Modern Warfare 2 remastered multiplayer isn't happening, but Infinity Ward promises "more classic map experiences" for its reboot

Following yesterday's... "surprise" launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Campaign Remastered, Activision has offered clarification on why the re-release of Infinity Ward's 2009 shooter doesn't include its beloved multiplayer and Spec Ops PvE components. 

Explaining the decision in a new blog post, Activision stated that its focus with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, cross-play support, free-to-play battle royale mode Warzone, and Modern Warfare 2 Remastered over the last six months "has been to bring players together seamlessly in one unified online multiplayer playground."

As a result, the publisher didn't want to splinter its userbase between two separate multiplayer experiences with the release of "a separate, multiplayer experience as a standalone pack."

Instead, both Activision and developer Infinity Ward are working to "bring more classic map experiences to new life within the Modern Warfare universe as it continues to grow and build over time", promises the blog post, suggesting that the upcoming rollout of Modern Warfare season 3 could see the return of additional fan favourite maps from the series' past. 

As it stands, classic locations like Shipment, Rust, and remixed versions of Boneyard are already available in Infinity Ward's 2019 reboot of its acclaimed Call of Duty series, so it's no surprise that more are on the way. Still, it's disappointing to hear that the original Specs Ops modes aren't making a comeback, especially as the latest iteration of the PvE experience is... slightly more barebones. 

But, with the state of Call of Duty looking more accessible and polished than ever, it's hard to complain. 

Wondering if you should pick up the latest Call of Duty? Here's our Modern Warfare review