Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 seems poised to succeed, as it is making good on Modern Warfare 2019’s promise to let players control Task Force 141. The legendary group from the original Modern Warfare trilogy will feature key members like Ghost and Soap MacTavish, with Gaz also being present in the faction. As expected, Captain Price will serve as Task Force 141’s leader.
While featuring such an iconic lineup of characters is exciting, a longer campaign that gives each of them time to shine would be ideal. Unfortunately, campaigns have become increasingly brief in recent Call of Duty games, with the 6-and-a-half-hour runtime seen in the golden era CoD games dropping down to about 5 hours. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, though, Infinity Ward should aim to return to a campaign length resembling the older games.
Call of Duty’s Recent Campaign Lengths
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 delivered a solid campaign, though it was brief. While it featured some exciting missions and the globetrotting antics Modern Warfare is known for, players could get through it very quickly. The campaign’s runtime was around 5 hours, and while characters like Farah were interesting, it would have been nice to spend more time with them.
While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s side missions made the campaign a bit longer, and being able to make choices in certain missions added replayability, its six-hour runtime was not copied by Call of Duty: Vanguard. With Call of Duty: Vanguard having four characters, an extra hour and a half could have resulted in one more mission for each member of the original special forces team, but unfortunately that did not happen. Ultimately, these shorter runtimes are likely a sign of gamers growing less interested in campaigns, as multiplayer has been the main draw of Call of Duty for over a decade. While putting more time and resources into the online modes makes sense because of this, it would still be nice to see longer story modes again.
Juggling all of Task Force 141’s Members Will Take Time
It is important to remember that two of Task Force 141’s members, Ghost and Price, have not been properly introduced to gamers in the new Modern Warfare timeline. While Ghost appeared in Modern Warfare’s post-launch Warzone story, and Soap spoke over the radio to Price in the final scene, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be the first time that these new versions of the characters play a significant role. As such, both should get some standout missions that deliver memorable moments, and being able to play as each of them again would be thrilling.
Alongside juggling the official introductions of Soap and Ghost, as well as existing heroes like Gaz and Captain Price, Modern Warfare 2 is introducing a new character to the mix. Colonel Alejandro Vargas is the only brand-new member of Task Force 141, and to make him a strong character, he will need to be a large focus of the plot. Fans know nothing about him since he did not appear in the original trilogy, but it is hard to imagine him getting the development that he needs in a five-hour campaign. If he did, it would mean that figures like Soap and Ghost could be stuck in minor support roles.
Given the community’s enduring love for Soap and Ghost’s major presence in the MW2 marketing, it would be a poor idea to leave either character with little to do. At the same time, Vargas could feel like a pointless addition to the team if he lacks an intriguing story of his own, so a six-and-a-half-hour campaign like the original Modern Warfare 2 would be ideal. A lot could be done with that extra hour and a half when it comes to character development, and with that additional time, fans could also enjoy more of the series’ high-octane action and unforgettable set pieces.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launches on October 28 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.