Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

"The shooter to end all shooters—Modern Warfare 2."

- Adam Sessler, co-host of X-Play

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, previously known as Modern Warfare 2 and referred to during early development as Call of Duty 6, is the sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. It is currently under development by Infinity Ward, and is set to be released on November 10, 2009, one day before Veteran's Day. It was officially announced by Activision Blizzard on March 26, 2009, after being prematurely revealed on December 8, 2008.

Gameplay
The new Spec-Ops mode will take the place of co-op campaign but will feature a whole new set of missions and objectives. It allows 2 players to play on splitscreen or online.

NPCs will carry customized weaponry. A number of combinations were seen in the '09 E3 Demo, including AK-47s with ACOG Scope and FAMAS with Red Dot Sight. In addition, a different melee stance will be introduced, which involves holding a pistol with the combat knife out, supposedly allowing for faster knife attacks. Also, throwing knives will be usable in multiplayer in place of grenades. It is currently unknown as to whether or not they will be usable in singleplayer.

Hostage situations will play a role in the game, but it is unknown as to whether these situations will be part of gameplay or cutscenes.

Objective way-points will now be marked on the screen in singleplayer, along with distance from the way-point in meters.

Multiplayer modes

 * Free-For-All
 * Capture The Flag (New to the Modern Warfare series)
 * Team Deathmatch
 * Search and Destroy
 * Domination
 * Demolition (New)
 * Ground War

Special Ops
A new Special Ops mode will include two-player cooperative play. Special Ops mode will include several fast-paced action missions similar to Mile High Club which will be more difficult than normal campaign missions and will not be related to the main storyline. It will supposedly pick out certain parts of the single player campaign that "work well with co-op". Missions are unlocked by earning stars, which are acquired by playing levels at certain difficulties. Regular difficulty earns one star, hardened earns two, and veteran earns three. Missions will be divided by groups, called Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, and Echo, the last said to be the hardest. Within the groups there are types of missions such as "Breach and Clear" and "Elimination". There will even be special enemy types, such as those using riot shields, or even Special Ops exclusive "Juggernauts" wearing heavy armor.

Characters

 * Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson is a playable character and member of Task Force 141.
 * Captain "Soap" MacTavish (the main playable character from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare) is the commanding officer of Task Force 141. He is Scottish, has a mohawk, and a model of his head will be sold with the Prestige Edition.
 * Vladimir Makarov is the new leader of the Ultranationalists and the main villain of the game, following in the footsteps of Imran Zakhaev. He is seen wearing a black suit during the Ultranationalist attack on a Russian airport.
 * Major Petrov is the airfield commander in the level Cliffhanger, and was probably killed when Roach and Soap eliminated all of the enemies at the hangar, unless he was speaking from another location.
 * Ghost is a member Task Force 141 and the main character in the Modern Warfare 2: Ghost six part comic series. He wears sunglasses and a skull balaclava. The skull balaclava is a tribute to his friend Lieutenant Riley, who he describes as "the baddest motherfucker in the world."
 * Royce is a character seen in the Rio de Janiero video. Not much is known about him at the moment, but he is probably a member of Task Force 141. Judging by his accent, he is American.
 * Rojas is an arms dealer located in Rio De Janiero. He wears a brown T shirt and 3 quarter pants. He is seen in the Worldwide Revealer trailer.
 * "Meat" is a character briefly seen and heard in the Rio De Janiero video. At about 0:45 in the video you can hear one of your squadmates say "Meat, get these civvies out of here", at which point Meat begins yelling at them in Portuguese. Very little else is known about him. When he says "Roger that" it seems his accent is American. He may be the man who wears a helmet.
 * Captain Price; (Soap's commanding officer from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare) will return. He still has his boonie hat and long moustache. He was seen in the Infamy trailer ducking in a boat with the player both shooting with a Mini-Uzi and driving. It has been confirmed on Billy Murray's website. It is unknown what his exact role will be in the game.
 * Unidentified American member of Task Force 141 is a character in Task Force 141 and seen in the Worldwide trailer rappeling up a helicopter from a castle. He is big and has a shaved head. The trailer proves he is American because he has an American flag on his arm.
 * Faust is a character who is an associate of Rojas seen in the Rio De Janiero level. He is shot in the leg by Roach, and subsequently tortured for information by Soap and Ghost.
 * "Shepherd" is the Army Ranger who trains the player, although the playable character for the training mission is unknown.
 * Unknown Canadian Soldier. Robert Bowling confirmed this on Twitter.
 * Unknown Australian Soldier. Robert Bowling confirmed this on Twitter.
 * Unknown Navy SEAL. Confirmed to be in a spec-ops level on the Gametrailers TV special.

