Modern Warfare 2 regains Call of Duty prefix

[UPDATE] Final box art for anticipated game carries name of original series; Activision confirms change, says title is series' "first true sequel."

When Modern Warfare 2 was announced during the Game Developers Choice Awards in March, it did not carry the same title prefix as its processor, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Ever since then, not one single television spot or announcement related to the game has referred to it as anything other than "Modern Warfare 2." Indeed, the name "Call of Duty" has been mentioned by publisher Activision only when referencing the game's developer, Santa Monica, California-based Infinity Ward.

Bask in the glory of the "first true sequel."

Now, though, Infinity Ward's director of communications and community manager has revealed that the prefix is back. In a Twitter post this afternoon, Robert Bowling announced that he "just received [sic] the first Modern Warfare 2 boxes straight off the press. 'S*** just got real.'" The accompanying photo (pictured) shows the box as bearing the title "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2."

[UPDATE] Activision has now confirmed the change with the following statement:

Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 is the direct sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. We have focused our attention on Modern Warfare in order to most effectively communicate the fact that this is the first true sequel in the Call of Duty series. Infinity Ward, the original creators of the Call of Duty franchise, has said from the beginning Modern Warfare 2 resides in the Call of Duty universe. This is reflected in the title's package.

The name change's timing comes just a few weeks after a study from tracking firm OTX (cited by GamaSutra) found that the game's awareness level amongst potential buyers dropped 20 percent when it did not have the Call of Duty prefix in the title.

The return of the COD prefix also quashes the widely held belief amongst game-industry watchers that Modern Warfare was being spun off into its own independent franchise. Activision hinted that such a move was in the works when the publisher said that subseries had "taken on a life of its own" three months ago. It also remains unclear if Modern Warfare 2 is the "unique new IP" that Infinity Ward teased when its leading developers renewed their contracts with Activision last summer.

504 Comments

  • mojomaniac

    Posted Sep 12, 2009 3:15 pm PT

    eh, as long as I get to call it modern warfare 2, i don't care wats on the box... but it does help for people who aren't familiar with call of duty 4

  • One-Bad-Apple

    Posted Aug 3, 2009 8:37 pm PT

    Cod 4 and WaW are exactly the same to me. They play the same way, the multiplayer is the same. How could you like 4 then hate 5. By the way, Cod MW 2 is going to be better then both of them.

  • KevinStCool

    Posted Aug 3, 2009 6:26 pm PT

    @BreadisGood
    Treyarch blows. I've played CoD: 2,3,4, and World at War. I liked 2 and 4. 3 sucked and WaW wasn't as good as 4 or 2. So yeah, there is reason to bash treyarch. They're bad, and their games are bad.

  • Spartan_418

    Posted Aug 2, 2009 3:52 pm PT

    not that this matters, but doesn't this screw up the continuity? "2" is a smaller number than "4". "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" sounds like it should come before "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare". Dunno if this will confuse consumers but whatever.

  • andalore

    Posted Jul 28, 2009 7:27 am PT

    lol, they probably only just got the rights to use 'Call Of Duty' in the title

  • agentarthur

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 8:35 pm PT

    ordinary gamers who swear allegience to different companies crack me up ... its like people that swear allegience to different software companies, or apple, or sony or microsoft etc...

    if only they knew how much people in the industry dont care, and are concentrating on selling each individual title...



    ..anyone who thinks WaW is really that diff/better/worse are kidding themselves - its a fun game in the COD series, not game company series...

  • FOBlO

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 10:26 pm PT

    Since the cod 4 modern warfare had a cod prefix, it seems logical to have the prefix on the sequel. Pure and simple.

  • MetallicFPSNut

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 8:59 pm PT

    Honestly, all the dudes at GameStop trying to get me to preorder the game always added "Call of Duty" anyway, so it was probably inevitable.

    Only reason why I didn't preorder was cause my roommate already had.

  • DeadlyOnez

    Posted Jul 24, 2009 11:58 pm PT

    i dont care about the name. just make it and ship it. I want to pop heads ....that it!!

  • jumper-man

    Posted Jul 21, 2009 10:23 pm PT

    Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 2
    doesn't have the same ring as Modern Warfare 2, but will still pack a punch

  • alosborne

    Posted Jul 21, 2009 2:32 pm PT

    I agree with breadisgood. Treyarch does not do a bad job. Infinity Ward just gets more attention because COD4 did amazingly well.

  • breadisgood

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 7:35 pm PT

    I think it sounded cooler as just Modern Warfare 2 but whatever, it doesn't really matter.

    Also why does everyone bash Treyarch so much? They don't exactly do a bad job, what's wrong with WaW (apart from the MP40 being ridiculous)?

  • dbe425

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 8:40 pm PT

    Who cares, just give me the game!

  • ascalon94

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 4:31 pm PT

    @Kvon403 Battlefield 2 helped jump start the Modern Warfare era with uh let me think Barret 50 cals, Apaches, Abrams, F15's etc etc... get your facts straight oh and rofl rofl rofl back at you

  • ascalon94

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 4:26 pm PT

    @noizynet LMAO so true, so true

  • Niffirg6

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 3:26 pm PT

    they shold just call id cod6. it sounds stupid calling it call of duty moderen warfare two. its too long.

  • nappan

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 12:29 pm PT

    Ok. Now, this changes the gameplay, HOW?

