Fans of the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 from 2009 just aren't giving up. Though the community's previous attempt at reviving the revered Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer mode using rem?astered assets crashed and burned, HorizonMW is here to save the day. Or, at least, try?? to?? do so.

More specifically, it's been just over a month since Activision shut down the fan-made multiplayer mod for Modern Warfare 2 Remastered. The mod developer was served with a case & desist and forced to stop developing it, but a different project has been in production since. This has now come to fruition via HorizonMW, which is live right now and features all the goodies you know and love from the original Modern Warfare 2, albeit using new and improved assets.

HorizonMW is out now on PC as an open-source revival of H2M

If you're wondering what the difference is between the scuttled H2MR and the new HorizonMW, you're not the only one. It's apparently being billed as an open-source alternative that can, should Activision aim its sights at the dev team, be picked up and?? developed further ??by a wholly different development team.

As per the HorizonMW's develo?pers' post on their Discord, "We want to make it very clear, we did NOT create this mod, this mod is fully made by h2m original NOT R and we are trying to carry on what their goal was." If the project's title, HorizonMW, confuses you, there's a reason why it isn't more obvious what it's all about at a glance. HorizonMW's original title was S2M, though the team decided to change it to the mod's current title to help it stand ou??t without any immediate comparisons to other, similar projects.

As it currently stands, then, it's hard to say how Activision might react to the existence of HorizonMW. Obviously, there's a significant community of nostalgic gamers who just want the classic Modern Warfare 2 back in some way, shape, or form. H2MR didn't pan out in the end, but the key difference between it and HorizonMW is that HorizonMW is already available right this instant. Any reaction from the Activision side of things will be too slow, as the cat is definitely out of the bag by now.

Further, there's also the fact that th??e HorizonMW team is deliberately open-sourcing the project. Even if the people responsible for this mod get served with yet another cease & desist, someone is highly likely to pick up the torch and carry it onwards.

Note that you do need to have a purchased copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered on Steam before being able to pl?ay HorizonMW. So, this time around, there's an argument to be made that this isn't piracy in a meaningful sense of the word. Will this argument pan out with Activision, though? Let's wait an??d see.

The post Open-?source remaster of the original Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer is no?w out appeared first on Destructoid.

A new mod for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is about to bring Modern Warfare 2's iconic multiplayer experience back to life, taking you on a 2009-fueled nostalgia trip to the good ole days of CoD.

If you were lucky enough to remember Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in its heyday, you probably remember it as one of the series�high points. Upon the release of the 2020 remaster, it was shockin?g that multiplayer was no longer included. Sure, the single-player campaign was great, but we all know that the multiplayer? is what we really wanted. Four years later, the community's collective wishes have been granted thanks to H2M Mod.

You might have seen a couple of posts from prominent Call of Duty creators over the last few days showing gameplay from H2M Mod. If you're a fan of Modern Warfare 2, it no doubt caught your attention. Using 2017's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, the H2M Mod team has managed to bring back that classic MW2 experience? in the new engine. It's 200??9 all over again - just a little shinier this time around.

The experience won't be exactly as you remember it. It'll be better, in fact. Yes, you'll have access to all of Modern Warfare 2's weapons, maps, killstreaks, and progression, but there's more going on here. All of the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered maps are also included, and some of the MW2 campaign maps have been repurposed for multiplayer, too. Several fan-favorite weapons from Modern Warfare Remastered make a return, giving you the best of both worlds, and there are even a few new cam??os to unlock made specifically fo??r this mod.

The mod has caused waves within the CoD scene over the last few days, with a release date for the mod set for August 16. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is currently among the top-selling games on Stea??m, perhaps no coincidence there as gamers gear up for the ultimate trip down memory lane.

The post The CoD: Modern Warfare 2 R??emastered mod soon makes cla??ssic 2009 multiplayer lobbies better than ever appeared first on Destructoid.

Since their respective launches, MW2 and Warzone have encountered several issues. One error that many players are experiencing is the CoD error Hueneme Negev, which can also appear in MW3.?? This issue prevents players?? from connecting to the game servers. If you're one of the victims of this problem, here's a simple guide to help you fix it quickly.

What is the Hueneme Negev error?

Players often encounter the Hueneme Negev error when trying to join a multiplayer session in Warzone, MW2, or Modern Warfare 3. The error message says, "Unable to connect to host. ??HUENEME—NEGEV." This error indicates a problem with the connection, but the exact cause is not known.

The error mainly seems to be related to connection issue?s, but it could also involve server-side problems that are outside your control.

How to fix Hueneme Negev error

Some methods have worked for many players and may help y?ou resolve the issue. Let's examine these solutions to fix the 'Networking Failed to St?art Hueneme Negev' error.

Check your internet connection

A common reason for errors in a game is a? problem with your internet connection. The first step is to check if your internet is working correctly. You can do this by running a few speed tests or visiting other websites to see if they load quickly. You can also try playing another game online to check if you experience any issues.

If you're using a wireless connection, it's worth trying to connect your device directly to the router using an Ethernet cable. This can provide a more stable and reliable connection, which may help resolve the error. I've used this method myself, and it's improved CoD's performance substantially.

Restart your game/console

Sometimes, simply restarting the game and your gaming console can resolve temporary connection issues. Close the game completely, turn off your console, wait for a few seconds, and the?n turn it back on. Launch the game again and see if the error persists. If you exit and relaunch the game, and you're still experiencing issues, consider trying?? some of the other solutions in this article.