Plot
Five years after the events of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Russia is in political turmoil once again. Vladimir Makarov, a brutal leader and former associate of Imran Zakhaev, has set in motion a series of events that will threaten global security. After a series of vicious terrorist attacks, the situation is deemed dangerous enough for Task Force 141, led by Captain Soap MacTavish, to be deployed to Russia and Kazakhstan. There, the force must fight its way through near white-out conditions to infiltrate a secret military base hidden in the mountains. After detonating a large volume of explosives, the team loses the pursuit on snowmobiles. Task Force 141 is later deployed to Rio De Janeiro to capture an arms dealer linked to the plot by ballistics data (who is shot in the leg by Roach and left with Soap and another TF141 member, probably for interrogation), eventually being led to the barren lands of Afghanistan. But the intel Task Force 141 is receiving is likely inaccurate, as even they do not understand the danger of Makarov's sinister plot. Recent trailers reveal Makarov musing that the United States needs to know what it has perpetrated by an attack on its own soil, and shows a war-torn Washington, D.C.

Factions

 * Task Force 141
 * US Army Rangers
 * Loyalists/Federal Security Service
 * Ultranationalists/Spetznaz
 * Brazilian Militia
 * OpFor

Single-player levels
These are not written in any specific order.


 * For the Record
 * Cliffhanger - In this level, the player is in control of Sgt. Gary "Roach" Sanderson. It begins on a cliff with Roach and Cpt. "Soap" Mactavish. They scale the cliff using ice picks and reach an enemy base. Visibility is low due to a blizzard, so the player has the option of using stealth in this section. Soap tells Roach to plant C4 on a gas line in case they have to go to Plan B. Eventually they reach a building that houses a computer containing important information. Roach goes inside to retrieve the information, but Soap is held at gunpoint by Major Petrov and his men. Then Major Petrov tells Roach that he will kill Soap unless he reveals himself in the next 5 seconds. Soap tells Roach to go to Plan B, so Roach blows up the station. The enemy soldiers, distracted by the explosion, turn their backs to Soap and Roach, who kill all of them. Then they fight their way out of the base and escape on snowmobiles.
 * Takedown - Engage in a running firefight throughout Rio de Janeiro to capture an arms dealer named Rojas.
 * International Space Station - During E3 2009 Build some press members saw a level named "International Space Station", but Robert Bowling didn't want to show this level (when asked to show this level he reportedly stated "Ah you saw this..." and played a different level instead).
 * Desert- In this level, the player is in Afghanistan. It features underground combat.
 * S.S.D.D. - In this level, the player is trained and sent into battle with a US Army Ranger.
 * Team Player - In this level you will be assaulting a Russian airport with Makarov's terrorist-team, you will be someone among the four terrorists. Some scenes from the level can be seen in the teaser, reveal and infamy trailer.
 * The Hornet's Nest
 * Wolverines! You take out a bridge in Afghanistan, and hold your position until another one is made. (the title of the level is a direct line used frequently in Red Dawn)
 * Exodus
 * The Only Easy Day...Was Yesterday
 * The Gulag- Assault a Russian Gulag in Siberia.
 * Contingency
 * Of Their Own Accord - This level will take place on American soil.
 * Second Sun - This level will take place on American soil.
 * Whiskey Hotel - Take back the White House!
 * Loose Ends
 * The Enemy Of My Enemy
 * Just Like Old Times
 * Endgame

