Modern Warfare 2

Overview

Army Ranger

Modern Warfare 2 is publisher Activision's sixth major installment in the Call of Duty franchise, and developer Infinity Ward's fourth. Modern Warfare 2 is a continuation of the story of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Players will cycle through a number of characters including a member of Task Force 141, lead by Captain John "Soap" MacTavish, one of the main protagonists of the first game.

Plot

Taking place five years after the first Modern Warfare, Russia ultimately became controlled by the Ultranationalist party with previous antagonist Imran Zakhaev now a martyr and referred to as "Hero of the New Russia." Although they partly achieved their goal, associate and lieutenant of Zakhaev, Vladimir Makarov and a group of Ultranationalist extremists have been the topic of world news for their terrorist attacks all around Europe; threatening the removal of the current Ultranationalist party in Russia.
 
In Afghanistan, Private Joseph Allen and the United States Army Rangers fight against the local militia where the Task Force 141 leader, General Shepherd, is impressed by Allen's capabilities, and recruits him to Task Force 141 with a special undercover assignment for the CIA. Allen is then sent to Russia to locate and gain Makarov's trust.
 
Meanwhile, Task Force 141 operatives Sgt. Gary "Roach" Sanderson and Captain John "Soap" MacTavish try to reclaim a lost ACS module located at a mountain base in Kazakhstan. Both Roach and Captain MacTavish successfully make their escape using snowmobiles. Private Allen, under the alias Alexei Borodin, participates in a massacre with Makarov at a Moscow airport. With implied suspicion that Allen was an agent, Makarov kills Allen and leaves him for dead for the FSB to discover. After finding out that Allen was American and believing the terrorist massacre was American-supported, the Russians takes advantage of the ACS module's data to initiate a full-scale assault on the United States of America, including a major strike on Washington D.C.. The U.S. Rangers, including Private James Ramirez and Private Allen's respective assistant squad leader and main squad leader Corporal Dunn and Sergeant Foley, are called to defend the capital.
 
Roach, Captain MacTavish, and Task Force 141's operative Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley, finds intel on a contact of Makarov in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After fighting through numerous militia, they track down arms-dealer Alejandro Rojas. The only information from Rojas that they received was a prisoner located in a Russian gulag which Makarov despises more than the Americans. The Task Force members escape the hostile favela by means of helicopter thanks to Nikolai, who was rescued by MacTavish and the British SAS in the previous Modern Warfare. Task Force 141 (along with the help of the United States Navy SEALs and the United States Marine Corps) then initiated the infiltration of the defensive oil rigs surrounding the gulag, and the gulag itself. Roach and Captain MacTavish manages to find the prisoner who turns out to be MacTavish's former SAS commander, Captain Price. 

Army Rangers searching a destroyed house

Meanwhile in the United States, the Army Rangers engage the invading Russian troops in Virginia leading to Washington D.C. along with securing VIPs within the field. Task Force 141, along with the help of Captain Price, infiltrates a Russian base to disarm a submarine carrying an intercontinental ballistic missile targeted for Washington D.C. As they reach the sub, Price rigs the ICBM to launch and self-destruct within the upper atmosphere, trying to end the war as soon as possible. As the missile explodes it destroys the International Space Station, though Washington D.C. was spared. However, the electromagnetic pulse unleashed by the detonation of the ICBM causes a blackout of all electronics in the capital and all of the east coast, causing widespread destruction and confusion. Pvt. Ramirez, Cpl. Dunn, and Sgt. Foley then discover that the U.S. Air Force will bomb the city to suppress Russian forces. They enter the White House, held by Russians, where they must signal that the area is under control. At the last second before the bombing, the Rangers reach the rooftops to signal green smoke, indicating that the area is safe and back under American hands.
 
The result of the nuclear explosion gives General Shepherd as much funding as possible to stop Makarov. Task Force 141 discover two places that Makarov could be hiding. Half of the Task Force, including Roach and Ghost, split up to locate Makarov in a safehouse in the Caucasus Mountains while the other half, composed of Soap and Price, try to locate him in an aircraft bone-yard in Afghanistan. There is no sign of him in the safehouse, yet Roach and Ghost find vital intelligence that can be of great help to Shepherd and the Task Force in their pursuit of Makarov. As Roach and Ghost escape with the data, they are betrayed and killed by General Shepherd taking the intelligence himself. Price and Soap find out about the betrayal in Afghanistan as Makarov's troops combat Shepard's black-op Shadow Company force. Price and Soap narrowly escape the bone-yard with the help of Nikolai.

