Activision: Modern Warfare 2 set to eclipse previous Call of Duty games

by Justin McElroy { Jun 9th 2009 at 5:15PM }

According to the most recent data, Call of Duty 4 has sold nearly 3 hojillion units since its 2007 release, and Activision says that a fifth of Call of Duty: World at War players were new to the franchise. By its math, that means Modern Warfare 2 is poised to become the biggest-selling Call of Duty game ever.

We don't want to be jerks about this, and we know it's not really the point but at what point does this stop being a Call of Duty game? Like, is the absence of the words "call," "of," and "duty" from the title not enough to separate it from the franchise? At what point to restraining orders need to be involved?

Tags: activision, call-of-duty, call-of-duty-4, infinity-ward, modern-warfare-2

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Duke @ Jun 9th 2009 5:17PM

So we are all going to be compelled to buy 2 copies because it will be that amazing?

captainprotonx @ Jun 9th 2009 5:21PM

You already have it. Activision found your gamertag and auto charged the game to your account.

Expext enlistment on day one.

FAnchax @ Jun 9th 2009 7:01PM

Bye money

The Dark Wayne @ Jun 9th 2009 5:18PM

I just went to gamestop and when they asked some guy if he wanted to preorder anything the clerk said "Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2" Even if it isn't the title I think it will be a lot more obvious than people think

joeybeast @ Jun 9th 2009 5:24PM

I have a feeling that Activision will at least put a sticker on the box saying "From the creators of 'Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'".

If I was Activision I wouldn't take the risk of not having the 'Call of Duty' brand at all.

Sly [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 9th 2009 6:24PM

speaking about preordering modern warfare 2, did any of the clerks in your local gamestops mention a beta for MW2 on all ps3, 360, and PC? because when i went to preorder it, they said to come back later because gamestop is gonna have exclusive beta codes for those consoles. i just want to make sure it's true, since it hasn't been reported on joystiq.

The Dark Wayne @ Jun 9th 2009 9:04PM

sorry sly, the guy said no so the clerk didnt elaborate.

CzAr @ Jun 9th 2009 5:25PM

Considering MAG comes out the same month... I'd rather play MAG.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 9th 2009 5:27PM

I'm not a gambling man, but I'd be willing to bet you are in the EXTREME minority there. In fact, thanks for letting me know both are coming out in the same month, because now I know for sure MAG will flop.

Adam @ Jun 9th 2009 5:34PM

I'm also leaning towards MAG. I played a crapload of COD 4, and will play it again (I'm too busy playing inFamous and Killzone 2 right now), but MAG is just different enough that it is more enticing to me.

I probably won't make my decision until after I've watched gameplay of the final product of each game, but I prefer large levels and MAG is almost guaranteed to have nothing but large levels. I never enjoyed the small maps on COD 4 - probably because I suck and can't hide from the firefight in a small level.

WREturns @ Jun 9th 2009 5:38PM

Goddamnit, tmac! Stop making me agree with you so much today!

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Jun 9th 2009 5:46PM

I'm GameFly'ing both...

Never been much of a CoD fan but I do like CoD4 better than W@W so I will try MW2 out and I might "Keep it" if I get hooked....already know I will end up Keeping MAG because its made by Zipper and Zipper did good things with SOCOM

Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ Jun 9th 2009 5:51PM

I don't have the broadband to support it so COD:MW2 all the way.I liked how you can complete the first Modern Warfare without going online and it was challenging.

MAG maybe when I get a better connection to play it to be honest I wanted Socom 4.Good thing there are still FTB games on the PSP.

NaeemTHM @ Jun 9th 2009 6:05PM

Wait what! MAG is launching in the same YEAR as Modern Warfare 2? Are they out of their minds?

I've followed both MAG and MW2 closely this E3 and all signs point to MAG being quite ho-hum as a overall FPS.

I mean yes it will allow an insane amount of players to duke it out online, but apparently you won't even see the other 100 or so players. Instead it will just be your team of 8 vs another team of 8. So while there is an epic battle going on, you're basically confined to a small portion of the map.

Someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong about this. I really want to have the ability to run across a monstrous map and watch a fucking 200 person war unfold.

