Modern Warfare 2 definitely out this year

By Oli Welsh Published 12 February, 2009

ActiBlizz makes Call of Duty return official.

In a conference call with investors yesterday, Activision Blizzard laid to rest all the un-fevered non-speculation about the latest candidate for worst-kept secret in games. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is indeed real and will be out this year.

"We will release Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 from Infinity Ward," said Activision Publishing boss Mike Griffith. "2009 is going to be a very exciting year for the franchise as we expect this year's launch is likely going to be the most anticipated title of all of 2009."

The cat was let out of the bag last week when a staffer at Infinity Ward - the developer of the original Call of Duty, COD 4: Modern Warfare and all the other good ones - absent-mindedly Twittered about working the game.

Prior to that, an advertising conference late last year had lifted the lid on the game (thanks to Twitter indiscretion, again), as well as much of the rest of Activision's 2009 line-up.

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 7 months ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • crwoody #1 3 years ago

    really looking forward to this, loved the first.
    Plus modern warfare over WWII any day for me.

  • Buztafen #2 3 years ago

    As long as the stories as good as the last one im there....

  • DFawkes #3 3 years ago

    NO! STOP IT WITH THE WRONGNESS! You can't link it it being confirmed 4th December, then in the same article say "The cat was let out of the bag last week"! The 4th of Decmeber isn't last week! Muh!

    Apart from that, this is still news to me it'll be out this year, which is nice.

  • crwoody #4 3 years ago

    I just hope they can change the multiplayer around a little.
    Or add enough to it so it won't feel so stale after the last two games.

  • RedPanda #5 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • ComradePete #6 3 years ago

    No, please no cover system!

  • joff #7 3 years ago

    Sentry guns and invisibility cloak for me pls. Thx.

  • Whatsfor #8 3 years ago

    Cover systems slow down the game play too much, crouch behind an object if you need cover!

  • Dave52 #9 3 years ago

    I've been playing COD4 all week, I got a little bored of WW2 and got all excited about modern combat shooters thanks to the KZ2 demo. COD4 online is still awesome (I'm a Sabotage man myself). Can't wait for this - top of the Christmas list already...

  • riz23 #10 3 years ago

    Giant Robots and Japanese Schoolgirls is what this franchise needs.

  • Rodchenko #11 3 years ago

    Finally got around to play the first one and frankly don't understand all the hype it got.

  • ruttyboy #12 3 years ago

    Cover systems are ruining gaming.

    Also Infinity Ward should do the next EDF game.

    EDF! EDF! EDF!

  • IneptPercy #13 3 years ago

    Is it just me who see's these games for the shovelware they are? Seems all the chavs have converted from need for speed to call of duty.

  • Fab4 #14 3 years ago

    Lose the fucking perks!!

  • metalangel #15 3 years ago

    The worst kept secret that everyone else has known for weeks, and that took you lot completely by surprise the second time you reported it? *chuckles*

  • UltimateWarrior #16 3 years ago

    Inept Percy - You make your comment as if you're some kind of genius who has never thought of this before. We all know that COD is a cash cow for Activision. But you know what, a lot of the time the best selling things are the best selling things because they are genuinely good. Get off your high horse and actually play COD4 and you'll see whay it's so popular. I'm guesing you're the type of person who likes bands until everyone else starts to notice them and then all of a sudden they're shit.

  • Whatsfor #17 3 years ago

    I agree with UltimateWarrior. Too many elitest gamers think they are above cod4 when it is a good game. The SP was short but gripping and the MP is almost indefinate and gripping. I am by no means an FPS fan either, actually cod4/cod5 are the only FPS games I own. Team Tactical is where its at though, a mix of all game modes and generally the 3v3 is team vs team so you all play with a more skilled approach, knowing what your team mates will be doing etc.

  • makeamazing #18 3 years ago

    As long as the writer of the game doesnt steal lots of film quotes again..!!!

  • DrDamn #19 3 years ago

    @Farticus
    "Some destructability would be nice, but please don't sacrifice the 60fps, it makes other shooters look decidedly clunky in comparison."

    I think it's because they limit this sort of thing - along with AI and physics - that they maintain the 60fps. So yes keep it limited, stay with 60fps and I'll get my AI and Physics kicks elsewhere.

    Though surely if there is no co-op campaign you won't be buying? ;)

  • bonker #20 3 years ago

    "More respawning enemies and COD2 re skinned....whoopee. "

    I wish it was COD2 reskinned :(

    COD2 is still this gen's single player game highlight IMO ...