Special Ops levels

 * Breach and Clear - In this level, the player(s) fight through an abandoned Soviet Gulag. There are various weapons scattered along the ground at the start of the level to allow the player(s) more freedom in loadout. Then they blow a hole in the wall and begin killing the enemies inside. The objective is to reach the extraction point on the other side of the Gulag.
 * O Cristo Redentor- Based on the single player level Takedown. Eliminate all enemies without hitting civilians. If too many civilians die, the mission fails.
 * Sniper Fi
 * Hidden
 * Suspension
 * Body Count
 * Acceptable Losses
 * Bomb Squad
 * Estate Takedown - The player must eliminate all enemies on an estate in the woods. Not only are there normal enemies, but also Ghillied snipers and heavily-armored Juggernauts that have extreme amounts of health and are best deal with by using high-powered weaponry such as the M82 or explosives.
 * Time Trial - Based on the level Cliffhanger. Race to the finish on your snowmobile before time runs out. Hitting gates adds time to your clock. Compete against enemy AI or you coop partner.
 * The Pit
 * Snatch and Grab
 * Terminal
 * Wreckage
 * Overwatch
 * Big Brother
 * Evasion
 * Race
 * Homeland Security
 * Wardriving

Locations

 * Rio De Janiero, Brazil
 * Afghanistan
 * Russian Airport
 * Soviet Gulag
 * Tian Mountain Range, Kazakhstan
 * Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (highly probable, seen in a concept art)
 * Burger Town (In the acheivements)
 * Washington, D.C.
 * Makarov's safe house
 * Airplane Graveyard (Could be set in Afghanistan)

Title
Due to the commercial success of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward thought that the modern setting had entered unto a "world of its own," they then dropped the prefix from the title. Activision was reportedly getting "bored" with the series, and so ran with the idea. It was later found from surveys that there was a 40% drop in brand awareness after the removal of the "Call of Duty" prefix. At E3 2009 the customer intent to buy the game had dropped significantly because of the title change. It is speculated that Activision chose to bring the Call of Duty prefix back in response to these surveys in order to prevent confusion with consumers.

Weapon list


This is a list of all weapons that have been identified in official media for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Be warned. There are many videos and websites talking about the weapons of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Most of them are based on inaccurate guessing and incorrect examination. Only in-game footage, in-game pictures, or text from a reliable source such as fourzerotwo or OXM is accepted as proof.

Assault Rifles

 * AK-47
 * ACR
 * FAMAS
 * F2000
 * G3
 * M4A1 Carbine
 * M16A4
 * AUG HBAR
 * TAR-21
 * SCAR-L (highly probable, seen in multiplayer menu background art)
 * SCAR-H
 * FAL
 * M14 EBR
 * L85 (highly probable, specifically mentioned by OXM)



Submachine Guns

 * UMP .45
 * MP5k
 * Vector
 * P90

Light Machine Guns

 * MG4 (highly probable, seen in art book)
 * RPD
 * M240
 * L86 LSW
 * Mk. 43 (highly probable, seen in concept art)

Sniper Rifles

 * SVD aka Dragunov
 * WA2000
 * Barrett .50 Cal aka M82
 * L96 variant (highly probable, seen in multiplayer menu background art)
 * CheyTac Intervention

Riot Shield
The Riot Shield occupies the primary weapon slot. The player cannot shoot or use another weapon while holding the shield, but can melee with it. The shield can be swapped for the player's secondary weapon at any time, when it is then carried on the player's back and provides a moderate level of protection from behind. When held, the shield protects the player from weapons fire from the front, but will become riddled with bullet impacts and make visibility very difficult. The shields will never break and cannot be shot through by any guns, but they do not protect the user from explosive damage. Also, flashbangs make the player lower their shield.

