Call of Duty is bringing back the despised General Shepherd from Activision and Infinity Ward’s iconic FPS game, so confirms a subtle Easter egg buried in the new Modern Warfare 2 trailer.
In a blink-and-you’ll-miss it moment, the American general in the new Modern Warfare 2 trailer is seen wearing a black-and-white nameplate that distinctly reads “Shepherd.” It’s hard to spot, least of all because in the original Modern Warfare 2 from back in 2009, the villainous general was played by Aliens legend Lance Henrikson, whereas this time around, he’s portrayed by Battlefield 3 and long-standing Call of Duty voiceover artist Glenn Morshower.
Price, Soap, and Ghost look more or less the same as they did back in 2009, and so the change to Shepherd’s appearance may have been a deliberate choice to throw off keen-eyed fans. Speaking of Ghost (and with a loud spoiler alert), you will likely remember that he was betrayed and executed by Shepherd, along with player character Roach, during the heartbreaking mission Loose Ends. Previous Call of Duty leaks have hinted that this mission may be reimagined in the new Modern Warfare 2, with the sudden appearance of Shepherd in this latest trailer perhaps adding credence to that speculation.
Modern Warfare 2 launches on October 28 and sees Price et al travelling the globe in usual style to stop an international terrorist group. We’ve already had a good look at the multiplayer however, which you can read all about in our Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer beta review.
Alternatively, you may want to get ahead of your opponents with our guide to all the best Modern Warfare 2 guns. We also have an explainer for the new gunsmith system in MW2, and the best M4 loadout, so you can get that assault rifle tuned and singing before heading out into combat.