Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 receives explosive gameplay reveal trailer

Activision delivered today the reveal trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The adrenaline-fueled, high-octane trailer gives us our first look at Task Force 141 in action and just a glimpse at what made this squad of elite soldiers so legendary.

Activision kept the story details for the campaign intentionally vague, alluding only to a “newly aligned menace with deep, yet unknown, connections.” We do know the campaign will take us on a globe-trotting adventure that will take us across Europe, Asia and the Americas on a wide range of missions that include underwater combat, explosive assaults and stealth operations.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 serves as a sequel to 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which successfully rebooted the Modern Warfare sub-series. You’ll fight alongside iconic squadmates such as Captain John Price, Kyle “Gaz” Garrick, Simon “Ghost” Riley, and newcomer Colonel Alejandro Vargas of the Mexican Special Forces. Check out the trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 below.

In addition to the reveal trailer, Activision touched on some of Modern Warfare 2’s other game modes, including the tactical co-op mode Special Ops and the traditional Multiplayer. We, unfortunately, didn’t get to see any multiplayer action, but Activision promises gameplay innovations, like a revamped Gunsmith, and a robust post-release calendar that will feature free content drops with new maps, modes and special events.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is described as the most advanced in franchise history thanks, in large part, to its game engine, which is the same one that debuted in 2019 with Modern Warfare. For the first time in franchise history, all game modes in Modern Warfare 2 will run on the same unified game engine.

"Modern Warfare II features a physically based material system allowing for state-of-the-art photogrammetry, a new hybrid tile-based streaming system, a new PBR decal rendering system, world volumetric lighting, 4K HDR, as well as a new GPU geometry pipeline. All of this is in service of a massive cinematic Campaign."

Perhaps, more importantly, is what Modern Warfare 2 will bring to the table with its advanced AI system. For the first time, enemies and friendlies across the Campaign and Special Opts will actually act tactically, using combat and cover maneuvering techniques.

We’re also getting Warzone 2.0, the next evolution of the Call of Duty battle royale mode. Shortly after Modern Warfare 2 releases, Warzone 2.0 will launch. Not only will the battle royale spinoff be updated with Modern Warfare 2 content and systems, but it will come with new technology, features and gameplay adjustments.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is set to launch on October 28, 2022. It will be available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One PC (via Battle.net and Steam). We’ll likely get more details and gameplay footage from Multiplayer and Warzone 2.0 before then.