Now wanted criminals, Soap and Price hunt down Shepherd in a vengeful suicide mission. While at the bone-yard, Price discovered from contacting Makarov that Shepard was located in Afghan base Site Hotel Bravo. After infiltrating the site's system of caves and fighting through Shadow Company troops, they chase Shepard down a river in a Zodiac watercraft. Shepherd attempts to escape via helicopter but Price succeeds in shooting down before reaching a waterfall. Near the crash site, Soap corners Shepherd and attempts to knife the general. However, Shepherd counters Soap's attack and stabs him with his own knife. Shepherd then indirectly reveals that he was the mastermind behind Allen being compromised by the Russians and the attack on the United States; which would result in most of the United States public enlisting for the military for a future attack on Russia making Shepherd a hero. He wanted to redeem himself after losing his Marine forces in the Middle East to Al-Asad's nuclear strike five years ago. As Shepherd prepares to execute Soap, Price intervenes. After a brutal fist fight, Shepherd gets the upper hand on Price and attempts to kill him with his bare hands. Soap takes the knife out of his chest and throws it into Shepherd's left eye, immediately killing him. Nikolai finds Soap and Price soon afterward and prepares to extract them by helicopter to a safe place although acknowledging that they will be pursued as soon as the public finds out about Shepherd's death.

IW4 Engine

"Texture Streaming" Comparison

This is the latest build of their game engine for the Call of Duty series. The framework of the engine is from id Tech 3.
 
Modern Warfare 2 takes advantage of a new graphics engine technology that saves disc space, while adding graphical fidelity. Dubbed "Texture Streaming" it allows the designers to create larger environments without sacrificing object and character detail. The streaming tech also enables them to focus development on weather effects and environmental destruction.

Special Ops Mode

Special Ops mode is a standalone mode separate from the campaign narrative. It is inspired by CoD4's "Mile High Club" epilogue, in that the player must complete a specific objective within a set time limit. You can play solo or co-op with one other player, online or in split-screen. A debriefing screen lists mission type, resistance you will face, and expected completion time before you start the mission. At the start of the missions, you have a choice of switching weapons and/or equipment.
 

Spec Ops Mode

Spec Ops mode also has a new enemy type not seen in the campaign. Dubbed "Juggernaut", this enemy's purpose is to flush out the player from entrenched positions. Clad in bomb disposal gear, the Juggernaut's heavy armor makes it tough to kill.

 
There are different difficulty levels, ranging from Normal to Veteran. By completing missions, the player is able to earn stars that further unlock later mission groups. The harder the difficulty on which one completes a mission, the more stars one gains. There are six mission tiers to unlock, from Alpha to Echo.
 

There are 23 missions in Special Ops Mode:

Alpha missions

• The Pit - Complete the training course found in campaign mode.
• Sniper Fi - Use sniper rifles, claymores and Predator Drones to hold off waves of enemies.
•  Evasion - Use silenced sniper rifles and stealth to slip past enemy patrols.
•  Suspension - Push through invading forces on the bridge to reach the safe zone.
• O Cristo Redentor - Based on Takedown (a single player mission), Hunt down and eliminate The Favela Gang, and minimize civilian casualties.

Bravo missions

• Overwatch - Rain down death from an AC-130 gunship to escort your partner. (Two-player only)
•  Body Count - Rack up a large enough body count, quick kills = bonuses.
• Bomb Squad - Race through the Favela market place defusing bombs along the way.
• Big Brother - Fire explosive ammunition from the Vulcan gun of a Black Hawk helicopter, providing cover fire for your teammate. (Two-player only)
• Race - Speed you snowmobile down the mountain avoiding various obstacles and enemies.
  

Charlie missions

• Hidden - Evade enemy patrols and Ghillie snipers near Chernobyl.
•  Breach and Clear - Breach enemy defenses in Gulag and escape.
•  Time Trial - Launch your snowmobile across the chasm before time runs out. Run through flags to gain bonus time.
• Homeland Security - Use sentry guns, thermal sights, claymores, and rocket launchers to defend against waves of enemies.
•  Snatch & Grab - Battle Shadow Company and Juggernauts in the airplane graveyard.  Grab the intel and escape.

Delta missions

•  War driving - Laze targets for the Striker armored vehicle in suburbia, house to house and room to room. Intel must be collected from three different buildings.
•  Wreckage - Use C4, grenade launchers, RPGs, sentry guns, semtex, and more to destroy every vehicle on the bridge.
•  Acceptable Losses - Sabotage the remote airbase with silenced weapons and a heartbeat sensor.
•  Terminal - Pummel your way through enemy riot shield ambushes.
•  Estate Takedown - Eliminate Ghillie Snipers, Elite Mercs, and Juggernauts, defending the estate.