BananaBoat @ Jun 9th 2009 6:09PM

I'm a little bit worried about MAG. I've heard chatter about how the game was lagging like a mother at E3. I've also heard a lot of people say that it felt very generic while they were playing it. Hopefully being a commander will differentiate the experience from games like Battlefield 2.

Oh, and I may be nuts here, but if you use your tentative title for two E3's in a row, doesn't it become your real title? Could they change it from MAG to something else at this point? I have a hard time imagining the marketing push for the "Massive Action Game" compared to, say, "Modern Warfare 2".

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 9th 2009 6:14PM

MAG is looking very rough. Everyone has been reporting that the E3 demo had a lot of lag and, yes there is 256 players but no one actually saw anything more than what looked like 16 vs 16. So if that's the case, what's the point of advertising 256 players? If it's just to give you a feel that you're a small part of a larger battle without actually letting you have a massive battle, then I have to stand up and call bullshit on the hyping of having 256 players.

Moris @ Jun 9th 2009 7:36PM

Do your research. YOU CAN explore the entire map where all 256 players are present, so yes you will be able to see everyone, and no you will NOT be confined to a small area.

ThatPCgameryouhate @ Jun 9th 2009 9:49PM

Do your research. YOU CAN explore the entire map where all 256 players are present, so yes you will be able to see everyone, and no you will NOT be confined to a small area.

The question is, will MAG be practical? Will you actually meet up with another 256 people in a server without having to wait forever until everyone has a stable connection?
This hasn't even been done on PC, to be honest, I would be very surprised if MAG worked like imagined.

BananaBoat @ Jun 9th 2009 11:04PM

@moris - That would completely defeat the purpose of having a commander and objectives to complete. You could run all over the map, but if everyone did that, I don't think winning would be possible.

I can't speak for him, but I think what he's trying to say is that while there may be 256 players, you will never feel like there are 256 players. I'm hoping for the exact opposite, and I think the game absolutely hinges on how well it can make you feel like the things you are doing actually matter.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Jun 9th 2009 5:25PM

ya know what...I dont doubt that it WILL sell better than W@W as COD 4 is far better than that.....but its getting old...They might as well pull an EA Sports and just Call ot "Call of Duty 2010" and just go from there...

B3astofthe3ast @ Jun 9th 2009 5:35PM

But you see, you don't buy the yearly ones....just the IW ones, so once every 2 years.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Jun 9th 2009 5:39PM

Yea infinity Ward does make the better game...

jarhead906 @ Jun 10th 2009 12:30AM

So far:

IW > Treyarch

But Activision/IW are making it kind of hard when it announces temporary exclusive map pack DLC for the Xbox 360 when the game won't even release for several months.

Thanks Microsoft. What would we do without you.

B3astofthe3ast @ Jun 9th 2009 5:26PM

I might buy two copies, for the PS3 and 360, its gunna be THAT good.

JXCgunrunna @ Jun 9th 2009 5:32PM

Ill get it for the PC and the 360... just like CoD2 and CoD4.

Cosmo @ Jun 9th 2009 6:39PM

I'll buy two copies for the PC, because the PC kicks ass and so does this franchise. Well, I can give the copy to my bro. : )

B3astofthe3ast @ Jun 9th 2009 6:41PM

I guess I got low ranked cuz I have both systems?

LordToastington @ Jun 9th 2009 6:50PM

People suck like that, Beast.

Inect @ Jun 9th 2009 7:07PM

No because you showed no sign of fanboyism.

BASTARD!!!!

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 9th 2009 5:26PM

Oh activision. You are so evil that you make me hand my money over to Gamestop without thinking twice. I can patiently wait a week or two for a used copy if it means not giving them my money.

The Dark Wayne @ Jun 9th 2009 5:30PM

im confused, do you not want to give gamestop money or activison?

JXCgunrunna @ Jun 9th 2009 5:31PM

You would rather give fucking gamestop ur money? Activision is the lesser of the two evils in my book and i really dislike activision with their milking of every good franchise.

