Ever since 2007, fans have been enthralled by Infinity Ward’s direction for Call of Duty. They established a brand-new series in the iconic first-person shooter franchise with Modern Warfare, and have since completed a trilogy and a reboot, with Modern Warfare 2 (2022) ready to place a great campaign experience into the hands of gamers.
Considering the original Modern Warfare 2 was released in 2009, Infinity Ward has had plenty of time to discover where the reboot goes. As such, there are plenty of Easter Eggs throughout Modern Warfare 2’s thrilling campaign that will be recognizable by fans of the franchise, both old and new.
1 Classic Ghost Mask
When Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare series was rebooted, many were ecstatic to see the return of the mysterious character Ghost. This special forces operator is famed for his iconic skull mask and his hidden face. Whatever lurks beneath is a mystery, which adds to the fan intrigue behind his character.
The reboot for Modern Warfare saw Ghost wearing a new mask, but in 2022’s Modern Warfare 2, Ghost sports the iconic balaclava with the painted-on ghost print that was seen in his original appearance. It’s an iconic look for one of Call of Duty’s most iconic characters.
2 No Russian
At the end of the game, players may think that once again they have saved the day. However, a familiar and unsettling cutscene plays one that entails the two words that shocked the world all those years ago. “No Russian.” These were the words uttered by Modern Warfare’s central villain Makarov right before gunning down an airport.
The mission was horrific and graphic, with controversy bound to it to this day for its shooting of innocent lives, even in a video game format. Now, the reboot of Modern Warfare 2 features those two words again, but this time with plastic guns on a commercial flight.
3 Task Force 141
The sequel to Modern Warfare sees the formation of Task Force 141, the acclaimed division of the best soldiers that the western world had to offer. Such members consisted of Ghost, Price, and Soap. The multinational special operations unit sees its debut with new and returning members in Modern Warfare 2, such as Gaz and Soap.
It’s always good to see returning characters, and the debut of Task Force 141 ensures that this reboot is going down a faithful yet tragic direction, for fans of the original Modern Warfare games knows what awaits this task force and its beloved members and features.
4 Pilot Nikolai
Despite an untrustworthy background, Nikolai is a great ally to Captain Price and his task force. Nikolai loves his country as much as he loves weaponry, and was introduced in 2019’s Modern Warfare campaign. This character was an ally to Price and Garrick and even helped out in the Verdansk incident.
Fans of his character will be joyous to see his return, as Nikolai helps Price rescue Laswell. He is a competent pilot and flies a helicopter for his allies, no matter the risk that he may be taking. Seeing his character again is a delight for his cheer.
5 Makarov Name Drop
As a franchise, Call of Duty has had some great villains, but perhaps none are as cunning and ruthless as Vladimir Makarov. This character spells destruction for the western world, and death follows his path, especially the characters that gamers have loved from the Modern Warfare franchise. At the end of the game, Price mentions his name directly, an ominous warning of where Modern Warfare 3 will go.
As the main antagonist to the Modern Warfare franchise, fans are eager to see how Makarov is depicted in the reboot, as he was only mentioned and seen on a phone screen, rather than his face and actions. His intellect and lack of empathy will rock the world once again.
6 Farah’s Return
One of the more recent additions to Call of Duty is the character of Farah Karim. She’s one of the playable protagonists of Modern Warfare, and one of the first female protagonists of the franchise. She’s a great character that is loyal to her cause and has been through much trauma and suffering in her youth.
To see Farah return after the end of Modern Warfare is great for fans, as she’s a character with the depth and storytelling power that modern Call of Duty games need. She rocks out on her motorcycle, with a new and mysterious look to boot.
7 Sheperd’s Betrayal
When fans completed the reboot for Modern Warfare, the name drop of Sheperd was alarming. Everyone who has played the original Modern Warfare 2 knows that Sheperd betrays Task Force 141, and is the entire reason that Ghost is dead. The iconic and well-deserved knife throw into his left eye still wins fans over to this day, and the character returns in Modern Warfare 2 with a new look.
Like the classic Sheperd, this one also betrays the team. It’s a fun Call of Duty Easter Egg that follows the path of the original games, but at the same time remains fresh for his different method of betrayal. With subtitles on, players will see his name change from a friendly blue to a red, indicating that he is now an enemy.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.