In the short time since release, Modern Warfare has added a bevy of new game modes, operators, cosmetics, content, and weapons, not to mention the balancing changes and patches that it has added to make player experiences better. The 725 nerf was the biggest balancing change and was likely the moment that the community realized that their input could make a huge difference in the game. The constant-update model that allows the developers to make changes according to community demand is not unique to Call of Duty, but it is certainly welcome.
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With the amount of content added in the few short months since release, 2020 is a promising year for Modern Warfare. Some of the most enticing content will be arriving in very short order, since Season 2 of the Battle Pass may be one of the best updates for quite some time.
Battle Pass Season 2 and Beyond
Season 2 of the Battle Pass will most likely be the best thing for Modern Warfare since its launch. Season 1 already added some of the best weapons in the game alongside fan-favorite maps from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but Season 2 has the potential to drastically improve the game even more. This is because Season 2 will likely add maps from Modern Warfare 2, just as season 1 added maps from the original Modern Warfare.
Modern Warfare 2 had some of the best maps in any Call of Duty game ever. Rust is an all-time classic, but many more of the maps from Modern Warfare 2 have been requested time and time again by hopeful Modern Warfare players.
The addition of a wide array of great classic maps will make Modern Warfare much more enjoyable. The developers have now had experience with their first Battle Pass season, and will take those lessons forward into the future. Likewise, the way that they remake maps will only improve. The only feature that could make the addition of more classic maps better would be an improved playlist system or a map filtering function. As more and more maps are added, an improvement to playlists will become more necessary.
Of course, that’s not the only Battle Pass season players will be getting this year. Early information suggests that Modern Warfare fans may be getting another five seasons in 2020 alone. How each season will improve on the last remains to be seen, but more content is always something to look forward to.
New Maps and Guns
Guns and maps are what make or break a first person shooter. While the maps were one of the initial sticking points for Modern Warfare, the exceptional gunplay was enough to keep players around until more maps were added and balancing changes were implemented. Most players have now had the opportunity to learn each map and level up their favorite guns to get all the attachments. New guns and maps will be necessary to keep the game fresh as even casual players become familiar with everything the base game has to offer. The most important additions to Modern Warfare will always be its weapons and battlegrounds, and 2020 will bring plenty of new options.
Maps from classic Call of Duty games won’t be the only new maps, of course. Shoot House is an all new map to Modern Warfare and is already a fan-favorite. Two of the most popular playlists, Shoot House 24/7 and Shoot the Ship, feature Shoot House prominently. Modern Warfare players usually favor small maps, but the larger arenas that came with the game from launch are nothing to scoff at. More all-new maps will help keep the game fresh for people who have played many previous Call of Duty games too. What brand-new maps the developers will add is almost impossible to predict, but when enough small arenas are added it may pay off to revisit large-scale map design with lessons learned from the existing maps in mind.
The new guns added as a part of Season 1 of the Battle Pass became some of the best weapons in Modern Warfare. However, there have been plenty of leaks for quite some time about guns such as the Vector and even a crossbow. Because so much of Modern Warfare’s appeal is its great weapon progression, adding more guns to play with and level up will keep many players happy. Even though the weapons are fairly well balanced at this point, the addition of more guns will likely require additional buffs and nerfs. The M4A1 and riot shield both still stand out as excessively overpowered weapons.
Community Requests
One of the things that sets Modern Warfare apart from its predecessors is how actively the development team responds to player criticism and makes appropriate changes. While the Modern Warfare community could stand to improve the way they voice their complaints, the developers do pay attention to all of the valid criticisms and suggestions brought forth by passionate fans.
From fan-favorite playlists to consistent nerfs of the most toxic weapons, fan voices have been steadily making a difference in Modern Warfare, with the potential to completely change the way the game feels for the better. The developers are already discussing adding more loadout slots this January, which is a great way to kick off a year of responding to player input.
While the guns in Modern Warfare are now relatively balanced, there are still plenty of balancing changes that players have suggested could improve the game. Extra loadout slots, the ability to filter maps, and fixes for camping and spawns are all areas that the Modern Warfare has room to improve in. Some of these are relatively simple fixes, but upgrading spawns will likely take a much bigger effort for the developers. Luckily, it seems that nearly every update includes some tweak to spawns, so they will slowly be improved over time.
The issues with camping will likely require a much more concerted effort to fix, requiring multiple changes to various aspects of the game. However, more classic maps will probably be the most important fix, and those are already on the way in short order.
Battle Royale
Between Ground War, standard multiplayer modes, and Gunfight, Modern Warfare covers nearly the full gamut of competitive shooter game modes. However, there is one glaring absence that players have been asking about since launch: a battle royale mode.
A battle royale map for Modern Warfare has been visible through various leaks and glitches, but as of yet, there has been little sign of its addition to the game. Modern Warfare will almost certainly add a battle royale mode in 2020, though. Battle royale is easily one of the most popular genres in online shooters, and with its years of experience, Infinity Ward is capable of producing an excellent take on the formula. The popularity of the Ground War game mode is already an example of how successful a larger scale mode could be, and the groundwork is already laid for supporting large numbers of players in a single map at once.
Of course, not every player will want to participate in massive battle royale showdowns. Even more game modes will be necessary to keep the game fresh, if only as a brief break from the bread-and-butter gameplay that team deathmatches provide. Temporary modes like Drop Zone and Snow Fight are always welcome, but it is not too much to hope for some more permanent game modes down the line. Modern Warfare has the player base to support a huge number of modes, and there is plenty more material to draw from in past Call of Duty games.
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Cosmetics and Events
Modern Warfare has a huge number of cosmetics to collect, from payed skins to charms unlocked through challenges. Each gun has plenty of skins to unlock through kill challenges as well, giving grind-focused players plenty of opportunity to work towards platinum and damascus skins. However, some players are already starting to get close to unlocking all the challenges for every gun in the game.
If Modern Warfare aims to maintain an active playerbase for a long time, a great option would be to add more unlockable cosmetics. This is no guarantee for 2020, but it will be something to look out for as the game matures.
On the other hand, new operators are a near-certainty. Part of the popularity of the season 1 Battle Pass was the ability to get new operators. Every player is driven to unlock a character that they think looks cool, and adding more options will only excite people.
Lastly, another year of updates means another year of seasonal events. The popularity of Snow Fight and the holiday Docks Gunfight map bode well for more seasonal events throughout the year. In 2019, Modern Warfare got up on its feet, but 2020 promises to be the most important year for the game’s continued growth and popularity.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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