Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Spec Ops sees a COD classic mode return for 2019

Call of Duty Modern Warfare Spec Ops

Activision didn't have a huge presence at E3 2019, but Infinity Ward did appear at the E3 Coliseum to announce Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Spec Ops, confirming the rumoured return of the fan favourite mode. While there were other details on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019, the cooperative focused multiplayer mode Spec Ops coming back was undoubtedly the biggest news.

Spec Ops will no doubt be taking the place of the undead-shaped shape hole in the overall package. There won't be a Modern Warfare Zombies mode because, as Infinity Ward revealed in a recent interview, it is "trying to create an authentic, realistic feeling world". Apparently, pushing players to slaughter waves of the walking dead while taking on the role of a celebrity zombie hunter don't really fit that whole "realism" vibe the studio is striving for – funny that. 

Still, Spec Ops should more than make up for it. If you don't remember the co-op mode, it's essentially a collection of quick-fire missions that get you working in tandem with a buddy to overcome increasingly challenging shooting gallery scenarios. 

Campaign gameplay director Jacob Minkoff has stated that "the single-player storyline goes directly into the co-op storyline," while studio narrative director Taylor Kurosaki said during the Coliseum to expect a "unified experience". So Spec Ops' multiplayer action and the main campaign will tie together in some way – be it narratively or thematically – although we are still waiting for further details on that front. 

That wasn't the only good news. The studio also offered up two Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 multiplayer screenshots, confirming that both the Juggernaut and Ghillie suits will be returning. While no footage of the multiplayer has surfaced online yet, it surely won't be long before we see it in action. Modern Warfare is, after all, set to launch on PC, PS4, and Xbox On on October 25, 2019. 

Josh West
Editor-in-Chief, GamesRadar+

Josh is Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar+. He has over 18 years experience in both online and print journalism, and was awarded a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Josh has contributed to world-leading gaming, entertainment, tech, music, and comics brands, including games™, Edge, Retro Gamer, SFX, 3D Artist, Metal Hammer, and Newsarama. In addition, Josh has edited and written books for Hachette and Scholastic, and worked across the Future Games Show as an Assistant Producer. He specializes in video games and entertainment coverage, and has provided expert comment for outlets like the BBC and ITV. In his spare time, Josh likes to play FPS games and RPGs, practice the bass guitar, and reminisce about the film and TV sets he worked on as a child actor.