  • Keitha313

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 5:36 am PT

    Great ill just have to listen to morons thinking CODMW2 is actually COD6.....Just great

  • gameking5000

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 11:25 pm PT

    Good they added the Call of Duty sign

  • BigBossWato

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 10:32 pm PT

    i think that they are no longer giving the prefix a number because technically the title would be COD4: MW2

  • nicebai1224

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 5:42 pm PT

    i think ppl more reconize it if, it says call of duty first...i agree with trw534..but this game looks so sick want it so badly..cant w8 for it

  • linkspetdragon

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 3:36 pm PT

    Shouldn't it be 6? Or are we trying to forget WaW exists?

    I don't really think Treyarch destroyed the CoD moniker...I think they have just made fans pay more attention to who is developing the next installment in the series. After all it is the fans of the series that will descriminate between the two where the casual shooter fan will just grab another CoD game and be happy.

  • Glade_Gnarr

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 1:34 pm PT

    So now it's Call of Duty 5: Modern Warfare 2.

  • stoney-boy69

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 10:53 am PT

    ok. who cares if treyarch destroyed the prefix call of duty. infinity ward will destroy them and everywhere you look call of duty will be in the game store's windows. there will be nothing else except it. and i dont have any pc games but ive played both 360 and ps3 and my vote goes to ps3. AMEN BROTHA!!!!

  • penorburger

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 9:55 am PT

    BWHAHA, advanced architecture of Xenon? LOL, Pc is so far ahead of consoles now please. PC version, as usual (Unless devs are lazy) will be the best, not even clsoe.

  • -Snooze- posted Jul 13, 2009 8:08 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    -Snooze-

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 8:08 am PT (hide)

    The Xbox version will be better due to the advanced arichitcture of the xenon. Fanboys ... GO!

  • Vanshluuugnheim

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 7:21 am PT

    HaHahahahahahahahaha. . . Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! What Now All you Smart People who Said Infinity Ward Dropped it in the First place because of Treyarch. WHATS YOUR LAME EXCUSE NOW!!!!!! Go Ahead. I'll give you 3 minutes to make something up!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Im Waiting!!!!. . . What??? Cant Think of anything???

  • noizynet

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 5:39 am PT

    So... how can we make this conversation turn into a PS3 vs XBOX bickering war?

  • trw534

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 9:52 pm PT

    I think more people reconize it if, it says call of duty first.

  • Juggernaut140

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 9:28 pm PT

    Fergocricket93: None of the stuff you said applies to Call of Duty...

  • Fergocricket93

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 9:17 pm PT

    i hope the developers get their money worth. They have really found gold in creating games about modern warfare. Those fresh ideas that portrayed realistic warfare with great voice acting, great weapons and a ground-breaking online multi. If only they had done a trophy update. I agree it SHOULD have the COD prefix. my first thought was CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE 2. But I guess to two numbers might confuse some people LOL.

  • Gundabad1

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 8:40 pm PT

    well you cant blame them for wanting to sell more copies, but I definitely see where they were coming from wanting to drop the "call of duty" name that activision so dishonerably let treyarch desecrate.

  • Kvon403

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 4:23 pm PT

    @benboz

    if you think battlfield is better then CoD sorry your not a true CoD fan and I would like to point out battlefield will never catch up to Cod because Call of duty games are the best games ever made rofl rofl rofl. do you hear that it's my rofl copter going SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI

  • Big-BossSnake

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 4:12 pm PT

    i dont really care but i preferd jost mw2 cause i kinda figured that infinity ward would make their own series that didnt need to share with trayarch. i thoght while iw was making mw trayarch would make cod so it was still ok. cause thing i dont like is that 1 year iw makes an really really awsome game then trayarch makes a really great game the next year but not as good and it repeats. but like i said i dont care much as long as it comes on ps3 at a standered as it came on xbox360.

  • BattleSword1

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 2:58 pm PT

    @Devinzilla:

    I'm really sorry about this, but...
    That's what she said.

  • Devinzilla

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 2:53 pm PT

    Eh, it doesn't really have the same ring to it...
    and its sort of a mouth full...

  • BattleSword1

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 2:20 pm PT

    Hmm... doesn't really differ much from the original box art. Simple, but I like it.

  • shufflezoom

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 10:57 am PT

    kool now, there will be a lot of copies sold

  • pidow

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 9:46 am PT

    What in a name...It's all about the game. I play the game not the name.

  • ianlawford

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 2:24 am PT

    trying to sell your game to more people is not a bad thing. if i had just spent nearly a year producing a game, then i would want to recieve as much profit as possible.
    you cant shun activision for trying to make a profit out of a game.

  • Jesin_A

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 12:01 am PT

    adding the "call of duty" prefix spells definite success for this game

  • simulator8101

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 8:35 pm PT

    It's all good. I personally like it better with the CoD name attached. The most important thing, like everybody says, is gameplay.

  • izmickey posted Jul 11, 2009 5:41 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    izmickey

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 5:41 pm PT (hide)

    @shani_boy101

    Im with you man, its because of greedy business men like the ones in activision that ran this economy to the ground. I could care less about the name, as long as they dont disappoint me. I just hope activision doesnt ruin Infinity ward like the way they are ruining blizzard. Its my duty to shoot some booty.

  • linkspetdragon

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 2:59 pm PT

    I guess I fail to see the irony. Or perhaps you fail to grasp the actual meaning of the word irony.

  • TheChaffa

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 12:16 pm PT

    Call of Duty 4 Modern Warefare, Call of Duty Modern Warefare 2......does anyone else see a little irony in this?

  • roxomega

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 11:14 am PT

    I liked it better without the prefix... i also hate number titles so oh well im pissed either way...

  • Stryker521

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 11:03 am PT

    Wow...big news *rolls eyes*

  • HotShot_SS posted Jul 11, 2009 7:39 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    HotShot_SS

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 7:39 am PT (hide)

    Tehee, he said duty.

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