Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered Declined For Sale By Sony In Russia

Sony has declined to sell Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered in Russia, according to Activision. Though the company didn't specify a reason for the declination decision, it may be that the controversial "No Russian" mission could have caused concerns of cultural sensitivity. The game was surprise-released in most other territories.

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered is a remastered version of the fictional, single player campaign experience originally released in 2009, now fully restored in HD," read a statement from Activision to GameSpot. "Sony Interactive Entertainment has decided not to sell Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered on the PlayStation Store in Russia. We are looking forward to releasing Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered digitally in Russia on Xbox One and PC via Battle.net.”

No Russian caused waves upon its initial release. The mission centers on a Russian terrorist group killing civilians in an airport. The name comes from a line of dialogue from the terrorist leader, reminding the others not to speak Russian--since their plan is to frame American intelligence operatives for the attack. As an undercover agent, you have the option to participate in the plan and kill civilians. The game also allows you to skip the sequence altogether.

Activision voluntarily removed the mission from the Russian PC release of the original Modern Warfare 2 in 2009. The company said at the time that it made the decision after consulting with legal counsel, in an effort to clarify mistaken assumptions that the Russian government had intervened. In fact, Activision pointed out, Russia did not have its own ratings board.

Outside of Russia, Modern Warfare 2 is available for $20 on PS4. This was a surprise release, but multiple leaks indicated it would be happening ahead of time. The PC and Xbox One versions will be coming on April 30.