Echo missions

• Wet Work - Breach two rooms full of enemies and hostages to secure the oil rig.
  
• High Explosive - Kill ten Juggernauts using only explosives and your knife.
  
•  Armor Piercing - Kill all fifteen Juggernauts on the oil rig.

Multiplayer Modes

• Free For All - No teams, every man for himself. Kill or be killed.
  

  A firefight on multiplayer map Invasion
• Team Deathmatch - Work with your team to kill opponents and reach the score limit.
•  Mercenary Team Deathmatch - Team Deathmatch with random players.
•  Demolition - Two teams are on defense and offense. The offensive team's objective is to plant a bomb, while the defensive team defends a certain area. You are able to respawn in this mode and during halftime the teams switch sides.
•  Domination - Capture and defend three objectives spread across the map.
•  Ground War - Large team based games. Consists of Team Deathmatch and Objective game types.
•  Headquarters Pro - Your objective is to capture and defend the headquarters on a map from enemy forces. After a base is destroyed by the attacking team, a new headquarters will be located on the map. This gives both teams the ability to take over the base first. The longer a base is held, the more points you accumulate to win the match.
•  Sabotage - A bomb based game mode, where the bomb is neutral and both teams try and destroy the others base.
  
• Search and Destroy - No respawning. Two factions with one playing defense and one playing offense. Offensive Team has one bomb and two locations to choose from. Defensive team must protect these sites from attackers. There is a short interval and both factions switch sides.
  
• Capture the Flag - Capture the enemy's flag to score points, while defending your own.
  
•  3rd Person Team Tactical - Team Deathmatch, Domination, Demolition and Capture the Flag in 3rd Person view.
• Hardcore Ricochet SD - Search and Destroy with friendly fire, limited HUD and ricochet damage for team killing.
•  Hardcore Team Deathmatch - Team Deathmatch with friendly fire on and a limited HUD.
•  3rd Person Cage Match - One versus one match in a 3rd person view.
• Team Deathmatch Express - Team Deathmatch with shortened wait time between matches.
•  Mosh Pit - A variety of game modes thrown in one playlist.
•  Hardcore Ricochet: Headquarters Pro - Headquarters with friendly fire, limited HUD, extra bullet damage and ricochet damage for team killing.

Multiplayer Maps

    * Afghan - Wide open, expansive desert map with mountainous terrain and a downed AC-130. The rocky terrain and cliffs provide plenty of sniper positions while the downed AC-130 provides temporary cover. There are also several underground caves that allow for flanking. 

    * Derailed - Snow map with three primary building structures (One at each end and one slightly off the middle) A derailed train runs from one spawn to the off middle building providing limited cover from sniper advance. A frozen river bed bisects the map and provides high visibility for snipers. NB: Thermal is less effective but still usable with white targets blending well with the snowy terrain.  

    * Estate - A Mountain chalet tends to host the majority of the action on this map. It is somewhat defendable but can be approached and breached from three sides. A few outlining buildings also provide good views of the approach to the estate. Watch for enemies in the boathouse region if leaving via the front door. The map is taken from the single player mission "Loose Ends" 

    * Favela - A Brazilian shantytown with tight confined spaces. The map is a small village with various buildings and tight alleyways. Expect plenty of close quarters combat. 

    * Highrise -  Rooftop of a highrise office building. Both teams starts on opposite ends of two separate office buildings and converge on a central rooftop. The central rooftop has small huts and shacks with a helicopter perched on a helipad. An open trench links bases and runs underground to the across the map. Watch for snipers on the cranes both in and outside the map (especially at the apex of the cranes outside the map which command a near perfect view of the battlefield) Also be aware players can access the roof of one base and the upper level of the other. 

    * Invasion- Alleys and buildings, some of which are scaleable, make up this map. Taking place in an Afghan city, the  many streets make for some intense encounters and flanking maneuvers. 

    * Quarry - Set in a stone quarry, this is the map with the biggest difference in elevation. Players can snipe each other from high and low, take positions inside warehouses that have windows overlooking the battlefield. The huge marble blocks littering the area is perhaps Quarry's most distinguishing feature. 

    * Rust - An old abandoned mining facility. This is the smallest map of all the multiplayer map, which makes the scaleable crane in the middle a highly contested area. Players can also seek refuge in small containers around the map. 

