Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has debuted its launch trailer three weeks ahead of its release, and it's about as close to photorealism as video games get these days.
The launch trailer appears to be everything a Call of Duty fan could want and expect: returning characters reviving old military operations from the 2009 original Modern Warfare 2, airplanes ablaze and careening toward the ground, big ol' rockets firing across the sky, and all sorts of stuff exploding. I'm sure there are all sorts of serious themes hinted at in the scenes where characters are planning with allies and interrogating enemies, but let's be real, we're here for the fireworks. And holy crap do those look good.
I've been playing a lot of games on Switch lately and let me tell you; I had to rub my eyes while watching the new Modern Warfare 2 trailer to make sure I wasn't watching a trailer for the next Mission Impossible or whatever. The up-close shots of characters' faces is where Activision's investment in the IW 9.0 engine really pays dividends. It's uncanny looking at the facial models and drifting in and out of unconsciously interpreting these video game characters as real human beings.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launches October 28 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC, and if you pre-order your copy digitally you'll get a week of early access to the campaign.
In case you missed it, reports are going around claiming Modern Warfare 2 is getting a "greatest hits" map pack sometime during its second year of post-launch content.
