Infinity Ward recently revealed a whole bunch of new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 information, ranging from sneak peeks at new maps and an overview of the game's new Gunsmith 2.0 system to the game's brand-new movement mechanics. On top of that, Infinity Ward also just announced a slew of game modes that will be available on Modern Warfare 2's launch. Along with classics like TDM and Search of Destroy, new modes like Invasion and Prisoner Rescue are being added to the mix. But for long-time fans of Call of Duty, the newly announced Spec Ops mode is likely to be the biggest stand out.
A mode that's been part of Call of Duty history for nearly two decades, Spec Ops often tasks two or more players with achieving a specific objective, often inspired by the respective game's campaign. 2019's Modern Warfare's Spec Ops mode was heavily criticized on launch, with its objectives being lackluster and its difficulty being oddly unfair. But it seems as though Infinity Ward has taken all of that criticism on board, as Call of Duty: modern Warfare 2's Spec Ops mode sounds like a true return to form.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Is Bringing Back Spec Ops In a Big Way
During the recent Call of Duty Next event, Infinity Ward confirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 would be getting a dedicated Spec Ops mode. Following the announcement, a few of the game's devs briefly spoke about the mode, offering up a few little crumbs of information on what fans should expect from Spec Ops' long-awaited return. Infinity Ward confirmed that this Spec Ops mode will be following in the footsteps of its predecessors very closely, pairing the mode back down to just two players. Hopefully, this means that Modern Warfare 2's Spec Ops missions are a little more focused than those in the previous 2019 game.
Infinity Ward also stated that most of Modern Warfare 2's Spec Ops maps will follow an asymmetric structure, where each of the two players have separate goals from one another. The example the devs gave during the event was Modern Warfare 2 2009's Overwatch Spec Ops mission, where one player made their way through a farmland filled with enemies while the other covered them from the air in an AC-130 gunship. Some of the most memorable and most beloved Call of Duty Spec Ops missions have followed this asymmetrical structure, as it often leads to some of the most unique gameplay opportunities in the entire series.
Another fan-favorite Spec Ops mission in the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Big Brother, shares a similar structure to Overwatch. Rather than being holed up in an AC-130, one player is sat behind the controls of a Vulcan machine gun on the side of a Blackhawk helicopter. It's their job to cover the other player, who's tasked with making it to the roof of a fast food diner for an evac. Giving players two completely different ways to experience a level gives it an element of replayability not often found in even the best Call of Duty campaign stages, and makes for some truly breathtaking, cinematic multiplayer moments. These moments are what Call of Duty is known for, after all, so crafting a mode that focuses closely on them sounds like a step in the right direction.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launches on October 28 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.