God i hate you Tmac

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 9th 2009 5:36PM

Actually I have no issue with Gamestop, as I've never had a bad experience at the one near me. I would much rather have a used game retailer than something like full digital distribution, where prices rarely ever go down and when they do it's a special 1 week deal.

But the people running Activision are true scum of the earth, and the thought of my money helping to pay for Bobby's golden chandelier in his mammoth mansion hurts my honor and pride.

@JXC

Why so serious? Do you work for Inifinity Ward? I have nothing against them personally, but unfortunately for them they're under Activision.

Dirty @ Jun 9th 2009 5:59PM

Death to ...... eh you know the rest.

JXCgunrunna @ Jun 9th 2009 6:07PM

I have always thought used games sales have hurt the industry as a whole. Where it be IW or a dev i like less. I dont want only digital distribution either but as someone that uses steam, it is nice to be able to play the game i bought on any computer in my house without having to move disks.

My problem with gamestop is that the devs work hard making their games and the publishers spend time pushing them out to the masses but the used sales retailers made 100% of the difference with little to no effort. If i like a dev, i will ways buy a game new. thats just me tho

BananaBoat @ Jun 9th 2009 6:17PM

EA is evil, Activision is evil, what publisher isn't evil at this point?

Both of them are still less evil than GameStop. The first time they denied me the purchase of a game because I didn't pre-order, when it was obvious that they had a million copies, was the last time I ever went there. That they bent EB Games over a table, and did unspeakable things to Babbages, is just icing on the cake (I can't remember exactly what happened).

Actually, that isn't true. I was searching for a used copy of Ico last week because my original copy is getting long in the tooth (and scratched to hell) and I found one with Gamestop's website inventory checker. I got there and it was a mint copy with a box and manual that was probably only played once. It didn't have any stickers on it yet, and it was only 20 bucks (compare with the going price on Ebay: 40+ dollars for one in decent condition). I now love that particular gamestop and want to have its children, but I still hate the company.

JXCgunrunna @ Jun 9th 2009 5:28PM

I love it because IW wants this to be separated from the work that Treyarch does, rightfully so, and Activision basically says "Yea yea call it what you want, just make us a shitload of money" so IW is like "ok now lets advertise the hell out of this as MW2" but they guys at Activision will call it Call of Duty 6

Robert Maynard @ Jun 9th 2009 5:31PM

Infinity Ward is basically all that has kept me from being able to boast a total Activision boycott for almost two years.

Mazrael @ Jun 9th 2009 5:31PM

"Activision: Modern Warfare 2 set to eclipse previous Call of Duty games" especially the Treyarch ones....

J Snaz @ Jun 9th 2009 5:40PM

hour 1 purchase for me

Alex @ Jun 9th 2009 5:42PM

Poor Treyarch. I bet they feel pathetic.

PS, Is it pronounced Trey-arch, or Trey-ark?

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Jun 9th 2009 5:51PM

yes...that is how it is pronounced...

Vidikron @ Jun 9th 2009 5:54PM

Probably the latter.... but TreyArch continues to get a bad rap. W@W is a very good game. The 4-player campaign co-op was a blast as is the zombies mode. CoD4 may have better MP, but I can't really comment on that as I don't care about it. I don't play much MP, but when I do I prefer larger scale games.

The Dark Wayne @ Jun 9th 2009 6:04PM

i agree vidikron, Treyarch added tons of stuff people were begging for, and a whole lot more too. Now IW wont even gives us co-op! In GI they said it would "break the narrative" Who cares about CoD's story? It's stupid, it's the same faux future military thing we've played in every Tom Clancy game/movie/book ever, just give us fucking co op.

pixelate @ Jun 9th 2009 6:53PM

Loved COD4, buying MW2 on day 1...

but all I know is, I'm really going to miss sniping with an unscoped bolt-action. Treyarch made a pretty great game (even if it was 99% due to IW's work)

Silencio @ Jun 10th 2009 10:28PM

@ pixelate

Just play hardcore and you can snipe with any weapon you want.

Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ Jun 9th 2009 5:42PM

Any word on the content of the collector's edition?

The content in the first Modern Warfare was great.More games should include documentals related to the game and I rather have a BBS Documental an Art book than a fake canteen.Seriously Activision that was lame.