Handguns

 * Desert Eagle
 * M1911
 * USP .45
 * M9
 * .44 Magnum aka Colt Anaconda

Machine Pistols

 * Glock 18
 * PP-2000
 * Mini-Uzi
 * MP9

Shotguns

 * Double-barreled shotgun
 * Striker
 * M1014
 * W1200
 * SPAS-12
 * Winchester 1887
 * AA-12

Launchers

 * AT4
 * Thumper x2 aka M79 grenade launcher
 * Stinger
 * RPG-7

Miscellaneous (single player)

 * Mounted Minigun

Equipment

 * Frag Grenade
 * Semtex
 * Blast Shield
 * Throwing Knife
 * Tactical Insertion
 * Claymores
 * C4

Special Grenade

 * Flashbang x2
 * Smoke grenade x1
 * Stun grenade x2

Miscellaneous

 * Knife
 * Ice Picks (single player)

Attachments

 * Red Dot Sight
 * EOTech Holographic Weapon Sight
 * ACOG Sight (and various telescopic sights that are specific to certain guns)
 * Thermal Scope
 * Suppressor (can now be attached to sniper rifles and shotguns)
 * Grenade Launcher (M203; GP-25)
 * Heartbeat Sensor
 * Shotgun aka KAC Masterkey
 * Extended Magazine
 * Full Metal Jacket ammunition (replacement for Deep Impact)
 * Sniper Scope (will not take up an attachment slot on some or all compatible rifles)
 * Akimbo (dual wield pistols or machine pistols)
 * Rapid Fire (replacement for Double Tap)
 * Foregrip
 * Tactical Knife

Camouflage

 * Desert
 * Arctic
 * Woodland
 * Digital
 * Urban
 * Blue Tiger
 * Red Tiger

Perks
Players can choose one perk from each of the three main tiers as well as three Kill Streak perks and one Death Streak perk for a single class loadout.

Pro perks are upgraded versions of existing perks that are unlocked via long term use of the original version. All perks will have Pro versions. Pro perks include the benefits of the original version while adding new benefits. For example, Stopping Power Pro is unlocked after 1000 kills while using Stopping Power, and allows the player to inflict greater damage against enemy Kill Streak vehicles in addition to the normal ability to inflict greater damage against enemy players.

Perk 1

 * Sleight of Hand: Reload weapon faster
 * Sleight of Hand Pro: Aim down sights faster
 * Marathon: Unlimited sprint
 * Marathon Pro: Vault obstacles faster
 * Scavenger: Loot bodies for full resupply
 * Bling: Allows two attachments on primary weapon

Perk 2

 * Stopping Power: Increased damage against enemy players
 * Stopping Power Pro: Increased damage against enemy Kill Streak vehicles (helicopters, AC-130s, etc.)
 * Lightweight: Move faster
 * Lightweight Pro: Faster Aiming
 * Hardline: One less kill required per Kill Streak
 * Hardline Pro: One less death required per Death Streak
 * Cold-Blooded: Makes a player invisible to UAVs, sentry guns, thermal imagery, and air support

Perk 3

 * Commando: Increased melee distance
 * Commando Pro: Increased melee speed
 * Steady Aim: Increased hip-fire accuracy
 * Scrambler: Jams the radar of nearby enemies leaving only white noise

Death Streak Perks
New Death Streak Perks are the opposite of Kill Streaks: these give the player certain rewards for being killed a certain amount of times in a row without getting a kill. Only one can be equipped to a class.


 * 3 deaths - Painkiller: Double health for ten seconds after respawn.
 * 4 deaths - Copycat: Copy the loadout(Weapons, Perks, and Attachments) of the enemy that killed you last.