    * Scrapyard - Set in an airplane scrapyard where multiple airplane hulls litter the middle of the map. Two main buildings sit on each side of the map and provide starting points for each team. Some parts of the map are obscured by smoke that is a result of oil tanks burning. 

    * Skid Row - This map has many narrow alleys that provoke a lot of close combat. In the middle of the map is a two-leveled building with windows overlooking both sides of the battlefield, making it the most contested area of the map. 

    * Sub Base - A snow based map set at a nuclear submarine base. Most of the action takes place in a "courtyard" in the middle of the map. There are multiple structures with staircases and high visibility for sniping. 

    * Terminal- Based on the single player campaign mission "No Russian", this level occurs inside and outside of a Russian airport terminal. This is a small-medium size map with plenty of close quarters combat. The map also features an airplane, the inside often being a contested area. 

    * Underpass - This rainy map takes place underneath a ruined underpass. Featuring buildings, narrow alleys and a wide channel cutting through the map, it makes up for some interesting player decisions in regard to weapon load-out.  

    * Wasteland - Is a remake of Brecourt from the original Call of Duty and Call of Duty 2 MP maps and locations, with slight differences in this version.

Weapons

From the multiplayer and campaign mode:

Primary Weapons

Assault Rifles

• M4A1 

• FAMAS

• SCAR-H

• TAR-21 

• FAL 

• M16A4 

• ACR 

• F2000 

• AK-47 

Submachine Guns

• MP5K (default)
• UMP45 (default)
• Vector (lvl 12)
• P90 (lvl 24)
• Mini-Uzi (lvl 44)

    * Light Machine Guns - M240, RPD, H&K MG4, SA L86 LSW, Steyr Aug HBAR
    * Pistols - M9, M1911 .45, USP .45, .44 Magnum, Desert Eagle
    * Machine Pistols - PP2000 (default), Glock 18 (lvl 22), M93 Raffica (lvl 38), TMP (lvl 58)
    * Shotguns - SPAS-12 (default), AA-12 (lvl 18), Armsel Striker (lvl 34), Ranger (lvl 42), M1014 (lvl 54), Winchester 1887 (lvl 67)
    * Explosives and Grenades - SemTex, Smoke Grenade, Frag Grenade,Stun Grenade, Flash Grenade, C4, Claymore
    * Launchers - AT-4 (default), Thumper (lvl 14), Stinger (lvl 30), Javelin (lvl 50), RPG-7 (lvl 65)
    * Melee/Close Quarter Weapons - Riot Shield (default),Knife, Throwing Knife

Attachments

    * Red Dot Sight
    * ACOG Scope
    * Silencer ( Suppressor)
    * Heartbeat Sensor
    * M203 Grenade Launcher
    * GP-25 Grenade Launcher
    * Shotgun ( Masterkey)
    * Holographic Sight ( EOTech Sight)
    * Thermal Scope

    * Extended Magazines
    * FMJ
    * Akimbo (Sub machine guns, Ranger, and Handguns)
    * Grip (Light machine guns,most Shotguns)
    * Rapid Fire (Sub Machine Guns)

Equipment

    * Frag Grenade (default)
    * Semtex (default)
    * Throwing Knife (lvl 7)
    * Tactical Insertion (lvl 11)
    * Blast Shield (lvl 19)
    * Claymore (lvl 31)
    * C4 (lvl 43)

Perks

Perk 1- Blue

    * Sleight of Hand (start) - Faster Reloading.

Pro (120 kills using sleight of hand) - Quicker sight aiming.

    * Marathon (start) - Unlimited sprint.

Pro (sprint 26 miles) - Enables you to climb obstacles faster.

    * Scavenger (lvl. 13) - Get ammunition, including claymores, grenade launcher rounds and frag grenades from dead bodies.

Pro (resupply 100 times using scavenger)- Adds extra magazine clips.

    * Bling (lvl. 21) - x2 Attachments for primary weapon. 

Pro(get 200 kills using a weapon with two attachments) - x2 attachments for secondary weapon.

    * One Man Army (lvl. 45) - Switch classes in-game.

Pro (get 120 kills using one man army) - Quicker in game class swapping.  

Perk 2 - Red

    * Stopping Power (start) - Increased Bullet Damage.

Pro (get 250 kills with stopping power) - Increases bullet damage on helicopters and vehicles.

    * Lightweight (start) - Increased Mobility.

Pro(sprint 30 miles using light weight)- Quick aim after sprinting.

    * Hardline (lvl. 9) - One less kill required per killstreak.

Pro (get 40 kill streaks with hardline) - Deathstreaks requirements reduced by 1.

