Was MW19 the peak? The CoD community sure seems to think so

All eyes are on the Modern Warfare 3 release, but for the many trapped in the past (myself included), anticipation for the upcoming CoD is at an all-time low. Here’s what the community has to say.

Redditors on r/modernwarfare came together across multiple threads to discuss the differences between MW19 and MW2 (2022). The consensus appears to be that no CoD game since MW19 has met fans’ expectations in terms of its gameplay, systems, or aesthetics,  especially considering their hefty price tags.

Redditors’ opinions that MW19 is a “masterpiece” and “the greatest COD ever made” may be explained by its release date. From my personal experience, nothing beat the golden age of Modern Warfare and Black Ops, and they were my go-to multiplayer games. As time went on, though, my need for a good CoD game overruled my desire to continue playing. Stopping at CoD: Ghosts, I returned to CoD with MW19 and found it had refueled that Call of Duty fire I had growing up. Redditors described hours spent in lockdown playing “every day with the boys” with the birth of Warzone. 

But is the adoration for MW19 simply because we had more time on our hands?

For many like myself, MW19 came at the perfect time. For a reboot of a CoD classic, it felt like being transported back in time to the good old days of Call of Duty. No advanced technology, jetpacks, or inclusive gameplay. MW19 was a throwback and focused purely on rebooting a beloved CoD. 

Redditors went into detail explaining the difference between MW19 and MW2 (2022). Looking at gameplay and visual differences, it’s clear that Call of Duty’s decline primarily stems from its repetitive gameplay and unclear visuals, with a color scheme that blends everything into one. The conclusion? CoD games beyond MW19 are simply milking the franchise for profit. One user suggests fans should “stop playing so they understand they have to make a good game to get our money”, with others saying “I won’t be buying” MW3 “unless something changes.”

With better gameplay, weapons, and movement, MW19 felt like a proper attempt to revive the Modern Warfare that CoD fans adored. One user even said it was the “best CoD or shooter game that has ever been made in forever.”

After spending years playing CoD, fans know exactly what they want from the franchise. As each new entry strays away from the fundamentals of a good Call of Duty game, like realistic gunfights and down-to-earth gameplay, the move toward pure microtransaction hell with “over-the-top skins and operators” is one that few appreciate and see no need to return to.