15 years have passed, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) still has a dedicated community of players who are constantly active in the game. Even without any dedicated servers holding it up and providing a smooth and safe gameplay, this title has exceeded all expectations.
It was about six years ago when I replayed the 2009 title that I used to spend hours playing nonstop. I went to another city with my little brother to spend holidays with our little sister and our mother, and my brother and I had two laptops that could handle Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. So we spent the holidays playing at least four hours per day of the game, which I brought for him as a gift to play together.
That was the last time I played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, until a few days ago when a friend asked me to. He didn’t have an account, but he was willing to buy it as he’s older gaming PC couldn’t handle the newest titles. I gave him my brother’s Steam account so he could play with me. And so I downloaded the game again, having a better look at its current state.
The gameplay of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 today
If you haven’t played this game before but you want to stay on budget and get something cheap that plays well with older hardware and low-range graphics cards, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 may be a great or a really bad choice, depending on your personal preferences.
The biggest problem with the multiplayer mode is that there aren’t any dedicated servers, and instead Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 uses a peer-to-peer (P2P) system where one player’s system is selected as the host for each match. If most players lagging, the game will automatically start a “host migration process” in which it will pause all players during the game and change the main host.
Many players may also have to make a few adjustments to their Windows or Router settings in order to change the NAT status from Closed to Open, which was the case most of the times that I tried playing the game. Although that’s an easy-to-fix issue, then come the hackers and modders who completely destroy the game.
Most of the time you’ll find yourself joining in modded or hacked lobbies that may change the game’s original gameplay, including having only one weapon to use through the whole session and not being able to use grenades, getting killed behind the walls, losing their game because the other guy pull out a tactical nuclear killstreak although he had 11 kills, and so much more.
But it’s not all bad, because you’ll find many legit lobbies while you can always create your own. Once you’re in, then the fun begins and the skills and experience take place.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 vs. the Remastered version
Before heading over and purchasing any version, keep in mind that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 comes in two different versions: The original and classic one that was released back in 2009, and the remastered version that was released back in 2020.
Although the newest version seems like the best choice to go, it’s actually not.
Unlike the classic 2009 version, the remastered version only includes the campaign mode of the game and does not feature a multiplayer mode.
Does it worth it if you’re a hardcore fan? Well, yes, yes it does. But other than that, buying a remastered version only to play it for approximately 6-8 hours is not really worth it in my humble opinion. If they only could release a multiplayer mode… One can only dream of.
If you want to play the multiplayer mode, you should get the 2009 version of the game, which is still active and “well”.
Should you get the Resurgence and Stimulus Map packages?
When you try to purchase Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 from Steam, you may be asked if you want to include the two DLCs that come exclusively and cost separately. Although nowadays are pretty cheap to get, there are a few things that you’ll need to know before grabbing them.
First and foremost, here are their differences:
| DLC | Information |
|---|---|
| Resurgence Pack: | Five new multiplayer maps, including Carnival, Fuel, Trailer Park, Strike, and Vacant. |
| Stimulus Package: | Five additional multiplayer maps, including Bailout, Storm, Salvage, and Backlot and Crossfire from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. |
If you don’t have any of these two packages, you’ll not be able to play the newer maps and the ones added from the older title. With all that in mind, if you get both DLCs you’ll have full access to the whole game’s maps.
There’s a big issue though: Most of the time you’ll find yourself playing the oldest maps again and again, especially if you’re playing with someone who doesn’t have the DLCs installed. I mean, there are specific maps such as the Carnival, Fuel and Trailer Park which I never got to play for the past month that I’ve been playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Sure, you are going to be playing in the newest maps, but don’t get too excited. If I was to buy the DLCs again, I am not sure I would, depending on the time I spend nowadays in the game anyway.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 player count and community
According to Steambase.com: At the moment, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) has 228 concurrent players online and in-game. This is 76% lower than its previous peak player count of 952 active players achieved on 11/18/2023.
But don’t get fooled, as for over a month now I’ve been finding many lobbies to join without a problem. I’ve tried joining in the morning, afternoon, and even at 5:30 AM, and I found active lobbies with players at all times.
There is also a Discord community with over 27,000 members, and about 1,500 – 2,000 are active most of the time.
Conclusion: Is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 worth playing in 2024?
If you already have the game in your library and looking for some nostalgia, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will absolutely give you that, with a touch of hacking and modding from time to time.
If you’re a new player looking for great titles that won’t put your PC or laptop on fire but you still want to experience extreme action, it may worth your money and time.
Apart from the hacked and modded lobbies, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 still remains a solid choice for many people who prefer to go back to the old-school way of playing multiplayer action and first-person games.