    * Cold Blooded (lvl. 25) - Invisible to UAV, sentry guns, thermal imagery, and air support.

Pro (destroy 40 enemy killstreak rewards using cold blooded) - No red crosshair or name shown when you are targeted

    * Danger Close (lvl. 33) - Increases explosive weapons damage.

Pro(get 100 kills with explosives using danger close)- Adds extra damage to killstreak explosions (such as airstrikes and AC-130).
 
 

Perk 3 - Green

    * Commando (start) - Increased Melee Range.

Pro (get 20 melee kills using commando) - Reduced/no fall damage.

    * Steady Aim (start) - Increased Hip Fire Accuracy.

Pro (get 80 kills from the hip) - Extends steady sight aiming with scopes.

    * Scrambler (lvl. 17) - The ability to jam nearby radar.

Pro (get 50 close range kills using scrambler) - Puts a delay in enemy claymores.

    *  Ninja (lvl. 29)- Invisible to heartbeat sensors.

Pro(get 50 close range kills with ninja) - Silences your movements.

    * SitRep (lvl. 37) - Shows enemy explosives and tactical insertions deployed.

Pro (destroy 120 enemy devices) - Enemy footsteps are louder.

    * Last Stand (lvl. 41) - Use your secondary weapon while crawling around on the ground until you bleed out.

Pro (get 20 kills while in Last Stand) - Use of equipment while in Last stand.
 

Unlockable Killstreaks

 You are able to customize killstreak rewards to your liking. There are a total of 15 to unlock and you are limited to 3 per class.

3 Kills

    * UAV - Shows enemy position on minimap.

 

4 Kills

    * Care Package - Drops a randomly generated killstreak reward or ammo crate. (Excludes the tactical nuke, care package, and emergency airdrop)
    * Counter-UAV - Temporally disables enemy radar.

 

5 Kills

    * Sentry Gun - Airdrop a Sentry Turret
    * Predator Missile -  Remotely control a Missile

 

6 Kills

    * Precision Airstrike - Call in a directional Airstrike on the map.

 

7 Kills

    * Harrier Strike - Calls in an airstrike and harrier air support.
    * Attack Helicopter - Request an attack chopper that provides air support.

 

8 Kills

    * Emergency Airdrop - Drops 4 care packages at once.

 

9 Kills

    * Pave Low - Call in a heavily armored attack chopper for support.
    * Stealth Bomber - Call in a stealth bomber, does not appear on radar.

 

11 Kills

    * Chopper Gunner - Man the guns of an attack copter.
    * AC-130 - Control an AC-130 Gunship.

 

15 Kills

    * EMP - Electromagnetic pulse or EMP for short. Temporarily disables enemy electronics.

25 Kills

    * Tactical Nuke - Gives you and your team an instant win. The Tactical Nuke ends the match with a bang by killing everyone on the map. A ten second countdown is initiated when the Tactical Nuke is called in. A tactical nuke stops the current match's time the instant it's initiated, halting any score additions to the match's total. XP can still be obtained within the ten second countdown, however. Any killstreaks that are within the air at the time of the blast get destroyed and the player who launched the nuke receives the XP for it.

Deathstreaks

Similar to killstreaks, deathstreaks are provided to players for dying a number of times in a row without acquiring any kills.

    * Copycat (default; 3 deaths) - allows the player to copy the class of the player that killed him 
    * Painkiller (lvl 6; 3 deaths) - Double health for ten seconds after respawn.
    * Martyrdom (lvl 27; 4 deaths) - Drop a live grenade when killed.
    * Final Stand (lvl 39; 4 deaths) - similar to last stand, final stand allows the player to crawl around with their primary weapon before dying, with the possibility to recover.

Accolades

Accolades are special rewards you receive based on your in-game performance.
 

• A-C

6th Sense: No deaths from behind.

7.62mm: Most LMG kills.
 

AFK: No kills/no deaths.

Accident Prone: Most suicides.

Air Ops: Most Helicopters.

Alpha Male: Most kills of lower rank.

Ambusher: Most Claymore Kills.

AR Expert: Most assault rifle headshots.

AR Specialist: Most assault rifle kills.

Arsenal: Most weapons used.

Avenger: Most Avenger Kills.
 

Blinder: Most flashbang hits.

Blindfire: Most bullet penetration kills.

Blindsided: Most deaths from behind.

Bomb Blocker: Most bomb carrier kills.

Bomb Expert: Most bombs planted.

Bomb Runner: Most bombs carried.

