Demystifying MW2 Content Packs: What They Are and Who Should Buy Them

As someone who has already sunk over 30 hours into Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare II (MW2) gameplay, I know firsthand how confusing the array of available "Content Packs" can be, especially with dollar figures reaching up to $100.

Well friends, you‘ve come to the right place. By the end of this expansive guide covering everything content packs, you‘ll know exactly what gameplay perks and items each one includes, have crystal clarity on how they impact the 360 MW2 experience, and can determine which (if any) are worthwhile picks for your playstyle and budget.

Defining MW2 Content Packs at a Baseline

I touched briefly on the purpose of content packs earlier, but let‘s clear up any lingering questions surrounding what they actually are at their core:

MW2 Content Packs provide players access to additional digital content to expand and enhance their gameplay experience.

This spans numerous elements that range from fully-fledged game modes to cosmetic items that simply offer alternate player skins. The content unlocked falls into five primary buckets:

• Multiplayer Modes & Maps – New 6v6 arenas, combat arenas supporting higher player counts (e.g. Ground War), and specialty mode playlists.
• Co-Op Missions – Extended storylines and challenges to complete solo or in teams via the game‘s Special Ops mode.
• Weapon Packs – Signature armaments and blueprints tailor-made for fan favorite characters like Soap, Ghost and Farah.
• Operator Packs – Cosmetic character models that allow you to suit up as iconic MW personalities.
• Bonus XP Tokens – Redeemable consumables that temporarily increase experience points earned across multiplayer and Spec Ops.

Expanding on this further, content packs that include access to new maps and missions deliver the most tangible impact on gameplay – introducing greater environmental diversity, new rules/conditions, and expanded progression avenues.

Alternatively, weapon blueprints, operators, and XP boosts cater to players motivated by cosmetic collection and shortened unlock grinds rather than fundamentally new gameplay.

Now that we‘ve established a firm grasp on what purpose content packs serve, let‘s examine how they‘re bundled across MW2‘s various editions…

MW2 Editions & Included Content Packs

MW2 is available across 3 primary editions, each bundling different combinations of content packs that scale in quantity and value. These editions include:

Analyzing the inclusions:

• The Standard Edition provides just base access to MW2‘s campaign, multiplayer, and Special Ops for a reasonable $69.99 entry pricepoint.
• The Cross-Gen Bundle delivers comparable base content, but furnishes access across both console generations for the same cost. Allowing MW2 gameplay across Xbox One/PS4 and Xbox Series X/PS5.
• The Vault Edition compiles the Base Game with the first season Battle Pass (~100 unlockable items), 55 instant Battle Pass tier skips putting you well on your way to max rank rewards, two cosmetic content packs, and 10 hours of bonus weapon & player XP boosting your early grind.

Now that we‘ve itemized what comes bundled with each edition, let‘s shift gears and scrutinize the tangible value delivered in these content packs when we quantify the gameplay and progression impact they provide…

Evaluating Content Pack Dollar Values Against Gameplay Value

While cosmetic collectibles surely have subjective value, when we talk about dollars and cents – or the time investment required in lieu of spending money – we need to get objective.

To do so, let‘s explore the economic breakout of key content packs using presumptive data to assign dollar values towards their unlocked gameplay and grind-reducing power:

Battle Pass & Tier Skips – $158 Value

• The Vault Edition includes the inaugural Modern Warfare II Battle Pass granting access to over 100 unlockable items across weapons, operators, accessories and more.
• Based on other live service game passes, we can reasonably estimate the standard cost of this around $10 worth of premium currency.
• Additionally, 55 instant tier skips are included, advancing you over halfway through the content path. If we again refer to pricing precedents, we can assign a ~$2 value per skip – totalling $110 here.
• Combined, the bundled Battle Pass and skips carry a presumptive value near $120.

Granting players over a hundred unlocks and propelling progress forward by dozens of hours, this content objectively holds tremendous functionality.

Red Team 141 Operator & FJX Cinder Weapon Prints – $30 Value

• These cosmetic content packs deliver asset variants and skins for both character models and weapons.
• Cowen Equity Research suggests cosmetic content in premium games hold around $2 to $7 of inherent value per item.
• With over half a dozen items combined between the two packs, that spots these around a $30 value point.

While cosmetics may not directly enable new gameplay, they undoubtedly enhance enjoyment and personalization for scores of players.

10 Hours Double XP & Weapon XP – $20 Value

• Doubling multiplication of experience points for both player levels and weapon proficiency for 10 hours notably accelerates early grind.
• Without these active, we can model that the 0-10 hour grind equates to around 3-5 levels gained and up to 2.5 weapon proficiencies unlocked.
• With double XP grants activated, that same 10 hours likely unlocks 6-10 levels and up to 5 weapon proficiencies – saving days of gradual grind.
• Based on the dollar value assigned to XP boosts and progression skips in comparable titles, we can reasonably assess this at around $20 value.

Altogether, the Vault Edition content packs carries near $170 worth of quantifiable value. Next we‘ll put this into context and provide recommendations….

Content Pack Value as a Percentage of Gameplay Hours

While the over $150 value ascribed to the Vault Edition‘s content packs seems substantial, that number means little without context. Let‘s provide that by comparing it to total gameplay hours:

• The average Call of Duty game provides around 15 hours of single player campaign gameplay via a traditional playthrough according to HowLongToBeat.com.
• However, CoD shines through endless multiplayer and co-op replayability. We can expect to invest 100+ hours here to fully grind weapon proficiencies and high player ranks.
• Combined, a reasonable benchmarkwould be ~120 hours of total gameplay.
• Stacking up our ~$170 content pack value against this, these packs provide over 140% multiplier atop the base game‘s value.

based on the above demonstrative data, while priced at a premium – the Vault Edition‘s day one content meaningfully expands gameplay, accelerating the experience earning its cost at least 1.4x over.

For further context, the included Contents Packs amass 31 items between missions, maps and cosmetics. That spots the per-item value around $5.50 – closely aligned to industry norms.

In closing, let‘s wrap up with some final recommendations…

Recommendations on Optimal MW2 Edition by Player Profile

When deciding which MW2 edition may be right for you, consider the following:

Multiplatform Players:
The Cross-Gen Bundle allows you to seamlessly enjoy MW2 across console generations for a digestible $69.99.

Warzone Fanatics:
Good news, Warzone 2.0 shares progress with MW2 and is entirely free – no need to buy-in!

Cosmetic Collectors:
The plethora of bundled player skins, blueprints and bonus XP tokens make the Vault Edition a value-packed play.

Campaign Focused:
Stick to the Standard Edition for $69.99 cost barrier and full single player access. Multiplayer can wait!

At the end of the day, MW2 will deliver a polished, high-fidelity experience regardless of the edition you select. But I hope this full exploration of content packs gives you confidence in deciding which fits your budget! Feel free to reach out with any other questions. Enjoy the grind!