Expectations are high forCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, as it serves as a follow-up to 2019’s hugely successful reboot of the subseries. Based on what has been revealed, teased, and leaked for the game thus far, it seems poised to deliver. After all, a campaign featuring the return of Task Force 141 and a multiplayer offering that brings back classicmaps like Highriseand weapons like the Intervention seems like a recipe for success.
However, one of the only areas whereCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2could be lacking a bit is in the graphics department. It is no secret that last-gen consoles hold back games from reaching their full potential visually, something that has seenCall of Duty: Warzone’s graphics getting very dated in a short period of time. With games likeGotham Knightsscrapping their last-gen releases far into development,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2should do the same, allowing the best possible version of the game to be released.
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Getting The Ball Rolling on Current-Gen Call of Duty Games
WithCall of Duty: Modern Warfare2019,Infinity Wardintroduced an updated version of its engine, with IW8 delivering a gorgeous game that was a massive step-up graphically fromCall of Duty: Black Ops 4. This same engine allowedCall of Duty: Vanguardto shine from a visual standpoint, and it will surely helpModern Warfare 2look great - though it is hard not to think about how bigger the graphical leap would be if last-gen consoles were left out of the equation.
While thereveal trailer forModern Warfare 2and its campaign demo look solid, they are also very comparable to the originalModern Warfarein terms of their visuals. The character models, in particular, feel a lot less cutting edge than those seen in fully current-gen games likeThe Last of Us Part 1. While good-but-not great graphics are hardly a dealbreaker, and many will not even be bothered by how the game looks, it is worth noting that the latestModern Warfaregame is not as much of a visual leap forward as its predecessor.
Focusing fully on PS5 and Xbox Series X would also eliminate the controversy aroundCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s last-gen release. Unlike most cross-gen titles, includingBlack Ops Cold WarandVanguard,Modern Warfare 2will ask PS4 and Xbox One users to pay $70 for the game. This is a $10 increase over the usual PS4 and Xbox One game prices, which has understandably upset fans. While $70 is the standard price for games on the newest consoles, charging this much for a version of the game with slower load times and worse visuals is odd.
Avoiding a Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Scenario
It can be assumed thatTreyarch’s nextCall of Dutygamewill only be available on the newest gaming platforms, meaning thatModern Warfare 2could serve as the series’ last cross-gen release for a while. Unfortunately, a precedent has already been set for the final cross-genCall of Dutygame of a generation being deeply flawed, as it takes one look atBlack Ops 3on last-gen systems to be concerned.
While the PS4 and Xbox One version ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 3was stellar, featuring the smoothest movement of the exo era and the most beloved Zombies mode ever, the PS3 and Xbox 360 version was the complete opposite. Developed by Beenox instead of Treyarch, the game was far clunkier and boasted some truly ugly visuals. Weapons lacked textures, bugs were prevalent, and the game had a significant lack of color. With memes like Last-gen Richtofen spawning from this messy port, it has gone down in infamy.
While there is no telling ifCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s PS4 and Xbox One versions will be comparable to this version ofBlack Ops 3, it is hard not to worry about history repeating itself. After all, this will be the thirdcross-genCall of Dutygamein the past few years, with the old hardware only becoming more dated with time. Though systems like the PS4 Pro could help deliver a slightly faster and more visually impressive experience, those with the original PS4 could be in for a rough ride. If the versions of the game released on older consoles end up struggling even close to as much asBlack Ops 3did, Activision avoiding last-gen releases completely would be ideal.
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Why a Last-Gen Release For Modern Warfare 2 is Still Happening
While there are legitimate reasons to want the last-gen version of the game to be canceled, the reality is that this would be a poor business move on Activision’s end. With the global chip shortage making it difficult to secure a PS5 or Xbox Series X, many players are stuck on last-gen consoles. Forcing this large portion of theCall of Dutyfan baseto sit out the latest release in the series would not be ideal, as the franchise has always aimed to have the largest possible audience. As such, last-gen releases forCall of Dutyare a must until current-gen consoles become more widely available.
With this in mind, aBlack Ops 3situation will likely be avoided. When that game released, few fans were still playing on PS3 and Xbox 360 since the new consoles were widely available, so the port was more forgotten than controversial. That would not be the case withModern Warfare 2due to the amount of fans stuck on last-gen platforms, so it is important that the PS4 and Xbox Oneversions ofMW2are as close to the newer versions of the game as possible. While longer load times and less impressive visuals are guaranteed, everything else about the games could and should be comparable.
With thenext premiumCall of Dutygame supposedly delayed until 2024, it makes sense that it would be the first fully current-genCall of Dutygame for the PS5 and Xbox Series X generation. Not only will it be more necessary to leave the older consoles behind at that point, but the newer platforms will likely be widely available in a few years’ time. Though it would be nice to see PS4 and Xbox releases scrapped, as it would allow for a more visually impressive game, there is a good reason why it will almost certainly not be happening.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2launches on October 28 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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