Bomb Threat: Most kills as bomb carrier.

Boomstick: Most shotgun headshots.

Buckshot: Most shotgun kills.

Butcher: Most throwing knife kills.
 

C4 Killer: Most C4 kills.

Clay Pigeon: Most deaths by shotgun.

Clutch Player: Match Winning Kill.

CQB: Most SMG kills.

Crowd Control: Most riot shield kills.
 

• D-G

Dead Aim: Most sniper headshots.

Deathrow: Longest deathstreak.

Decimator: Killed entire enemy team without dying.

Defuser: Most bombs defused.

Destroyer: Most targets destroyed.

Devastation: Highest multikill.

Dominator: Most points captured.

Double Threat: Most kills as flag carrier.
 

Evolver: Most classes changed.

Executioner: Most execution kills.

Explosivo: Most Rocket Kills.

Exterminator: Most thumper kills.
 

The Feared: Most kills.

Flag Blocker: Most flag carrier kills.

Flag Capturer: Most flags captured.

Flag Returner: Most flags returned.

Flag Runner: Most flags carried.

Flanker: Most kills from behind.

Fragger: Most frag grenade kills.
 

Genocidal: Most multikills.

Grassy Knoll: Most time spent prone.

Grenadier: Most grenade kills.

Grudge Match: Most kills of same player.
 

• H-M

Hairtrigger: Most ADS (Aim Down Sight) kills.

Hard Boiled: Most pistol kills.

High Command: Highest average altitude.

Hijacker: Most stolen kills.

Hot Potato: Most grenades thrown back.

HQ Capturer: Most HQs captured.

HQ Destroyer: Most HQs destroyed.
 

Immortal: Highest Kill/Death ratio

Juggernaut: Fewest Deaths.
 

Lifer: Longest Life.

Lights Out: Most tactical insertions prevented.

LMG Expert: Most LMG Headshots.

Loaner: Most kills with enemy weapons.

Lockdown: Most time spent in one place.

Lock & Load: Most reloads.

Low Profile: Lowest average altitude.
 

Magnifier: Most Scoped Kills.

Marksman: Most longshots.

MVP: Most Kills/Fewest Deaths.
 

• N-R

Nearsighted: Most friendlies shot.

None Spared: Killed entire enemy team.

Nomad: Longest distance traveled.
 

Overkill: Most kills/most headshots.

Protester: Most deaths by riot shield.
 

Rally: Most comebacks.

Rescuer: Most rescues.

Revenge: Most Last Stand kills.

Runner: Most time spent sprinting.

• S-T

Semtex Pro: Most semtex kills.

Sharpshooter: Most Headshots

Shell Shocked: Most explosions survived.

The Show: 10 kills/No deaths.

SMG Expert: Most SMG headshots.

Smoking Gun: Most pistol head-shots.
 

Sneaker: Most time spent crouched.

Sniper: Most sniper kills.

Sprayer: Most hipfire kills.

Spy Game: Most time watching Killcams. Starter: Most killcams skipped.
 

Statuesque: Most stationary kills.

Steamroller: Most Kills/Longest Killstreak.

Stunner: Most stun grenade hits.

Supernatural: Kill/Death ratio over 10.

Survivalist: Most equipment kills.

Switchblade: Most knife kills.
 

Terminal: Shortest life.

Top Gun: Most airstrikes.

Trigger Happy: Most shots fired.

• U-Z

Unbreakable: Most bullets deflected.

Undercover: Most time near enemies.

Unstoppable: Longest killstreak.

Upriser: Most kills of higher rank.
 

Vengeful: Most paybacks.
 

Warming Up: Just getting started. (Unsure of the conditions to get this accolade)

Weapon Rack: Most weapon swaps.

White Hot: Most Thermal Kills.

Wingman: Most Assists

Glitches, Bugs and Patches

Since its' release Modern Warfare 2 has encountered numerous in-game glitches and bugs.

