This year, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer will take the reins from Vanguard as the run-and-gun FPS game for deathmatch fans, and developer Infinity Ward says it’s looking to ramp up the chaos this time out. The experience the studio has gained from Call of Duty: Warzone has informed the way it’s approached multiplayer this year, and it’s looking to encourage the more emergent gameplay styles that it’s seen develop in the battle royale game.
Modern Warfare II multiplayer will feature some new player movements and new gadgets meant to support more emergent playstyles. Infinity Ward has added a new dive, which joins the slide – holding the slide button down turns it into a dive that can launch a player through a window or into water headfirst, in order to get out of the line of fire faster at the cost of having your weapon ready.
Another new traversal mechanic is the ledge hang, which allows players to cling to certain edges and poke a pistol over without fully exposing their whole silhouette to enemy fire. Water will play a big role this year, with new systems built to handle concealment while submerged and water’s impact on bullet velocity.
Modern Warfare II multiplayer will also be big on vehicles, and there are new mechanics coming to those as well. Players will be able to lean out truck windows and climb on the roofs. When attacking vehicles, it’ll be possible to blow off the doors or burst tyres. Infinity Ward is adding helicopter troop transports and amphibious vehicles for use with the new water tech.
New field upgrades and gadgets will expand the possibilities in Modern Warfare II. A tactical camera provides shared vision for your whole squad, while the new drill charge that bores through walls and fires an explosive at anything on the other side. There’s also an inflatable infantry decoy, straight out of Metal Gear Solid.
For Gunsmith, weapons will unlock as branches on a ‘family tree,’ so players will begin with an initial SMG or assault rifle, and unlock additional guns within that specific platform as they rank up.
Finally, Modern Warfare II and the next iteration of Warzone will share an engine, and both will feature Activision’s Ricochet anti-cheat system on day one.