Kill Streak Rewards
The default Kill Streaks available are 3, 4, and 5. Players can select three Kill Streak Awards at a time. It appears as if a player's kill streak loadout cannot be changed from class to class; instead, one loadout will be used for all classes. Killstreaks now stack (getting a higher killstreak no longer gets rid of the lower unused one, but it will not be available until after the current killstreak is used). There are 15 kill streak Awards.
 * 3 - UAV: Deploys a UAV to scan the map and reveal enemy locations. Now able to be shot down.
 * 4 - Care Package: "Air drop a random killstreak or ammo". Deploys by throwing a green smoke grenade. The care package can be picked up by anyone once it hits the ground, including the enemy team. The Care Package can also kill, if it lands on a player.
 * 4 - Counter-UAV: Blocks an enemy UAV.
 * 5 - Sentry Gun: Allows the player to deploy an automated XM312 machinegun. The gun automatically fires at enemies in its line of sight, but it can be destroyed by enemy fire.
 * 5 - Predator Missile: Fires a controllable missile at a designated target area. However, the user is defenseless while controlling the missile.
 * 6 - Precision Airstrike: Initiates an airstrike on a targeted area much like the Airstrike in Call of Duty 4. However, the user can now control the direction the airstrike comes from.
 * 7 - Attack Helicopter: Deploys a helicopter to attack enemy players.
 * 9 - Pave Low: Deploys a Sikorsky MH-53. Described as a more heavily armored attack helicopter which possesses two turrets.
 * 11 - AC-130: Deploys an AC-130 gunship that the player controls. However, the user can not directly defend themselves while commanding the AC-130.

Rewards
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 features many rewards, unlockables, and bonuses, making sure that everyone is properly rewarded for their efforts.

Achievements

 * Main article: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Achievements

The game features 50 achievements/trophies worth a total of 1000 gamerscore.

Accolades

 * Main article: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Accolades

Accolades are awards earned in game and given after a match.

Callsigns

 * Main article: Callsigns

Callsigns are multiplayer nametags that appear on screen when a player achieves a kill, secures a command post, and other things. This is most likely the feature meant to "make players famous" that was mentioned in the Game Informer article.

XP Bonuses

 * Main article: XP

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 XP system was completely redone from previous games and players will now get XP for many more things.

Maps

 * Afghan: A cliff and system of caves in the Afghani desert with airplane wreckage in the middle
 * Favela: An urban slum in Rio de Janeiro with many buildings and a more prevalent element of vertical, multi-leveled gameplay
 * Highrise: A construction site atop an unfinished building with offices on either side and a helipad in the middle. The name Kriegler is on a sign on the side.
 * Estate
 * Quarry
 * Wasteland
 * Invasion
 * Uprise
 * Underpass
 * Scrapyard
 * Rust - A small, fairly open oil derrick in the middle of the desert. Lots of open ground with some cover.
 * Derail
 * Skid Row
 * Sub Base
 * Terminal

Voice actors
Ken Lally - He previously provided motion capture work for the Resident Evil 5 character Albert Wesker. It is rumored he will be voicing Makarov.

50 Cent - A famous rapper who will be providing voice work for the Special Ops and Multiplayer Mode.

Kevin McKidd - A Scottish actor who will voice Soap MacTavish. He has appeared in Grey's Anatomy and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Craig Fairbrass - An English Actor who voiced Gaz in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. It is rumoured that he will voice Ghost in the game although it has not been confirmed.

Barry Pepper - A Canadian-born actor who played the Christian sniper Pvt. Daniel Jackson in Saving Private Ryan. As a voice actor, he already performed the role of Alex Mercer in the Activision game: Prototype.

Keith David - An American actor who will be voicing a U.S. commander who trains the player and takes them into battle. He voiced the Arbiter in both Halo 2 & 3 as well as Captain Anderson in Mass Effect

Glenn Morshower - An American actor who is known for his recurring role in 24 as Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce.

Billy Murray - He previously voiced Captain Price and will return as him in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Teaser trailer
On March 25, 2009, a few days after GDC 2009 had begun, Infinity Ward launched Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 ' s official media site. At its initial stage, the website only displayed a green wave with nothing else on the page. With days still to come in GDC 2009, gamers expected that site will be slowly be expanded upon. Sure enough, the first official teaser trailer posted later that night.

Gameplay trailer
On May 10, a promotional video for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was unveiled on TNT. Multiple weapons were shown in the video, all of which are listed above, along with weapons shown in the Game Informer article. On May 21, a second promotional video was shown on GTTV. Both of the two videos were pieces of the large trailer that was to be released on May 24, to which an Infinity Ward developer responded, "The extended trailer which launches on ModernWarfare2.com on Sunday will be 5x the amount of content.".

