Modern Warfare 2 has been a failure because Activision has listened to the community

Once again, we’re in a brand new Call of Duty season, and despite the bombastic boasting of additions like the new Vondel map, there’s been a notable trend in the post-launch cycle of this year’s game of disappointment.

While Call of Duty players aren’t famed for their positivity at the best of times, each new season has been accompanied by seriously questionable decisions. Disappearing maps, overpriced and underwhelming bundles, or even well-intentioned influencer-inspired packs blowing up in their face through no fault of their own, it feels like this year’s game has been a constant battle between the series and its own community.

This year in particular has been littered with examples of changes being made swiftly to placate a loud community, but also have given the impression of lack of permanence to the game. Maps and game modes have been removed and added on a whim, fan favourite playlists have changed with little warning, blueprints rotate in and out of the store with no word when they’ll be back… While listening to the community is usually the perceived wisdom, in this instance it’s leaving fans with little faith that any changes will stick, or that they should even grow attached to anything in the game.

A huge example is the FJX Weapon Vault. A lot was made of this prior to MW2’s release – tied into the game’s new Gunsmith weapons system,  this promised a whole new “platform” that would offer players a brand new way of customising their weapons. It was even part of the game’s pricier additions as an incentive. To someone like me who isn’t as clued up on weapon tuning, it wasn’t clear what benefits this system had over the existing weapon customisation system, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. Worse still, as time passed, I don’t think it ever became clearer exactly what the Weapon Vault brought that warranted the ‘premium’ branding.

Four seasons in and it’s like that weapon never existed. We’ve not seen another of these special weapon blueprints make their way into the game in the same way. It feels like they were roundly rejected by the community as just a gimmick, and there’s been nary a peep about them since. It’s hard not to be cynical about the whole thing being a massive upsell for something that, in the grand scheme of MW2 and Warzone’s life so far, hasn’t meant very much.

We’re not saying the series should ignore their community altogether – of course – but when it’s as big and unwieldy as the series is these days, there’s bound to be many voices trying to steer the car in many different directions at once. The very epitome of a victim of its own success, in 2023 Call of Duty seems to lack a clear direction and focus, and it’s hard to see a way out right now. Especially with the news that the game won’t be taking a year off – as it was previously rumoured otherwise – after all.

Let’s get one thing straight: we all know Call of Duty will sell regardless. But it feels like the wheels are spinning in place for the series at the moment, and MW2 hasn’t done anything to change that. Coupled with the way the publisher has fumbled Overwatch 2 this year, patience is running thin. It feels like Activision will have to show something good at this year’s Call of Duty reveal, in whatever form that takes, to curry back some favour to a community growing increasingly wary before it’s too late. 

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