It’s no secret that maps like Shipment and Shoothouse are prevalent in Modern Warfare 2. However, they could shed light on a vital issue with the MW2 map rotation. Forget the return of Valderas Museum in the MW2 Season 2 update. Players in the Call of Duty community are calling on Infinity Ward to bring a better selection of larger maps to the game. as playlists like Shipment 24/7 continue to rage on.
After weeks of patiently waiting for the Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 release date, the latest Call of Duty update arrives – but not without its caveats. Maps like the formerly absent Valderas Museum return alongside the likes of MW3 fan favourite Dome. Yet, these maps aren’t enough to satiate the needs of COD players eager for smaller skirmishes, as Redditor ‘Chaldean710‘ expresses that “the game needs a few more smaller maps for 6vs6. Cold War did a pretty good job with Gluboko, Game Show etc. Not everyone likes to play on the bigger maps such as Hotel or Museum.”
Though Shipment and Shoothouse have adorned their own playlists before, some are wondering whether a playlist focused on intense battles would benefit the game. “I’d love a small map playlist containing Shoot House, Shipment, Dome, Farm,” says ‘dowckv’. This approach to COD’s map infrastructure is seeing players praise Black Ops Cold War, as the mode Face Off utilised 6v6 battles effectively.
Face Off, like the mode COD4 mode Cage Match before it, thrives off maps with near claustrophobic settings, depending on the interior. The rocket-launch hanger map ICBM honed on this, while selections such as KGB and U-Bahn tested the reflexes of agile COD players.
“Cold War was amazing for this sort of gameplay. You not only had Nuketown 24/7, but you had an entire mode for super small maps with Face-off 6v6 on their gunfight maps for modes like TDM, Domination, and Kill Confirmed,” explains ‘Isa877’.
Currently, the Modern Warfare 2 map selection offers medium to long-range battles, whether that is in maps like Breenbergh Hotel or Crown Raceway. Each map has some kind of tight-knit interior, but this doesn’t stack up to close-quarters maps of the past like Rust, Vacant, and Firing Range. With most MW2 maps leaning toward a wide-spread design ethos, COD players are eager to see new maps or revisions to existing ones like Shipment introduced.
“Not saying they’re bad, just that IW might consider adding Shipment-Sized maps,” adds the Chaldean710. Others are still pining for the unique flavour Shipment offers, with fellow player ‘Hambone721‘ suggesting this tweak: “a streak-less Shipment for the most pure gun/camo levelling would be prime. How about removing grenades from that special arena as well.”
While Modern Warfare 2 will see the return of Gunfight in the future, a mode akin to Face Off could be what the latest COD entry needs to rejuvenate its map offerings. However, the latest Modern Warfare 2 patch notes make this seem like an unlikely path forward.