The full length trailer is 2:02 minutes with more gameplay than was previously shown. The trailer's debut was so popular that the official Infinity Ward forums were down for nearly ten minutes, due to the traffic flood.

Multiplayer Reveal Trailer
On July 27, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 ' s multiplayer was revealed. Weapons were shown, revealing them for the first time shown in the list.

Flag Runner Trailer
On September 1, the multiplayer was shown yet again, confirming Capture The Flag.

Infamy Trailer
On October 4, a Campaign trailer revealing an attack on United States soil, specifically Washington D.C.

Game Informer cover article
The June 2009 edition of Game Informer includes a 10-page exclusive Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 article. The article sheds light on numerous aspects of gameplay. Soap MacTavish will be a Captain in the SAS, and on SAS missions the player will be one of his subordinates. There will be no co-op in the Campaign, but there will be a new "Special Forces" mode which will feature missions in the spirit of Mile High Club; these missions will have co-op. Players will be able to customize their loadout in campaign, and presumably in Special Forces. The campaign will be around six to ten hours long. There are also pictures showing weapons, which are all listed above. Other magazines, including PSM3 are also reported to be ready to release details in their June editions. According to PSU.com, "Modern Warfare 2 will include a level in Rio De Janeiro, a level in Siberia, a level on an oil tanker, and a stealth-based oil pipeline level where players will be undersea in scuba gear. Swimming will be a new gameplay mechanic (it might be a bit hard to do an underwater level without swimming, after all). Vehicles such as trucks, tanks, and helicopters will be featured (and presumably controllable). Finally, Ken Lally (Wesker from Resident Evil 5) will be one of the voice actors appearing in the game." 

E3 2009
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was originally thought not to be present at E3 2009. But when Spike TV released an exclusive look at Activision's E3 booth, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was front and center. It wasn't very long after this stunning first look that GameTrailers.com released their most anticipated games of E3 2009. On the top of GameTrailers' list was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, also hinting that a demo might be showcased at E3. On May 29, 1UP.com compiled a syllabus of E3, in which it was confirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 would have an in-booth.

Surprisingly, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 got a gameplay demo debut earlier than expected. It was the second game to be shown during Microsoft's Press Conference on Monday 1 June 2009. Microsoft confirmed that two map packs will be timed exclusives for the. Then the demo started on the level Cliffhanger, in which Captain Soap MacTavish and Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson are somewhere in the Tian Shan Mountain range in extremely frigid conditions. The level started off with Soap and the protagonist climbing up the side of a mountain face, but soon found themselves blowing up a fuel depot and escaping from the base on snowmobiles whilst being chased by Hinds.

For more information on this level and 3 others by the name of "Slums" and "Desert" check this url (from Dutch gaming magazine called Power Unlimited): http://www.mw2blog.com/power-unlimited-modern-warfare-2-demo-hands-on/

Game Crazy preview event
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was rumored to be showing an exclusive beta of the game at GamesCom 2009 but Activision and Infinity Ward later confirmed that there wasn't going to be another showing of the game after a Special Ops look. They later said that they would have to wait until the game came out to see a glimpse of multiplayer gameplay.

On August 25, 2009, a demo was shown for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with the team in Rio De Janiero. The demo started off with Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, Captain "Soap" MacTavish, Royce, and Meat running through a street chasing an important associate of Vladimir Makarov. Also civilians are running for their lives from the enemies. Then MacTavish tells Roach to shoot him in the leg and he successfully does. Later Soap and another member close down a gate and are ready to interrogate the man while Royce and Meat accompanies Roach to continue down into the favelas where the upmost, intense action occurs. Soon civilians again run away, enemies spot the team members and shoot at them. Royce said to Roach to continue to fight from the rooftops. But the demo then ended without any further action of the level.

On the same day, Special Ops gameplay was again shown that showed two players shooting against enemies with riot shields. It is unknown where it took place and what level it was called but it might be the level "Breach and Clear".

