Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II preview — it’s entertainment, not gritty realism

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When Infinity Ward talked about the campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in 2019, it said the story was so gritty and realistic that it felt like it was “ripped from the headlines.” But this time, as studio head Patrick Kelly unveiled the sequel Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II before a press group last week in Los Angeles, he said it was about an “entertainment adventure.”

This was an interesting way to see our preview of the game from Activision Blizzard’s army of Call of Duty developers who are toiling to deliver the game on October 28.

Indeed, Modern Warfare touched on some very uncomfortable subjects, like shooting civilians who looked like terrorists, child warriors, chemical warfare, and torture. But while this game will still put players into the shoes of soldiers with difficult missions, it will dwell on military combat, Kelly said.

“We want the game to be an entertainment adventure,” he said. “I am proud of what we did in 2019. But there was a lot of stuff that was at times provocative or uncomfortable. We’re trying to focus a bit more on entertainment and having fun.” Kelly didn’t step into the debate about gun violence in the U.S. Nor did he address the difficult time the company had as Activision Blizzard was hit with a major sexual harassment lawsuit last year. But he did respond when I asked him about the contrast between the civilian deaths in the 2019 game and the emphasis on military-versus-military action in this game. I wondered if that is what he meant about the difference between entertainment and “uncomfortable” content.

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