Fan-Made Modern Warfare 2 Remaster Hit With Cease and Desist

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Fan-Made Modern Warfare 2 Remaster Hit With Cease and Desist

Highlights

  • Activision shut down the fan-developed Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer remaster just before its launch, disappointing many players.
  • The H2M Mod aimed to recreate the iconic Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer using the structure of Modern Warfare Remastered but was stopped by a cease-and-desist order.
  • The cancelation sparked anger among fans, who review bombed Modern Warfare Remastered on Steam and requested refunds.

As a gamer who grew up with the Xbox 360 and holds Modern Warfare 2 near and dear to my heart, I can’t help but feel disheartened by Activision’s recent actions. The H2M Mod was a beacon of hope for many of us, a chance to relive the glory days of MW2 multiplayer without having to dust off our old consoles. But alas, it seems that Activision had other plans and shut down the project just before its launch.

The eagerly awaited version of Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer, crafted by fans, has been halted by Activision. On the eve of the fan-made Modern Warfare 2 remaster’s release, its development team received a stop-and-desist order from the publisher owned by Microsoft.

For numerous gamers, especially those who came of age with the Xbox 360, Modern Warfare 2 stands as one of the finest shooter games ever made. Infinity Ward revolutionized the Call of Duty series by moving it into the modern era with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but it truly perfected its approach and transformed the franchise’s essence with the explosive release of Modern Warfare 2 in 2009. The lasting impact of Modern Warfare 2 can be found in its multiplayer component, which is widely regarded as the best multiplayer experience that the Call of Duty franchise has ever offered.

Due to recent developments, many gaming enthusiasts were eagerly anticipating the launch of the H2M Mod for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered. This ambitious project aimed to replicate the multiplayer experience of Modern Warfare 2 on PC using the foundation of the 2016 remastered version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered. Regrettably, just before its release, Activision intervened, issuing a cease-and-desist order that halted the project’s distribution. In a statement posted on the mod’s official Twitter account, the team announced their compliance with the order and the immediate and permanent shutdown of their operations.

Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Remaster Shut Down Just Before Release

The H2M Mod was conceived due to Activision’s decision not to remaster the multiplayer aspect of Modern Warfare 2 in 2020, instead releasing a single-player version of the game’s campaign. Had it been released, H2M Mod would have essentially transferred all of Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer content into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered from 2016, which does feature multiplayer. The mod would have included all the original maps from Modern Warfare 2, as well as enhancing the progression system with new camouflages, calling cards, and emblems.

H2M Mod was so highly anticipated that many players bought Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered on Steam, pushing the game near the top of the platform’s sales charts. Online reaction to the sudden cancelation of H2M was swift and fierce, with many decrying the cease-and-desist order and directing angry comments at Activision and Microsoft. Others expressed their fury by review bombing Modern Warfare Remastered on Steam and requesting refunds. At the time of this writing, the review trend for Modern Warfare Remastered sits at “Overwhelmingly Negative.”

Some more measured analysts acknowledged that Activision has every legal justification to deactivate the mod, explaining that any unofficial project aiming to replicate existing content faces a higher risk of being terminated by a copyright owner who prefers not to turn a blind eye. In fact, some also highlighted that all multiplayer maps from Modern Warfare 2 can be found in the 2023 edition of Modern Warfare 3 for those who prefer playing an officially endorsed Call of Duty game instead.

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2024-08-16 05:03