Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 officially revealed — what you need to know

Update: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is here, and it packs one of the best multiplayer suites in franchise history. But the campaign and co-op modes aren't quite up to par. 

Developer Infinity Ward has confirmed that the next game in the Call of Duty franchise will officially be called Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. 

We’ve known for a couple of months that this year's entry in the annual shooter series would be a sequel to 2019’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare, which was itself a reimagining of 2007’s Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. However, until now we didn’t technically know what this sequel would be called, but now we do. The game will be officially called Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. No prizes for guessing that one. 

Little else is known about Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, although we can safely presume it will combine a cinematic campaign with the franchise's expected suite of multiplayer modes. Heavy integration with free-to-play battle royale title Call of Duty Warzone is also highly likely. As with last year’s Call of Duty Vanguard, expect a new Warzone map to debut alongside Modern Warfare 2. 

According to VGC, Modern Warfare 2’s single-player offering will center on a drug war against the Columbian cartel. The campaign will reportedly include “close-quarters combat, tricky decision making, and the classic Call of Duty set-piece moments fans have come to expect.” It also looks like a near certainty that fan-favorite character Ghost will make a return, as he’s already been teased on social media.

Of course, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is a name that will be familiar to many as a previous game in the franchise released under that exact title in 2009. While using the same name has led to some speculation that Call of Duty 2022 will be a remake of that 14-year-old classic, Activision has confirmed that this year’s Modern Warfare 2 is an original title. It just shares the same name as arguably the most beloved game in the franchise, which will surely cause at least some confusion down the line. 

Exactly when Modern Warfare 2 will launch is currently unknown. Historically the franchise has released in November, with a few games coming in late October. However, Call of Duty games are not normally confirmed this early in the year, so perhaps Modern Warfare 2 is set to release ahead of schedule. 

Another explanation for this early reveal could be the underperformance of last year’s Call of Duty Vanguard. While the game was still one of the top sellers of 2021, it doesn’t appear to have held player interest for very long. Activision may be revealing Modern Warfare 2 now to get players excited about the franchise again and start building hype ahead of its launch.