Multiplayer reveal event
On September 15, 2009, there was a massive multiplayer reveal event. Many gameplay videos and developer interviews were published on numerous video game websites. These provided large amounts of information about weapons, equipment, Perks, attachments, gametypes, and maps.

TGS 2009
On September 25, 2009, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 ' s multiplayer was again shown, revealing more features.

Downloadable content
Activision has announced that they plan to release a minimum of two downloadable map packs for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Microsoft announced at E3 2009 that these map packs would be available for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live before they would be released on other platforms. It is set to be released in Spring 2010.

In an Interview with Todd Alderman, it was mentioned that it is possible for there to be "Halo 3 like" video sharing to be added on later as DLC.

Retail editions and spin-offs
The game will be released in four different editions for the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360. The PC will only be receiving the first edition on the list. These are; Regular, Hardened, Veteran and Prestige:


 * Regular - Comes with only the game disc and manual in a standard plastic case like most other games. It will cost £45/$60. This is the only version available for the PC.


 * Hardened - Comes with the game disc and the manual, along with an art book, a steel case, and a code to download the original Call of Duty game. It will cost £60/$80.


 * Veteran -On September 18 2009 GAME announced a 'Veteran Edition' which includes all the contents of the Hardened Edition, but includes a "Soap" MacTavish ultra-premium ARTFX Statue sculpted by Kotobukiya. The statue has 3 sets of interchangeable weapons and arms, including: Dual ice-climbing pickaxes, Dual .45 caliber pistols, M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (affixes to Soap's back when not in use). It is unknown if this will be available to UK Game Customers only or other GAME retailers worldwide. It can only be pre-ordered currently in the UK to GAME customers who have a 'GAME Reward Card.' It will cost £100.


 * Prestige - Includes all content of the Hardened Edition, as well as fully-functional night vision goggles imprinted with the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 logo and a sculpted head stand of "Soap" MacTavish. It will cost £115/$150. It is supposedly sold out in the UK and Australia.

A special edition Xbox 360 will also be released alongside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, though pre-order is available now. The bundle includes an Xbox 360 with MW2 graphics, the Regular edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a 250GB harddrive, two black wireless controllers, and a headset. Pricing is set at $399/AU$599. Additionally, the 250GB harddrive will only be available with the bundle and will not be sold separately.

Aside from the main console versions, two other Call of Duty games will be released alongside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on November 10, 2009. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized is a Nintendo DS companion narrative game to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex is a Treyarch-converted Wii port of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare''.

Peripherals
On July 21, 2009, Infinity Ward's Community Manager Robert Bowling revealed through Twitter that a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 controller was in the works, but initially withheld the name of the manufacturer. It was revealed on August 11, 2009 that peripherals manufacturer Mad Catz was contracted by Activision to create a line of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 controllers and accessories for all platforms that the game will be released on.

On August 24 2009, Mad Catz revealed their Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 lineup including Combat Controllers for Xbox 360 and PS3 platforms, a Throat Communicator for Xbox 360, and a Bluetooth Headset for PS3. For PC there is a Combat Gamepad, "Sniper" Mouse with 2 stage weighting system, and Combat Keyboard. The Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers feature programmable combat buttons. The accessories come in black and snow digital camo. There is also going to be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Skins and Faceplates if you do not wish to buy the Mad Catz gear, which snap onto the controller and console rather than being a vinyl skin. The accessories will be launching along side the game.

GameStop
GameStop is sponsoring a prize giveaway for customers who pre-ordered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, named Surprize Attack. Everyday, from October 1, 2009 to November 9, 2009, contestants have two chances to enter a drawing for a daily prize. The five major prizes are a customized Hummer H2, a custom Polaris 550 IQ Shift snowmobile (as seen in the mission Cliffhanger), a custom Ducati Hypermotard 1100 motorcycle, a custom Zodiac Cadet C310LR inflatable boat (RHIB), and a Russian Ultranationalist Briefcase containing 100,000 Rubles (approx. $3,433.54).

