Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2fans have been voicing their opinions of the game and its different modes as they become more familiar with their intricacies following its October 28 release. The multiplayer of anyCall of Dutytitle is one of the most important factors, and there are many bold changes that have come with the recent title.
It has to be said that the revamped weapon camouflage progression inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2is one of the most stand-out changes to theCoDformula, being well-received across the board. With how well these changes promote tangible rewards and a more exciting multiplayer grind, a fair case can be made for theMW2camo framework to be the norm in Activision’s massive shooter franchise going forward.
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Call of Duty’s History With Weapon Camouflage
The concept of challenges tied to unlockable camo for weapons did not arrive to the series until therelease ofCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfarein 2007. Offering a level of in-game progression, these challenges related to getting a certain amount of headshot kills or hip-fire kills with a weapon, bestowing the player with an array of attractive in-game weapon skins that could then be used for a specific weapon.
This early formula was built upon over the years, withCall of Duty:Black Ops 2offering more compensative Mastery Camo Challenges. WhileCoD 4did have a Gold camo available for unlocking all other camo skins across specific weapons,Black Ops 2introduced Diamond camouflage for getting Gold on all weapons of the same classification - for example assault rifles or submachine guns.
Mastery camos would go on to be a major factor of theCoDgrind, withCall of Duty: Advanced Warfareupping the stakes by providing a royalty camo for players who unlocked Gold for every weapon in the game. With the majority of subsequentCall of Dutyreleases maintaining this general formula, there was a level of tedium beginning to grip the annual grind, something that the recentModern Warfare 2was clearly aware of. By introducing a variety of changes, the camo system ofMW2honors the core framework and history ofCoDcamos, while giving it a fresh twist that should be carried forward.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s Camo Progression
Despite the infancy of the title, many players are already deeply familiar with the new camo progression system inModern Warfare 2. The biggest change is there are four separate mastery camos: Gold, Platinum, Polyatomic, and Orion. Thefour mastery camos ofModern Warfare 2are more varied than the majority of other franchise installments. With Platinum being interchangeable with the aforementioned Diamond requirements of pastCall of Dutys, Gold and Platinum both act similarly, with players unlocking Polyatomic for achieving Platinum on every base weapon in the game.
Each gun will then possess its own unique Polyatomic Camo Challenge, offering a seriously difficult feat to further a player’s weapon mastery in specific weapon categories. Once a player has completed 51 Polyatomic Challenges, they finallyunlock Orion, the most prestigious camouflage inModern Warfare 2. While Orion is unlocked whenever a weapon’s Polyatomic camo is unlocked, it provides more content by making Weapon Camo Mastery Challenges finally available to the player.
TheseMastery Challenges can provide tangible in-game rewardssuch as emblems, calling cards, and even weapon charms. The scale and depth of these rewards, as well as the overall camo unlock process, is more comprehensive and rewarding for players compared to older releases.
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How Modern Warfare 2’s Camo Progression Could Carry Into Future Call of Duty Titles
While fans are clearly enjoying the more rewarding camo progression ofMW2, the amount of content it includes is likely influenced byModern Warfare 2’sunprecedented two-year life cycle. With this game breaking the longstanding franchise norm of annual releases, a lengthier base of multiplayer content is needed.
This may not carry forward intosubsequentCall of Dutyreleasesthat return to a one-year life cycle. WhileMW2’scamo progression could need to be scaled down in future releases, the greater level of physical in-game rewards directly tied to camo progression is an element that deserves to be carried forward. Making camo progression more engaging and steeped in a sense of acknowledgment is imperative for keepingCall of Dutymultiplayer fresh.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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