    * The Javelin - An exploit in which the player equips a Javelin (or any launcher) and the second they are killed set off the launcher killing those in the blast radius.
    * Care Package/Emergency Airdrop - An exploit in which the player is able to call air drops infinitely.
    * Infinite Ammo - A 360 specific bug which enables infinite ammunition in online multiplayer matches.
    * Prestige Mode - A PS3 specific bug that grants Prestige Status, unlocking all emblems, titles, etc.
    * Private Matches - Allows Private Matches with custom rulesets to be joined via Matchmaking.
    * Model 1887 - Many have complained about the range and firepower of these shotguns even when dual wielded.
    * Ice Skating Glitch: Speeds up player movement significantly and reduces friction when sprinting.
    * Negative XP: A 360 specific bug that causes people to lose millions of XP whenever they kill someone that has the hack on their console

 
In response, Infinity Ward has been constantly updating the game to fix these issues. Here is a list of fixed issues so far:

Dec '09 Fixes

    * 1887s Balanced.
    * Public "private" Match fix.
    * Infinite Ammo fix.
    * Prestige Hack on PS3 fix.
    * Texture Hack on PC fix (eliminates any edits to IWD files also)

 
Playlist Update: Prevention for "Chopper Gunner Ammo" Hack

    You may notice a playlist update today on Modern Warfare 2 for Xbox 360 and PS3. This update adds preventative measures that restrict a recent "Chopper Gunner ammo for all weapons" hack from spreading into public matchmaking.

    We'll continue to monitor and work to keep games as cheating free and fair as possible.

    This specific hack isn't on PC, however banning cheaters via VAC on PC is a continual effort and focus of ours nonetheless.

Patch 1.05 (PS3)

    * Improves matchmaking on the PS3

Patch 1.06 (PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)

Released on Jan 18, '10 for the PC version

    * Care Package, Emergency Airdrop, and Sentry Gun marker grenades sprint speed normalized
    * Sentry Guns: Improved placement detection, preventing cases of Sentry Guns inside geometry
    * Model 1887: Bling using Akimbo and FMJ combination now has same range and damage as non-Bling Model 1887s
    * Improved player collision removing cases of getting into geometry and 'elevators'
    * Mouse latency tweaks for more mouse movement consistency
    * Fixes to prevent various texture and XP hacks 

Production & Marketing

Los Angeles Times reported that Activision and Infinity Ward spent roughly "$40-50 million" on development of MW2. The launch budget, which included marketing and the production & distribution of the physical discs, was significantly higher at $200 million. From promos during the NBA playoffs to showing demos to movie stars, Infinity Ward was keen on hyping Modern Warfare 2 well into its' November release date.
 

Primetime Promotion

Flexing their muscle and pull, Activision started this commercial onslaught with an NBA playoff reveal trailer. Essentially two minute video about the campaign. The trailer itself was cut short only after 30 seconds and wasn't shown until the end of the basketball game.
 
The next commercial though, titled Infamy, fared better than their first attempt and was shown in its' full two minute running time. It was aired during Sunday Night Football with the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. The most notable images from the video were of Washington, D.C.; specifically locations of a Capitol Building and White House burning after a terrorist attack that garnered controversy from the public.
 
Nearing its release date and seeing another prime time sporting event it was time for the launch trailer. The trailer was shown during game 6 of the World series. It used Eminem's "Till I Collapse" and was mostly recycled footage from previous videos but also featured new video of the player in outer space.
 

MW2: Ghost Comic

There will be a new series of comics based on a character named " Ghost". The series is simply titled MW2: Ghost and will be worked on by David Lapham. It is a six issues series that will tell the origins of the character and how he got his nickname. The series will take place across the world from Mexico, Afghanistan to the United Kingdom.

It has been confirmed that rapper 50 Cent will have his voice featured as a squad leader in MW2's multiplayer Special Ops mode. Also, rock group Good Charlotte were seen with 50 Cent during the gameplay session. Other well known testers of Modern Warfare 2 have included comedian Dane Cook and The Office star Rainn Wilson. 
 

Monster Energy Drink MW 2 Edition

    * 100 copies of Modern Warfare 2 for Xbox 360 or PS3
    * 5,000 Map pack codes - planned release Spring 2010
    * 10,000 codes for a Modern Warfare 2 dashboard theme
    * Free cans of Monster Energy drinks

Release Versions

Standard Edition

    * Includes the game disc and manual.
    * Priced at $59.99.

Hardened Edition

• 

  Hardened Edition
  Includes everything found in the Standard Edition in addition to:
• Special metallic and holographic limited edition packaging.
• Token to download Call of Duty Classic on XBL Arcade and PSN.
•  Hardbound art book, “Behind the Lines” with concept art from the game.
• Priced at $79.99.

Veteran Edition

•  
  

  Veteran Edition
  to British website: game.co.uk.
•  Includes everything found in the Hardened Edition in addition to:
• Captain MacTavish ARTFX Statue sculpted by Kotobukiya as seen in the "Cliffhanger" mission.
•  Priced at  £119.99 (roughly $174.99).

Prestige Edition

• 

  PrestigeEdition
  Includes everything found in the Hardened Edition.
  