  • bodypopper #21 3 years ago

    Aliens and Colonial Marines please ;-)

  • DrDamn #22 3 years ago

    @Farticus
    I never finished the CoD2 or CoD3 campaigns - not sure why I bothered to do CoD4 to be honest with the nasty respawn mechanic. There were a couple of nice / interesting levels and I liked the weapon set. I think Infinity Ward tend to hide the mechanics a little better than Treyarch.

  • Bursiene #23 3 years ago

    Hopefully this time they will bring out more than one map pack

  • paulf #24 3 years ago

    i wlll agree with the criticisms of cod4 story mode being too short and respawning enemies being a pain, but the story forgettable ? It has one of the most memorable and wtf scenes in any game ive played (I don't wanna mention which but anyone who has played it who will know)

    however that said I would buy it just for the multiplayer alone - my most played game of all time (apart from wow)

  • paulf #25 3 years ago

    yes that was the point i was thinking of, the intro is pretty good too being the point of view of a guy on his way to be executed, I thought that set the scene very well, I think the characters are above your average computer game fare as well - my only real niggle with the game as I said before is the respawning enemies - I'm really looking forward to the sequel

  • ronuds #26 3 years ago

    COD4 had a story? Oh yeah, terrorists or some shit. Never seen that done before! :p

    I'm in agreement with the respawn crap. Started noticing it big time in COD3 and it's gotten worse in every iteration since. I don't know if I'd both with another SP campaign set up like that. It almost makes playing pointless.

  • paulf #27 3 years ago

    you could argue that all stories have been told before - its the way that you tell em that makes the difference and I think cod4 tells it's story with enough style and point of view to raise it's self above the norm. Its a rare beast a game that is really good that has also sold a shed load and respect to that

  • ronuds #28 3 years ago

    I don't really have a problem with the story, but I'll admit that I didn't think it was very memorable. It wasn't horrible by any stretch of the imagination, though.

    Kinda like a movie that you have fun watching, but never feel the need to see again.

  • IneptPercy #29 3 years ago

    I can confirm I do own call of duty 2,3 and 4.

    2 was amazing at the time, got it with my 360 and loved it, soon got bored on 3 as it was just more of the same and gave up. I only got the forth as I thought the modern warfare bit might add something back to it. I eventually turned it off before completion.

    I am not going to say they are bad games, its just they sell more than they should while other better games don't get the attention they deserve as everybody is playing this shovelware.

    Its nothing to do with disliking something because its popular, its disliking something which keeps getting milked and isn't actually getting any better for it.

  • ronuds #30 3 years ago

    @ Inept

    Whether you like COD or not, how can you say with a straight face that they haven't changed at all? COD4 was almost nothing like the other 3.

    And they are in no way shovelware. Compare COD to 99% of shooters out there and I don't see how you can say it's worse. That's not to say it's the best, but it's certainly at the top for quality.
    Edited by 3 at 12/02/09 @ 17:04

  • Rodchenko #31 3 years ago

    COD4 was almost nothing like the other 3.

    Excuse me? Yes, instead of Nazis we had Arabs and Russians to pound... Other than that: Shoot 20 people. Advance to trigger script that spawns another 20 people. Shoot them. Advance. Rinse repeat. Add a timed mission, a defend position mission, a vehicle mission and the CoD recipe is complete. Now make a shitload of money.

  • IneptPercy #32 3 years ago

    Just what I was thinking, I do believe that my opinion is partly down to I am not a huge lover of FPS games, I like the occasional one so I have to be more selective when I do play one, crysis warhead is the winner for me.

    Its all subjective, if people enjoy it then let them enjoy it, I just won't be joining them.

  • DrDamn #33 3 years ago

    @Farticus
    It's not just about sacrificing shiny pixels though is it? It's physics and AI too - 2 of CoD4's weakest points.

  • LordGamma19K #34 3 years ago

    This is good news, but I'm more of a Rainbow 6 type when it comes to FPS.

  • codnation #35 2 years ago

    november 10th! :D

    Discuss MW2 over on the modern warfare 2 forums at http://www.codnation.net

  • james-mw3-mw3 #36 7 months ago

    To promote Modern Warfare 3, Activision will be holding a two day event called Call of Duty: Experience! The official Call of Duty: MW3 site was launched on May 18. It currently has an interactive map that was seen in the MW3 teaser trailers. I'm sure we will see the perks soon.