Along with death and taxes, we can always be certain a new Call of Duty game will launch every year — at least for the foreseeable future. The franchise has received annual releases since the launch of Call of Duty 2 in 2005, raking in tons of money for publisher Activision. Unsurprisingly, we’ll get a new Call of Duty game in 2022, and even though it hasn’t been officially unveiled, we do know it’ll be called Modern Warfare II.
That’s right, this game will serve as a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare, continuing the story, time period, and hopefully beloved mechanics from that game. This isn’t a reboot of 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but rather, a brand new game — which can get confusing since the naming scheme is similar.
Below is everything we know about 2022’s Modern Warfare II, including info about its developer, possible release date, and Warzone integration.
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Release date
Although the new Call of Duty game hasn’t been shown in action, we do know it will launch in 2022. Typically, Call of Duty games launch in November, but considering this new entry will be developed by Infinity Ward, it may release in October, just like Modern Warfare did in 2019. It was clear the previous two entries, Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard, weren’t as positively received — especially compared to Modern Warfare — so the team will likely follow in the footsteps of the 2019 game.
#ModernWarfare2 pic.twitter.com/5wgtkph59W
— Infinity Ward (@InfinityWard) April 28, 2022
Our guess is that Modern Warfare II will launch sometime in the fall of 2022. This will be a sequel to the 2019 game, not a remake of the 2009 title of the same name. Since Modern Warfare 2019 was so successful critically and commercially, it’s a no-brainer Activision will want to follow up with a sequel.
On April 28, 2022, Infinity Ward finally announced the game’s name via Twitter, confirming the lengthy list of rumors over the past few months.
Trailer
Since it’s still so early, there isn’t a trailer for Modern Warfare II just yet. Typically, Activision reveals the next COD game in May for release in the fall, but in recent years, the publisher has pushed back the marketing cycle. It wasn’t until August that Call of Duty: Vanguard was officially unveiled, giving only three months of marketing until release. Since Modern Warfare II’s marketing cycle has begun, we’ll likely get our first teaser trailer in the coming months.
Platforms
Many modern games have completely ditched the previous generation of consoles (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One), but don’t expect this to be the case with Modern Warfare II. In looking at previous releases, Activision supported the previous generation for a couple of years after the launch of next-gen consoles. For example, the PS4 and Xbox One launched in 2013, but the Call of Duty series continued on Xbox 360 and PS3 until 2015 with the launch of Black Ops III.
With that in mind, Modern Warfare II will probably be the last COD game to launch for PS4 and Xbox One. It will, of course, be available for current-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X/S systems, along with PC. We don’t expect the game to come to Nintendo Switch, as the series hasn’t been on a Nintendo platform in nearly a decade. Though, if an upgraded Switch launches this fall, it’s possible that trend will change.
The new hardware will hopefully serve the game well since Infinity Ward will be able to push the boundaries of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S systems. It’s worth noting that Modern Warfare II could slightly suffer from launching across multiple generations of consoles, just as Warzone and many other games have before.
It’s also important to note that even though Microsoft will be purchasing Activision, the current COD games in development will still come to PlayStation platforms, at least through 2023. These games were already in development before Microsoft’s acquisition, so the company must honor existing agreements to allow COD to come to PlayStation.
On February 9, 2022, Microsoft explained that many Activision games will still be available beyond “existing agreements.” The company mentioned it’s “interested” in supporting the Nintendo Switch:
“To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision. And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love. We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo’s successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers and for our business.”
So, while the blog post doesn’t specify that COD will remain on PlayStation going forward, the company’s statement leaves us hopeful that the franchise will remain multiplatform.
Gameplay
It’s easy to predict what the gameplay for a Call of Duty game will be like, especially since the forthcoming entry will follow in the footsteps of Modern Warfare 2019. Expect it to run on a similar (if not the same) engine as its predecessor, with many of the same features, such as the gunsmith, the ability to open and close doors, and even the reintroduction of weapons.
The gameplay will be fluid and fast, and will likely mirror Modern Warfare 2019, with a story mode and multiplayer suite to enjoy. In addition to gameplay, this entry will also include a similar battle pass progression system just like the last few COD games.
The campaign will supposedly be centered on Colombian drug cartels and will feature many new features from 2019’s release, according to VGC.
A leaker by the name of @RalphsValve on Twitter shared a lot of information about the upcoming release.
