With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 being a critical and commercial success, a sequel seems like a guarantee. The sequel put a more realistic spin on the subseries, taking it back to its Call of Duty 4 roots. This proved to work well with fans, and while not everyone enjoyed the slower and more tactical multiplayer style, it still performed well with a good chunk of the player base. As such, Infinity Ward continuing the series in 2022 seems like a no-brainer.
On top of making sense due to the original game’s success, Infinity Ward has already set the stage for a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare sequel. The first game’s campaign features some big teasers for what is next, confirming which protagonists will take on some bigger roles in the sequel. With two possible villains teased as well, the next game’s story could go in some different directions, giving Call of Duty fans some idea of what to expect next year.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Task Force 141 Teasers
The most obvious teaser comes at the very end of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare campaign. Following his successes in the story, CIA agent Kate Laswell sits down with Captain Price in the hopes that he will assist her with further missions. He agrees under the condition that he can build up his own team of operatives, and while Laswell is initially against the idea, she gives in. Price then lists the names he wants in his group, and fans get a clear idea as to what the new Task Force 141 will look like.
For starters, he reveals that Kyle Garrick will go by Gaz. A character from the old Modern Warfare games, players essentially see the backstory for this new version of Gaz, giving him a more important role in the plot. As such, Gaz will likely be seen a lot in the sequel. Price also mentions Ghost, the popular masked character from the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. While he will have a new voice actor following the firing of Jeff Leach, it can be expected that Simon Riley will wear his trademark mask in the sequel’s campaign.
The final member Captain Price mentions is none other than Soap MacTavish, with the popular protagonist being integral to the original Modern Warfare trilogy. His voice can be heard in a Call of Duty: Warzone cutscene, confirming that he will keep his Scottish accent and have his original voice actor. His trademark mohawk and close bond with Price can also be expected to carry over to this new timeline. Price could add other members as well, with Alex being a major possibility. Confirmed to survive due to his appearance as an Operator in the 2019 game, he now wears a prosthetic leg. Farah is also a possible member, while Nikolai will likely assist Task Force 141 outside of an official role.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Shepherd And Makarov Teasers
While the highlight of the next Modern Warfare game will undoubtedly be seeing Task Force 141 working together, they need a reason to be going on their undercover missions. Fortunately, they have two possible motivators, as the series’ most iconic villains have already been referenced in the reboot. The first is the despised General Shepherd, with the turncoat responsible for one of the most iconic twists in the Call of Duty games.
Second only to the Reznov twist in Black Ops 1, Shepherd’s surprise betrayal has stuck with gamers. Despite happening over ten years ago, nobody who played the campaign can forget how Shepherd gunned down Roach and Ghost in cold blood. Unfortunately, history may be doomed to repeat itself in the reboot’s next campaign, as Shepherd has been name-dropped already.
Mentioned by Kate Laswell at the end of the campaign, the cruel general could have a big role to play in the sequel. However, it is unclear if Shepherd will have the same kind of role, as a reboot allows Infinity Ward to do something fresh. Regardless, he could be a big motivator for Task Force 141 in the next game.
Secondly, there is Vladimir Makarov, the main antagonist of the original Modern Warfare games. While he has not been officially confirmed to exist in the new universe, there is reason to believe he was behind the Piccadilly terrorist attack at the start of the 2019 campaign. In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a newspaper clipping can be found in “Loose Ends,” the mission where Shepherd betrays Task Force 141.
In the article, the exact same attack that features in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 is described. As such, with the attack itself being seen, it can be assumed that the same person is behind the events at Piccadilly. While this would be a deep cut on the part of Infinity Ward, it would also serve as a great way to quietly set up the main antagonist of Modern Warfare.
Where Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s Story Could Be Going
Based on these two plot points, there are a few clear possibilities for this Call of Duty sequel. One is that Infinity Ward tries to recreate the second game’s main story beats through different missions. Given the popularity of the 2009 game’s campaign, this would hardly be a bad thing. Players could see something like No Russian happen again, setting up Makarov as the main threat for the next game, while Shepherd is the villain for the second. The same twist could be seen, with Shepherd gunning down Ghost, Gaz, or another Task Force 141 member in cold blood. At the same time, this would be predictable, making the second option more likely.
As shown with Gaz in the 2019 campaign, Infinity Ward is doing new things with its cast of characters. As such, it is possible that Shepherd gets the same treatment. Infinity Ward can tease several villain turns only to have him remain an ally, subverting expectations in a major way. Makarov could then serve as the main villain of the next game, or he could continue to be built up in the background while Task Force 141 focuses on taking out a brand-new foe. Given how different in tone Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is from the original trilogy, Infinity Ward doing something new with its cast of characters would make sense.
Regardless of whether the sequel re-imagines a classic story or forges its own path, there are reasons to be excited about the next game. Fan favorite characters are confirmed, and while their arcs are unknown, seeing the likes of Soap and Shepherd again will be a lot of fun for longtime Call of Duty fans. With a potential looming threat in Makarov as well, the future is bright for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare franchise. As such, when the sequel does finally come, fans can expect some of these lingering plot threads to be addressed.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.