In addition to the five major prizes, thousands of other prizes are available, including, but not limited to, military gear, civilian and military apparel (including Ghillie suits), limited edition accessories, MadCatz controllers, and the Prestige Edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Downloadable ringtones and wallpapers are also available. A special tournament is also available for players to sign up for and compete for cash prizes. For more information visit surprizeattack.com.

Monster Energy
Monster Energy is releasing a special edition Modern Warfare 2 energy drink, similar to Mountain Dew Game Fuel, labled "Assault." A prize sweepstakes is also being sponsored by the company: prize codes can be obtained from specially-marked Monster Energy 4-Packs and be redeemed at Monster's website. Prize list is as follows:
 * 1st Prize: Hardened Edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for Xbox 360 or PS3
 * 2nd Prize: Free download for Map Pack 1 (Due out in Spring 2010)
 * 3rd Prize: MW2 Dashboard Theme for Xbox 360 or PS3
 * 4th Prize: Free 16oz. Monster Energy Coupon

In addition to these, Sam's Club will be getting an exclusive offer: those who purchase a specially-marked Monster Energy 6-Pack at the store will gain special access to an Infinity Ward hosted live Webinar, titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Combat Training Experience, which will give an in-depth look of MW2. For more info visit Monster Energy.

Videos
Video:Modern Warfare 2 Teaser Trailer (HD) Video:Modern Warfare 2 Promotional Video Video:Modern Warfare 2 Second Gametrailers Teaser Video:Modern Warfare 2 Worldwide Reveal Trailer (Official HD) Video:Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer AC130 (Official HD) Video:Modern Warfare 2 E3 Gameplay Video:Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Gameplay Uncut: Flag Runner (Official HD) Video:MadCatz MW2 Gear Preview Video:Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition Unboxing (Official) Video:Modern Warfare 2 Infamy

Trivia

 * Blood droplets have been added to the gameplay's HUD, so whenever the player is hit by enemy fire, blood will now cover the screen, possibly making the game less playable than before for younger players.
 * Dust will cover the screen when a grenade explodes nearby.
 * Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the first Call of Duty sequel that actually refers back to the original game (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare). All the other games focused on different battles or events and never related back to the ones before it.
 * In Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 if you pick up an enemy's weapon the gun's attachment will appear on screen such as "AK-47 ACOG" or "FAMAS Red Dot Sight".
 * If a gun has the Bling perk with it, that will appear as the name above the pick-up icon instead of the attachments.
 * Host Migration has been implemented - if the host of a multiplayer game leaves, the game will automatically pause for a few seconds to choose a new host, and then the game will resume.
 * Both of the multiplayer videos currently available have had an extra part at the end of the video where a player shows a new weapon that goes in the primary grenade slot by having a 'humiliation' style kill by sticking or hitting fourzerotwo (Robert Bowling, Infinity Ward's creative strategist) on the head with the new weapon.
 * Like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, there are no openly controllable vehicles in adversarial multiplayer modes; the only known "vehicle" is the AC-130 Spectre, and the user can only control the gun positions.
 * Inside the art book, there is a picture of a person on a motorcycle, strongly hinting toward a usable motorcycle in the campaign.
 * There will be Monster Energy drinks for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
 * In an interview with Lead Character Artist Joel Emslie, he confirmed that the game is set "five years after" Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
 * This game is the first set in busy cities like Rio De Janiero.
 * This is the first game in the series to feature more than two editions (like the Regular, Hardened, Prestige and Veteran), rather than just Standard and Collector's.
 * Some of the Special Ops missions are based on the single-player levels in the game.
 * Avatar items will be created, with IW's Robert Bowling stating "Not sure we'll be doing any Avatar rewards, but we are making avatar items. With some free ones hopefully."
 * Although many people believe that the Beginning of the Infamy trailer takes place in a American, British, or Australian airport, it actually takes place in a Russian airport (you can see a Russian flag and Russian words). This shows that the new Ultranationalist leader, Makarov, is even more ruthless than his predecessor, and is willing to kill Russian civilians.
 * Many stores have a countdown for when the game will be released.