Infinity Ward’s rumoured 2022 title, ‘Modern Warfare II’: Campaign details, Weapon dynamics, Facets of Gore and AI, New ‘Moral System’, SP Systems and more; pic.twitter.com/0oAWEVO9sx
— Ralph (@RalphsValve) October 28, 2021
Most notably, the campaign will feature some sort of morality system, wherein your decisions will impact how the story unfolds. It’s unclear if certain sections will be locked off to specific decisions. Along with this, the leaker notes that realism will be featured prominently, explaining that your character will react to being shot at. Your character will be “visibly shaken up — struggling to insert the magazine, trembling hands” after being attacked by enemies.
It’s also been rumored that Modern Warfare II will tie to a new version of Warzone, which will launch exclusively for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It’s unclear if this is true, but revamping Warzone with another Modern Warfare game makes a lot of sense. We’ve got our fingers crossed for Verdansk’s return.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer is at the heart of the COD experience, and this next installment will be no different. It will follow in the footsteps of Modern Warfare 2019, with various maps, modes, and free post-launch content to enjoy. We hope it includes the popular Gunfight and Ground War modes, which send players to smaller 2v2 or 3v3 maps, along with massive 32v32 player matches, respectively. But we also expect to see new modes, such as Attackers v Defenders, according to leaker @RalphsValve on Twitter.
This mode will apparently resemble Search and Destroy, though with much more of a focus on tactical gameplay like in Rainbow Six Siege.
Ralph says “each player is assigned a role per a general vote, with one nominated Team Leader. Between each passing round, all teams will be given a Debrief period, allowing for roster reform.” Leaker Tom Henderson corroborates this report, stating a developer told him the mode is “not an afterthought.”
Modern Warfare II’s Multiplayer ‘Attackers v. Defenders’ Mode pic.twitter.com/js7nUqv5mU
— Ralph (@RalphsValve) January 2, 2022
Much like Modern Warfare 2019, Modern Warfare II will likely feature many callbacks to an older installment — this time — Modern Warfare 2 (2009). With that in mind, we should expect to see the return of beloved MW2 maps in 2022’s entry, such as Favela, Terminal, High Rise, and Quarry. It’s also possible more maps from the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will be added. We’re hoping to see Overgrown make a return as a playable map.
Rumored Modern Warfare 2 (2022) Maps 👀
• Favela 🌴
• Terminal ✈️
• High Rise 🌇
• Quarry 🚧 pic.twitter.com/cmS32rFgxk— ModernWarzone 2 (@ModernWarzone) January 4, 2022
Along with its standard multiplayer mode, Modern Warfare II will supposedly be the start of Warzone 2, with a rebuilt game for modern hardware. If this is true, Warzone 2 will feature the same weapons, perks, progression, and mechanics from 2022’s game, just as the original Warzone did with Modern Warfare 2019. This hasn’t been confirmed, but several reports have pointed to the existence of COD 2022 marking the start of a new generation of Warzone.
DLC
While it’s highly likely Modern Warfare II will feature DLC, it won’t be executed in the same way many other games handle additional content. Instead, much of the DLC will likely be free, such as maps and weapons, while other cosmetic items like skins and blueprints will be available to purchase or tied to the battle pass. Gone are the days of having to buy a new map pack or weapon set with real cash. However, there may still be some advantages to purchasing the battle pass each season, as you’ll typically gain access to XP tokens, exclusive skins, and even blueprints that immediately unlock a weapon without having to complete certain challenges first.
It’s highly likely new modes and limited-time events will be added post-launch as well, just as the past several COD games have done. These should be free, allowing the entire community to play with one another without paywall-ing certain pieces of content. Typically, DLC is tied to the multiplayer mode, but it would be neat to gain access to additional campaign content after launch — there just isn’t much precedent for this.
Pre-order
Activision has only just started marketing Modern Warfare II, so it’s not available to pre-order just yet. Typically, a game will become available to pre-order alongside its official announcement, which will occur later in 2022. It might be as late as August, judging by the marketing schedule of previous entries, but you will no doubt be able to pre-order at some point. There will also likely be a deluxe edition of some kind that gives players early access to the game, so keep your eyes peeled for that when the game gets revealed. Much like other COD games, it’s possible the reveal will actually take place within Warzone itself.
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