Even before the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard, rumors about 2022’s installment had already been circulating. Nearly six months later, Activision confirmed that this year’s entry will indeed be titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare. While the marketing cycle for this upcoming game has only just started, there’s quite a bit we know about it—from its release window, developer, setting, and even potential details about its multiplayer game modes. Here’s what you need to know about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022).
When is the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II release window?
Activision has yet to confirm the exact release date for Modern Warfare II this year, but given the series’ history, it’s highly likely it will launch in the fall. Most Call of Duty games have launched in November, but 2019’s Modern Warfare mixed things up and was released in October.
Considering the success of that game, and the fact that Modern Warfare II is being developed by the same team, it’s possible this year’s installment will mirror the launch rollout of Modern Warfare.
We’ll likely find out more about the upcoming game’s release date in the summer.
Is there a Modern Warfare II trailer?
There actually is a teaser trailer, which was released on April 29, 2022. It doesn’t show much of anything aside from the game’s name and a logo, but it’s nonetheless exciting. Check it out above!
What are the Modern Warfare II rumors?
In 2021, insider Tom Henderson accurately revealed on Twitter that Call of Duty 2022 will, in fact, be a sequel to Modern Warfare. Henderson has accurately leaked Call of Duty information before, such as news of Warzone’s sophisticated anti-cheat system, which Activision announced alongside the reveal of Vanguard.
What’s fascinating is that Henderson said Call of Duty 2022 is codenamed “Project Cortez,” and as Video Games Chronicle reports, the game’s story will cover a war against the Columbian drug cartel. This has yet to be confirmed, but given Henderson’s track record (along with that of VGC), we’re inclined to believe this report.
A leaked list of games for Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service includes an entry for a “Project Cortez,” with Activision listed as publisher, along with a familiar developer.
One thing that is certain is that Modern Warfare II will feature a single-player campaign mode, along with a multiplayer component. Aside from that, a long-rumored third pillar called “DMZ” has been in development since 2018. According to leaker RalphsValve on Twitter, DMZ is said to be an open-world mode with “procedurally generated” occurrences, missions, AI, and different weather effects. It’s unclear if this will be a multiplayer offering or something else entirely, but it seems like it will be one of the main pillars of the game.
Tom Henderson also corroborated this leak, though he questions how it will turn out, based on the current QA issues plaguing Activision.
Given that Warzone is already a competitive, open-world mode, DMZ will have to differentiate itself in a major way so as to not cannibalize the popular battle royale game.
Who is the Modern Warfare II developer?
Activision confirmed that Modern Warfare II is being developed by longtime COD studio, Infinity Ward. This is the team that worked on countless popular installments in the series including the original Call of Duty, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, its sequel Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and 2019’s Modern Warfare. Confusing naming scheme aside, the developer has a rich history and has worked on some of the best games in the series.
What are the Modern Warfare II multiplayer maps?
Modern Warfare II will likely feature the return of some classic maps. Much like the way Modern Warfare reintroduced old Call of Duty 4 maps, the next installment will probably bring back fan-favorites from Modern Warfare 2.
As relayed by ModernWarzone on Twitter, we could see Favela, Terminal, High Rise, and Quarry make a return in this year’s entry. Of course, none of this has been confirmed, but it certainly makes sense.
How will Modern Warfare II impact Warzone?
Earlier in 2022, Activision confirmed that Modern Warfare II will tie to the “new Warzone experience.” While this is exciting, there are some concerns about how the integration will work. Seemingly, each new mainline entry going forward will be integrated into the battle royale, just like Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War, and Vanguard. Will this process continue with the new version of Warzone?
It was also revealed that “a new engine powers both the new Call of Duty game release and Warzone,” which is a welcome change, considering the current version of Warzone feels like it’s held together with duct tape.
If you look back to the start of Warzone in 2020, you’ll recall that Modern Warfare had been thriving for a few months ahead of the battle royale’s release. Modern Warfare launched in fall 2019, and Warzone came out in March 2020. So, it stands to reason that Modern Warfare II and the new Warzone experience will share a similar launch schedule—coming out a few months apart from one another.
What we do know is that the new Warzone experience will serve as a fresh start, integrating the weapons, perks, mechanics, and progression from Modern Warfare II. The current version of Warzone has been known to double up on weapons from multiple games, which can be confusing, and overwhelming, especially to a new player, so it will be nice to start the new game with a clean slate.
It’s clear based on the reception to Vanguard and the 2021 integration, that fans are eager to return back to a modern setting in Warzone, which could possibly see the return of Verdansk. This will no doubt bring some players back, but the integration will need to be handled much more carefully than last time, as it was overrun with a number of bugs that pushed a lot of gamers away.
