No Zombie Mode in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – What It Means for Gamers
Let‘s address the zombie elephant in the room – despite intense demand from fans, Infinity Ward has officially confirmed zombies will not be featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (MW2) at launch or in post-release content updates.
This absence of the iconic zombie co-op mode has left many in the COD community quite disappointed. Having battled the undead hordes across various Treyarch titles like Black Ops, Vanguard, and Mobile, players have come to crave mixing gunplay with ghastly gameplay.
Why Remove Zombies in MW2?
Infinity Ward creative director Jack O‘Hara explained the decision to omit zombies from MW2:
"We don‘t have the flexibility to do something like put zombies in the game. That would compromise the feeling of playing in a world that feels realistic and authentic and relative to today‘s conflicts and things we face."
The team aimed to craft an immersive modern military experience focused on contemporary combat realism. Supernatural enemies like zombies didn‘t align with this tactical atmosphere and setting.
Still, fans have come to expect blasting bundles of bloody, biting baddies in newer COD games. Having sunk hours mastering maps like Der Anfang and Terra Maledicta, players feel slighted losing their undead outlet in MW2.
What About the Zombie Leaks?
Dataminers did uncover zombie assets in MW2‘s code, sparking speculation that zombies could arrive later. But Activision stated these are likely just placeholders and bugs, not evidence of plans for eventual zombie inclusion.
Zombies Return…Just Not Yet
While zombie devotees may feel shunned by MW2, all is not lost. Indeed, the future looks frightfully bright for experiencing COD carnage against creepy cadavers once again soon:
| Game | Status |
|---|---|
| Vanguard | Existing zombies mode still active |
| Cold War | Existing zombies mode still active |
| Mobile | Existing zombies mode still active |
| Warzone | Zombies teased for major update in 2024 |
| 2024 Treyarch COD | Next core series entry confirmed to feature zombies |
So Modern Warfare 2‘s lack of zombies stings but does not indicate the mode is gone from Call of Duty forever.
What MW2 PvE Modes Exist Instead of Zombies?
For co-op play in MW2 itself, options besides zombies include:
- Spec Ops: Classic missions against human AI enemies
- Raids: Story co-op missions expanding the MW2 narrative
- DMZ: Open-world extraction shooter with PvE elements
Spec Ops and Raids offer great co-op fun even lacking zombies. And DMZ provides intriguing PvPvE play compared to a strict zombies match.
The Future Looks (Un)Dead On
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer showcases Infinity Ward‘s superb skill crafting modern combat encounters. The choice to avoid zombies empowers designing unmatched gunplay and tactics while restrained to human limits.
Even so, blasting the deceased remains integral to yearly COD games as Treyarch has demonstrated masterfully. Expect the 2024 planned Black Ops revival and beyond to embrace hordes of the horrific once again.
Rather than condemn MW2 for its lack of zombies, praise Infinity Ward‘s focus on incredible PvP and human co-op while anticipating Treyarch soon satisfying fans hungry for brains. The dead will have their day…just not today in MW2.
