Modern Warfare 2 regains Call of Duty prefix

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Jul 9, 2009 2:25 pm PT

[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

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