cover; ''VG247'' criticized the level design for directing players through a linear path that did not always appear to be the correct route. ''Hardcore Gamer'' disapproved of the decision to retain infinitely spawning enemies in the campaign and felt weapons found in the levels were "barebones" compared to those the player starts out with. Some felt the narrative suffered from pacing issues. Several critics noted lingering problems with the
artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
, describing enemy behavior as "relying on numbers, rather than cunning" and that allies often hampered the player.


Windows version

Players criticized the Windows version of ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' for several reasons. On
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, it received mostly negative user reviews; complaints cited poor performance, numerous
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, and a low player count. Players felt Activision had failed to provide adequate support for the PC in favor of the game's console versions, a trait which had been apparent with previous installments in the series. ''
PC Gamer ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...
'' noted that the game required a capable PC to run well. They criticized the multiplayer mode for not including custom servers and the lack of active players. As part of his close involvement in the game's development, David Pellas
playtest A playtest is the process by which a game designer tests a new game for bugs and design flaws before releasing it to market. Playtests can be run "open", "closed", "beta", or otherwise, and are very common with board games, collectible card games, ...
ed the PC version; he stated before its release that it "play damazingly" and had a "fantastic" frame rate, while acknowledging that it had been played on a high-end gaming PC. In mid-August 2024, ''Remastered'' ranked third on Steam's top-sellers chart several days before a fan-made
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for the game was set to release. The mod recreated the multiplayer mode of 2009's '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'', as the 2020 remastered version of ''Modern Warfare 2'' only includes its campaign mode. A day before its scheduled release, the mod was cancelled after Activision issued a
cease and desist A cease and desist letter is a document sent by one party, often a business, to warn another party that they believe the other party is committing an unlawful act, such as copyright infringement, and that they will take legal action if the oth ...
notice to its creators.


''Infinite Warfare'' bundling

Before its release, many criticized Activision's initial decision to make ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' available only for purchase through a special edition of ''Infinite Warfare''. Critics recognized that ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' appealed highly to fans, and saw bundling the game as
anti-consumerist Anti-consumerism is a sociopolitical ideology. It has been described as "''intentionally'' and ''meaningfully'' excluding or cutting goods from one's consumption routine or reusing once-acquired goods with the goal of avoiding consumption". The ...
, forcing players to pay more than necessary. ''Hardcore Gamer'' called the move "sickening", and ''Push Square'' felt it was "preposterous" and "a bullet in the face to consumers" due to ''Modern Warfare''s influence in both the series and the first-person shooter genre. Several perceived the bundling as showing Activision's lack of faith in ''Infinite Warfare'', and to ensure ''Call of Duty''s continued growth. Others felt selling ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' separately would still be prosperous for the publisher; ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun''s writer wrote they would spend more on the series if the modes of future installments, like the bundled games, were sold separately to allow them to purchase those they had the most interest in. ''Push Square'' believed a standalone would allow Activision to earn their fans' trust and money. They forecast an influx of pre-owned copies of the bundle, devaluing ''Infinite Warfare''s worth and reducing the number of copies sold. Conversely, some described Activisions approach as "brilliant", seeing each game in the bundle as uniquely appealing to either former or longstanding fans of the series, and viewed the remaster as a valuable addition.


Inclusion of microtransactions

While adding new content several weeks after the release of ''Modern Warfare Remastered'', Activision incorporated the use of microtransactions into the multiplayer mode, which had been absent from ''Modern Warfare''.
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had previously uncovered hidden weapons within the game's files; fans regarded them as either an indication of future
virtual goods Virtual goods are non-physical objects and money purchased for use in online communities or online games. Digital goods, on the other hand, may be a broader category including digital books, music, and movies. Virtual goods are intangible by def ...
or scrapped content. The choice to include microtransactions resulted in a backlash. ''
PCGamesN ''PCGamesN'' is a British website with articles about PC gaming and hardware. History Parent company Network N was founded by James Binns (formerly of Future Publishing) in late May 2012. ''PCGamesN'' launched the following month. PCGamesN ...
'' called the decision "rubbing salt into the wound" after the criticism of bundling the remaster with ''Infinite Warfare''. Concerns were raised that ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' would allow for gameplay advantages, similar to Activision's approach with recent ''Call of Duty'' installments. Others criticized what they perceived as Activision prioritizing revenue over improving the game, and helping to set an example for other video game publishers to sell re-releases with new or omitted content at extra cost. Opinions of ''Modern Warfare Remastered''s microtransactions post-release, particularly surrounding the implementation of new guns not seen in ''Modern Warfare'', were mixed. ''Hardcore Gamer'' was disappointed the guns were "locked behind paywall" and relied heavily on opening supply drops to obtain them. Conversely, in 2019 ''Kotaku'' wrote that while the game's loot box system had flaws and required performing repetitive tasks for those unwilling to spend money, it felt more rewarding and less exploitative than those offered by subsequent ''Call of Duty'' games.


Pricing of DLC and standalone version of game

Following the announcement of the remastered Variety Map Pack in March 2017, Activision was condemned for its decision that the DLC would not be free. Fans asserted that as a remaster, which often includes all previously released DLC from the original, the map pack should have been released with ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' when it launched. They also believed that selling the DLC for a higher price than its original release was unprincipled. The move was described by gaming journalist
James Stephanie Sterling James Stephanie Sterling, also known as Commander Sterling and formerly known as Jim Sterling, is a British freelance video game journalist, critic, pundit, YouTuber, and professional wrestler. Before becoming independent in September 2014, s ...
as highlighting "just how far ctivisioncan mock its customers and get away with it", and by ''Hardcore Gamer'' as "one of the biggest rip-offs in recent memory." ''Hardcore Gamer'' believed the price increase because of
inflation In economics, inflation is an increase in the average price of goods and services in terms of money. This increase is measured using a price index, typically a consumer price index (CPI). When the general price level rises, each unit of curre ...
was erroneous; the 10 rare supply drops that were included held no value because they contained undesirable content; and few players were using the DLC maps. Some felt that including the DLC at no charge would have helped overcome wavering support from long-term fans, following the criticism of ''Infinite Warfare'' and the success of
Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by former Apple Inc., Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry ...
' competing '' Battlefield 1''. On the other hand, ''VG247'' opined that the DLC was being sold because ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' was not sold at full-price as part of the ''Infinite Warfare'' bundle cost. The standalone version of ''Modern Warfare Remastered'' received criticism for not including the DLC and for its price. Some critics thought the discounted ''Infinite Warfare'' bundle offered more value for money. ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun'' criticized the game's cost and the DLC for being sold separately, and considered the bundle was not worth its price. They noted ''Modern Warfare Remastered''s playerbase had fallen significantly on Steam in prior months, and concluded, "What should've been exciting is mired in irritation." ''Destructoid''s writer also condemned Activision's business practices around ''Modern Warfare Remastered'', voicing their disinterest in buying the standalone after waiting more than half a year for its release. They concluded, "I might've parted with that much money for it last year, but not now. It's too late."


Notes


References


External links

* * {{Call of Duty series
Modern Warfare Remastered ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered'' is a 2016 first-person shooter game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. It is a remastered version of the 2007 game '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'', and was initially rele ...
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