Actually, the multiplayer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 should not be revealed until September 15th, when the big CoD Next Event takes place. But developer Infinity Ward is apparently already beginning to publish smaller teasers and bits of information in advance.
In a new post on Twitter and TikTok, the first official multiplayer scenes were surprisingly visible:
link to Twitter content
Although the clip is just over a minute long, it shows a new map, a weapon and reveals a few facts about the multiplayer design.
What was shown?
For the first time we see true first-person scenes from the game in a multiplayer environment. Previously, there were longer gameplay sections from the solo campaign to see.
The developers unveil the Map Farm 18a kind of secret training ground for special forces, set on an abandoned factory site that is partially derelict and overgrown.
The character moves through the interior and exterior of the map and also fires her weapon, which is an M4 – we have already identified other weapon models from the other trailers and images.
What do the developers say?
Multiplayer lead developer Geoff Smith explains that the aim is to combine the close quarters combat of the MW 2019 Shoothouse map with a classic 6v6 map:
We put the shoothouse in the middle of the map, so to speak. If you want some really super crazy action, you’ll find it there. If you prefer to go other ways and prefer a different style of play, you can do that on Farm 18 as well.
The camper problem of the predecessor is also addressed: Make sure there isn’t too much bush on the map, explains map artist Ashley Thundercliff. “If the vegetation is too thick, people hide in corners. Too little and the industrial site doesn’t look overgrown. So we try to find a good balance here: It should look beautiful and realistic and at the same time be fun!«
Farm 18 is the game’s second officially unveiled map, previously revealed Marina Bay Grand Prix, set on a Formula 1 circuit.
Three facts we can take away from the clip
In addition to the statements made by the makers themselves, the video also shows a few smaller but still exciting points.
- Map-Design: The bird’s eye view of Farm 18 shows quite clearly that the developers are returning to the classic design with three lanes – i.e. clear paths and lines of sight in a more or less symmetrical structure. MW2019 was often criticized for its labyrinthine map layouts with too many nooks and crannies. 3-lane maps, on the other hand, are considered particularly easy to read, balanced and competitive.
- Weapon Recoil: The recoil of the M4 in the video clip looks strikingly strong and differs significantly from its 2019 predecessor. The weapon’s rear sight and front sight simulate violent movements when firing – but this does not mean that the weapons in MW2 are less accurate per se, it is most likely an optical one design decision. The operator of the ModernWarzone fansite speaks the strong recoil also in a tweet.
- Graphics and style: Even though it’s a rather low-resolution Tiktik video, the graphics look quite impressive. Significant improvements compared to MW2019 can be seen in the interior lighting in particular. Also, many areas are brimming with small details like debris lying around, bullet holes riddled with pillars, electrical boxes sparking, and so on.
How Infinity Ward otherwise wants to improve the shooter and why there is a well thought-out plan behind the restrained innovations, you can read in our big preview of CoD MW2