For the last 15 years, a third game mode has been a staple of theCall of Dutyfranchise. Beginning withCall of Duty: World at War’s Zombies mode all the way back in 2008, everyCall of Dutysince has had at least one additional mode on top of campaign and multiplayer, ranging fromBlack Ops 4’s surprisingly great Blackout battle royale mode, toCall of Duty: Ghosts' lackluster Extinction mode. But by far one of the most beloved additional modes inCall of Dutyhistory isCall of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Spec Ops mode.
Infinity Ward’s answer to Treyarch’s Zombies wasCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s Spec Ops mode, a plethora of short challenges that took the biggest set pieces from the campaign, and built entirely new missions around them. With the inclusion of co-op for some of these missions, Spec Ops quickly became one of the most beloved modes in all ofCall of Dutyhistory, and it’s about time that the series returned to those roots.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Should Bring Back The Classic Version of Spec Ops
Infinity Ward’s2019Call of Duty: Modern Warfarerebootwas just the breath of fresh air that the franchise needed at the time, acting as the perfect balance of both something nostalgic, and something completely new. One of those contributing factors was the inclusion of a Spec Ops mode, hearkening back to one of the most fondly remembered features of the originalModern Warfareseries. However,Modern Warfare2019’s Spec Ops mode wasn’t quite the same mode that fans remembered.
Tying in withCall of Duty: Warzone’s storyline,Modern Warfare’s Spec Ops mode takes place after the events of the game’s campaign, and though that’s a worthwhile avenue to explore, the mode’s execution left a lot to be desired. The 2019 version of Spec Ops was split into several different sub-modes. These included the controversial Survival mode, the expansive Operations mode, and Missions. While Operations saw players infiltrate an enemy base and extract or destroy an item however they saw fit, Missions offered a more streamlined experience. 2019 Spec Ops technically had a lot of content, but it all felt a little too similar, with each Operation and Mission boiling down to essentially the same objectives of infiltrating a base, killing everyone, and leaving.
Infinity Ward had another go at Spec Ops withlast year’sCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and though many fans consider it a more successful attempt than 2019’s Spec Ops, it still isn’t quite what fans wanted. At launch,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2had just three Spec Ops missions, albeit fairly meaty ones. Taking 2019’s Operations and expanding on them,Modern Warfare 2’s Spec Ops mode sees players complete large-scale missions in a variety of different ways, using different class builds known as “Kits,” each one giving the two-player team unique skillsets. While these missions felt a little closer to the original formula, they still lacked the same level of excitement.
For the nextCall of Duty: Modern Warfareentry, it’s time for the original Spec Ops mode to make its triumphant, long-awaited return. Though it’s great for Infinity Ward to stretch its creative muscles and provide new experiences, when it comes to Spec Ops, there’s simply no beating the original formula.
The nextModern Warfareshould simply deliver a handful of short, bite-sized missions that take one thrilling set piece from the campaign, and expand it out into its own unique challenge. There’s already plenty of inspiration for a classic Spec Ops mode in the nextModern Warfareas well. BothModern Warfare2019 andModern Warfare 2have several set pieces that could be turned into Spec Ops missions, such asModern Warfare’s estate stealth mission, orModern Warfare 2’s highway chase.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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