Expectations are high for Call 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 classic maps like Highrise and weapons like the Intervention seems like a recipe for success.
However, one of the only areas where Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 could 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 seen Call of Duty: Warzone’s graphics getting very dated in a short period of time. With games like Gotham Knights scrapping their last-gen releases far into development, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 should do the same, allowing the best possible version of the game to be released.
Getting The Ball Rolling on Current-Gen Call of Duty Games
With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019, Infinity Ward introduced an updated version of its engine, with IW8 delivering a gorgeous game that was a massive step-up graphically from Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. This same engine allowed Call of Duty: Vanguard to shine from a visual standpoint, and it will surely help Modern Warfare 2 look 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 the reveal trailer for Modern Warfare 2 and its campaign demo look solid, they are also very comparable to the original Modern Warfare in terms of their visuals. The character models, in particular, feel a lot less cutting edge than those seen in fully current-gen games like The 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 latest Modern Warfare game 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 around Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s last-gen release. Unlike most cross-gen titles, including Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard, Modern Warfare 2 will 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 that Treyarch’s next Call of Duty game will only be available on the newest gaming platforms, meaning that Modern Warfare 2 could serve as the series’ last cross-gen release for a while. Unfortunately, a precedent has already been set for the final cross-gen Call of Duty game of a generation being deeply flawed, as it takes one look at Black Ops 3 on last-gen systems to be concerned.
While the PS4 and Xbox One version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 was 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 if Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s PS4 and Xbox One versions will be comparable to this version of Black Ops 3, it is hard not to worry about history repeating itself. After all, this will be the third cross-gen Call of Duty game in 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 as Black Ops 3 did, Activision avoiding last-gen releases completely would be ideal.
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 the Call of Duty fan base to 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 for Call of Duty are a must until current-gen consoles become more widely available.
With this in mind, a Black Ops 3 situation 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 with Modern Warfare 2 due to the amount of fans stuck on last-gen platforms, so it is important that the PS4 and Xbox One versions of MW2 are 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 the next premium Call of Duty game supposedly delayed until 2024, it makes sense that it would be the first fully current-gen Call of Duty game 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 2 launches on October 28 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.