The original Call of Duty: Warzone is coming to an end, as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 are right around the corner. Activision and Raven Software are clearly hoping to go out with a bang, and for better or worse, the final Season is one of the most memorable yet. Not only is an energy rifle from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare coming to the game, but several villains from other universes and timelines are joining the roster of Operators.
While Raul Menendez may be stealing the spotlight due to his popularity, Rorke is a memorable and surprising addition. Following the divisive reception to Call of Duty: Ghosts back in 2013, Infinity Ward and Activision have rarely referenced the game or its universe, with the only acknowledgements coming through an Infinite Warfare Zombies map and some Vanguard cosmetics. Though Ghosts fans may be happy to finally see the series get some love through Rorke’s surprise appearance, his Call of Duty: Warzone debut doubles as a reminder that Ghosts’ cliffhanger remains unresolved.
Call of Duty: Ghosts’ Odd Legacy
To be fair, Call of Duty: Ghosts was a flawed game, providing a reasonable enough explanation for why it never received a sequel. Multiplayer’s Field Orders were unbalanced, maps were confusingly large, and odd decisions with killstreaks like the SAT COM left fans annoyed. A bland color palette and distinct lack of personality did not help matters, with many fans quickly sharing that they missed the glory days of the Modern Warfare franchise.
Despite these problems, Call of Duty: Ghosts had its fans. Alongside love for the underrated Extinction mode and appreciation for weapons like the Honey Badger, the campaign plays a key role in this cult classic status. Some rocky performances aside, the characters and the concept of the Ghosts interested fans, with the dog companion Riley unsurprisingly being a hit. Rorke was a strong villain, too, and his story singlehandedly elevated the campaign.
Left behind by his comrades, the former leader of the Ghosts was tortured and brainwashed. Using this abandonment as a motivator, Rorke begins hunting down and killing members of the Ghosts. At the end of the campaign, he is seemingly killed himself, with Rorke shot point-blank in the chest by the game’s protagonist Logan. However, he somehow survives being shot, dragging Logan away from his brother Hesh so that he can be tortured in the same way Rorke was - leading to the creation of another Ghost Killer.
What makes this ending so odd, aside from Rorke surviving the gunshot and leaving Hesh alive, is that it is one of the only entries in the series to end on a cliffhanger. Perhaps Activision, as well as Infinity Ward and the other Call of Duty developers, learned from Call of Duty: Ghosts, as this cliffhanger all-but-guaranteed a follow-up story that never came. With other one-and-done Call of Duty games like Advanced Warfare, Infinite Warfare, WW2, and Vanguard, the stories were wrapped up nicely by the time the credits rolled. As such, the frustration around Ghosts and its ending is not present within those games' fan bases.
Bringing back Rorke for Call of Duty: Warzone’s final Season is not only strange from a narrative perspective, but it is odd to see Call of Duty: Ghosts honored after it has been ignored for so long. Having Rorke randomly appear in Warzone when his own story remains unfinished is certainly unexpected, and it could once again spark discussions about Call of Duty: Ghosts 2. However, a sequel happening is highly unlikely, so all Rorke’s cameo will likely do is remind Ghosts fans of what could have been.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.