• Fully functional night vision goggles branded with the Modern Warfare 2 and Infinity Ward logo.
• Soap MacTavish Sculpted head designed to display the night vision goggles when not in use.
•  Priced at $149.99.

Limited Edition Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360

This special edition Xbox 360 shipped on November 10, 2009 for $399.99 It will include the following:

•  
  

  MW2 360 Bundle
  Detachable 250GB HDD
•  2 Black wireless controllers
•  Black headset (not the Madcatz throat mic)
•  Regular edition of Modern Warfare 2.
• 1 Ethernet Cable
•  1 Xbox 360 Composite A/V cable
•  Free one month subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold
•  Free Netflix trial offer

Sales & Piracy

Modern Warfare 2 achieved record-breaking sales following its release, with nearly 5 million copies sold within the first 24 hours in the USA and UK.After crossing $550 million in revenue during the first 5 days, Activision declared it the biggest entertainment launch in history. According to NPD numbers, the game sold more than 6 million copies during November 2009 in the US alone.
 
Apart from being the best selling game of 2009, Modern Warfare 2 also earned the unfortunate title of being the most pirated game of the year. Torrentfreak released a report on Dec 27 '09, saying that over 4.1 million copies of the game had been illegally downloaded through BitTorrent services.
 

Controversy

PC Issues & Lack of Dedicated Servers

Robert Bowling, community manager at Infinity Ward, announced on the BASH podcast that the PC version of MW2 will be taking a more console-like approach towards multiplayer and would use the IWnet matchmaking system. He also confirmed that the PC version won't support any fully dedicated servers or mods. This sparked a huge outcry from the PC community, who started a petition directed at Infinity Ward to reconsider their decision. The petition garnered over 240,000 signatures but Infinity War still successfully launched the PC version in Nov '09.
 
During a promotional Best Buy web-chat with Infinity Ward on November 3rd, a representative of Infinity ward confirmed details of previous IW PC announcements and made a controversial comment concerning the PC version of MW2.
 

    Ignoring IW.net, is the PC version a direct port of the console version?

    Mackey-IW
    No, PC has custom stuff like mouse control, text chat in game, and graphics settings.

On November 5th, Vince Zampella of Infinity Ward indirectly confirmed the fact that players of the PC version will not allow players to access to the dev console so change settings such as FOV, weapon damage etc.

"Disturbing Content Notice" for the "No Russian" chapter.
"Disturbing Content Notice" for the "No Russian" chapter.
Objectionable Content (No Russian Controversy)
Additional controversy arose when a video was posted on the internet that leaked gameplay footage of one of the "No Russian" mission, which set the player as an undercover CIA-operative in a Russian airport alongside Makarov and other terrorists as they gun down civilians. Infinity Ward later confirmed the chapter's authenticity and claimed that it can be skipped by the player at anytime after a displayed warning via the pause menu.
Since the game's release reactions to the sequence have been mixed; some point out that it allows the player to have a genuine reason to hate the main villain and they don't have to partake in the massacre whereas others have found the scenario to be in poor taste.
 
Due to this level, the Russian government recalled all copies of the game, and banned its further sale. Infinity Ward has responded to the banning by promising to make a version of the game with the level completely omitted. Activision quickly cut the scene for Russian retailers and released this statement to Eurogamer:

    "Other countries have formal ratings boards that we regularly work with. However, Russia does not have a formal ratings entity. As a result, we chose to block the scene after seeking the advice of local counsel."

PC System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

    * OS: Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7
    * Processor: Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 3200 processor or better
    * Memory: 1 GB RAM
    * Graphics: ATI Radeon 1600XT or better or 256 MB NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT or better
    * DirectX: Microsoft DirectX(R) 9.0c
    * Hard Drive: 12GB of free hard drive space
    * Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
    * Internet: Broadband connection required for Multiplayer Connectivity. Internet Connection required for activation.
    * Co-op/Multiplayer Hosting: To host Co-op or MP matches, a 2Ghz dual-core or better processor is recommended.

Xbox 360 Hard Drive Install

Installing Modern Warfare 2 on your Xbox 360 hard drive takes up 6.8 GB of space.
 

Japanese version

The Japanese version is published by Square Enix, it has both Japanese language but also subtitles, which many Japanese gamers complained about.
 

Downloadable Content

First announced at E3 2009, there will be at least two map packs released for Modern Warfare 2 - both will be timed Xbox 360 exclusives. The first map pack will arrive in Spring 2010.

Links

• Infinity Ward's website.
• Community Manager/Creative Strategist Robert Bowling twitter.