Summary
- Activision faces backlash for shutting down a fan-made Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 remaster, sparking petitions and criticisms from across the gaming community.
- Former Infinity Ward developer Robert Bowling criticized Activision for stifling user-generated content instead of supporting it.
- Popular esports organization FaZe Clan also expressed disappointment over the shutdown, urging Activision to reconsider its decision.
A former Infinity Ward developer has publicly criticized Activision for shutting down a fan-developed remaster of 2009's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, just a day before its release. The project, which had generated significant excitement within the gaming community, aimed to revive Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer mode with enhanced visuals and updated features.
The H2M Mod was scheduled for release on August 16, but just before its launch, the development team announced via social media that they had received a cease-and-desist order from Activision Publishing. Complying with the legal directive, the developers stated that they were shutting down all operations related to the project immediately and permanently. Some inspiration behind the mod stemmed from Activision’s choice to remaster only the single-player campaign of Modern Warfare 2, leaving its popular multiplayer mode untouched, which had made the mod highly anticipated. The sudden cancelation sparked significant backlash, with players expressing frustration across platforms, leading to review bombing on Steam and refund requests for Modern Warfare Remastered.
In response to Activision’s decision to cancel the Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer remaster, former Infinity Ward developer Robert Bowling expressed criticism. He highlighted that many members of the original Infinity Ward team had backgrounds as modders and had benefited from the mod tools and server files provided with the original Call of Duty PC games. These tools were intended to empower community creations and extend the original vision of the games. Bowling argued that developers should focus on creating systems that support user-generated content communities, rather than limiting their potential.
Faze Clan Also Commented On Activision Shutting Down MW2 H2M
Popular esports organization FaZe Clan also responded to the situation, tweeting its disappointment. It stated that while it was not involved in the remaster project, it had enthusiastic fans who looked forward to creating content, such as an ILLCAMS for the H2 mod. It emphasized that the remaster is a valuable asset for community building and onboarding new players. FaZe Clan urged Activision to reconsider its decision, framing the remaster as an opportunity for harmless fun and community engagement, which it believes is needed for the Call of Duty franchise.
Additionally, the Call of Duty community has launched a petition on Change.org titled "Let H2M-Mod Live in Peace." In less than 24 hours, the petition garnered nearly 6,500 signatures from players advocating for the release of the mod to the public. As of this writing, the petition has accumulated 7,875 signatures, with a goal of reaching 10,000. This growing support underscores the community's strong desire to see the remaster project come to fruition.
- Released
- November 10, 2009
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Infinity Ward
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Call of Duty
WHERE TO PLAY
The most-anticipated game of the year and the sequel to the best-selling first-person action game of all time, Modern Warfare 2 continues the gripping and heart-racing action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse.
Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare 2 features for the first time in video games, the musical soundtrack of legendary Academy Award®, Golden Globe® Award, Grammy® Award and Tony winning composer Hans Zimmer. The title picks up immediately following the historic events of Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare®, the blockbuster title that earned worldwide critical acclaim, including:
"Most Played Online Video Game" in history, 2009 Guinness World Records
More than 50 Game of the Year awards, including the Console Game of the Year and Overall Game of the Year, 2007, from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences®
