Game-changing water updates bring swimming to Modern Warfare 2 & Warzone 2

Matt Porter
Call of Duty players fighting underwater

Water has been a feature in Call of Duty maps for years, but for the first time, it’s set to be a major component in how the game is played as Infinity Ward have completely reworked the liquid for Modern Warfare 2.

Swimming has been a feature in Call of Duty for years. First introduced in Advanced Warfare’s multiplayer, Black Ops 3, World War II, Black Ops 4, and Black Ops Cold War all featured maps where players could take a dip.

It’s also not new to Call of Duty battle royales either, with Blackout letting players swim around, and even dive to find secret underwater chests.

Infinity Ward thinks swimming, and water in general, is in need of a major overhaul, with Game Director Jack O’Hara stating it’s “not the best we could’ve done,” revealing that the team have worked extremely hard to improve it and make it more important in Modern Warfare 2.

Swimming in Call of Duty

O’Hara says Infinity Ward want to “use water in combat spaces in a meaningful way,” and will be a prominent feature in every mode, claiming it’s “the best water you’ve seen in Call of Duty.”

Not only will it be present in Modern Warfare 2, but it will also play a big role in Warzone 2 as well. As the team works on a new map, the developers found it “hard to make a Warzone map where you jump into water and die all the time,” so making it work as part of the game was paramount.

Warzone 2 will have shipwrecks beneath the surface, rivers with currents, clean and dirty water, rapids, and waves in the ocean, all with the goal of making the world feel “alive.”

Vehicles will be able to interact with water, just like they do in real life. Boats will react to waves, bouncing up and down depending on how choppy the sea is. Sailing against the current will make boats slower, and while you may be able to drive trucks through shallow rivers, you’ll need to really put your foot down to fight against the flow of the stream.

Even weapons will be affected by water. When you jump in, you’ll only be able to use pistols and melee weapons, while equipment will also react to the tide. For example, you can throw a land mine into the water, and it will actually float and move with the waves.

Water is just one of the many improvements and changes Infinity Ward have in store for Modern Warfare 2. During a creator event, attended by CharlieIntel, the developers gave an early look at the game, including campaign missions, new multiplayer modes, and game-changing additions to Gunsmith.

Image Credits: Activision

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About The Author

Matt is CharlieINTEL's UK Editor, specializing in all things Call of Duty, including Warzone and Modern Warfare 2. Matt previously worked as a freelance esports writer for Gfinity, before joining Dexerto in 2018 as a Junior & Senior Writer. You can contact Matt via email at: [email protected]