Call of Duty: Modern Warfare First Impressions

Call of Duty is back again for 2019 – this time with its development being overseen by Infinity Ward. As a fan of the franchise and an annual buyer of the game, I am excited to see what new gameplay mechanics will be added. I’m also pretty excited to see what aspects might be different than the previous year’s title.  This year’s release will go back to the old Modern Warfare series, though maybe not in the way we would’ve expected. My assumption was we would receive Modern Warfare 4, possibly with a remaster of the popular Modern Warfare 2. This is not the case. This game is actually a soft reboot of the franchise and I couldn’t be more excited. After watching tons of gameplay and the announcements that followed, there is so much to already talk about.

Notable Changes to Call of Duty Modern Warfare

No Season Pass

First off, there is no season pass!! The reason behind this that Activision gives is that “the team can deliver more free maps and content, as well as post-launch events to all players.” I applaud Activision for taking this step. Many companies have taken this approach, and this should work out in their favor, especially with next-gen coming up around the corner.

Cross-Play

The next big thing I noticed was cross-play. Activision has not gone any further than the following statement when asked about cross-play: “With the launch of Modern Warfare, the team is taking steps to unite the community. First, the team plans for Modern Warfare to be played together across PC and console through cross-play support.” Does this mean Xbox can finally play against PS4 players? Or will it just be PC playing with either PS4 players or Xbox? I’m really excited to find out how this plays out.

Multiplayer Modes & Killstreaks

For players who manage to rack up kills in multiplayer without being taken down themselves, killstreaks have finally returned, including the juggernaut and the tactical nuke.

IW came out and said they rebuilt the multiplayer experience from the ground up and took out the “3 Lane” maps we are all used to. Sound plays a critical role now as footsteps and bullets can be heard from further out; this has been redesigned for a more realistic approach. Some new game types are also added, including the 2v2 mode and 20v20. Rumors are also saying that there might even be a 40v40 or 50v50.

Final Thoughts On Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

While Modern Warfare is technically a remake, the 2019 version of the game adds in quite a bit of new content and gameplay options. A new night-vision multiplayer mode has opposing teams set against one another in dark maps, where they must tactically use their weapon’s lasers to coordinate attacks and strategies while with the goggles on. 

After watching multiple videos of gameplay, it reminds me of a mix between Battlefield and Rainbow Six, but with that Call of Duty vibe to it. Overall, I am extremely excited to get my hands on it and to find out for myself what the OG CoD company came up with.

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare will release October 25th, 2019. It will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.