Restart your router

The Hueneme Negev error in Modern Warfare may likely come from connection issues. If you're having connectivity issues, then restarting your router could fix the H??ueneme Negev error. Unplug your router's power cable, wait for about 30 seconds, and then plug it back?? in. Give it a few moments to restart, and then try connecting to the game again.

Verify game files and update the game

Ensure that you have the latest game updates installed. Developers of??ten release patches to fix known issues, so make sure to verify your game files and update if there's one available.

Log in to a mobile hotspot

Several players have reported that temporarily connecting to mobile hotspots has helped them log back into CoD. To do this, connect your console or PC to a mobile device hotspot and then log into MW2, Warzone, or MW3. Once that's done, restore the original internet source to the platform to potentially resolve the CoD error Hueneme Negev.

Check Call of Duty server status

If all else fails, it's best to check the Call of Duty server status, as the error may be linked to a server-side issue. You can browse Activision's Online Services page to see if the network is properly running. The site's main page focuses on Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone's current standing, but you can check other Call of Duty games. Just select the 'Select Game' section and choose an entry like Modern Warfare 2 to ensure that there are no problems.

Players can also explore Call of Duty's DownDetector page, where other users report on current issues. Based on the charts there, errors appear from time to time, but? hopefully, more updates will help stabilize it.

Give these steps a try, and they should be sufficient to fix the error. Additionally, stay updated by checking official forums and social media cha??nnels for regular updates about the error.

The post H??ueneme Negev error code fix for MW2 & Warzone appeared first on Destructoid.

Finding the best loadout in Warzone is the only way to ensure you're winning gunfights. For some, pinpointing the right weapon is a nearly impossible task, especially if you don't own Modern Warfare 3. If you do own the previous Call of Duty installment, Modern Warfare 2, there is an S??MG that's viable on the battle??field.

What is the best MW2 SMG for Warzone?

For season 3 of Warzone in the Modern Warfare 3 era, the best MW2 SMG is the FSS Hurricane. It was always a decent option, but it's currently able to compete with some of the meta options. No, it's not ?meta, and certainly won't beat the HRM everyone is using right now. However, it provides consistent and easy accuracy, a fast time-to-kill, and excellent mobility.

If you don't have MW3 guns leveled up, or just want a huge change of pace from all the MW3 weapons, the FSS Hurrica??ne is a good cho?ice. With the newly unlockable JAK Cutthroat stock, it's a whole new gun.

Best FSS Hurricane loadout for Warzone

Building the FSS Hurricane SMG from MW2 for Warzone requires some familiar attachments and one new one. The latest unlockable afterm??arket part, the JAK Cutthroat stock is essential for building the gun. Here's the? best loadout right now:

• Zehmn35 Compensated Flash Hider Muzzle
• Schlager PEQ Box IV Laser
• XRK Edge BW-4 Handstop Underbarrel
• Sakin ZX Grip Rear Grip
• JAK Cutthroat Stock

These attachments provide optimal mobility and decent range for an SMG. The FSS Hurricane is versatile enough to pair with a sniper if you're feeling accurate today. It also has a high headshot multiplayer, so every shot to the head will spe?ed up the time-to-kill quickly, rewarding great aim with fast kills. Try it out and see how it feels.

The post Best MW2 SMG loadout for Warzone MW3 Season 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

ASUS' ROG Ally was the first big brand Windows portable console following on the heels of Valve's Steam Deck launch. All of a sudden, handheld gaming saw a massive resurgence with de?vice?s that look like portable consoles but wield the full power of PC gaming.

So, what games make the most of what the ROG Ally has to offer? To start, the Ally is more powerful than the Steam Deck, but that isn't the gadget's real strength. Running Windows means the ROG Ally has access to a whole host of services that the Steam Deck doesn't. So, here's our list of games capitalizing on both the Ally's bee??fy hardware and software.

Starfield

Starfield is among the most demanding games of 2023; it doesn't even run at 60 FPS on Microsoft's most p?owerful Xbox Series X. That came as quite a surprise since 60 FPS had become an unspoken standard on the Series X up? to now.

You'd be forgiven then for thinking that Starfield is out of reach of handheld devices, but that's not the case. The ROG Ally runs the spacefaring RPG just fine at 30 FPS with the graphics turned down, equivalent to what the latest Xbox consoles?? are limited to.

It doesn't look as good as on the Xbox, but on the Ally's much smaller screen, that's less noticeable than you'd think. Another big reason why Starfield tops our list is that the game is available with Xbox Game Pass, which the? ROG Ally can access through Windows.

Assassin's Creed Mirage

Assassin's Creed Mirage is, for some fans, a long-awaited return to the roots of the Assassin's Creed franchise. It's a traditional Assassin's Creed ga?me based on stealth, parkour, and taking down templars.

It's disappointing then that the game isn't available on Steam. It's currently exclusive to Ubisoft's store, Ubisoft Connect. However, tha??t's not the end of the world for ROG Ally owners. Not only can you install Ubisoft Connect on the Ally, but it runs ma??gnificently to boot. I've played at a steady 60 FPS while plugged in on low settings, using 1080p with FSR �mighty impressive for a AAA game on a handheld device.

Mirage is also available as part of Ubisoft's PC subscription service, Ubisoft+, giving gamers access to every new Ubisoft game on day one, as well?? as a library of 100+ ga??mes. If you have the subscription on your desktop PC, you can also use it on your Ally.

Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5

Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5 share a spot on this list because the one you choose depends on your driving style. Are yo?u a wannabe Lewis Hamilton who needs to hit every apex perfectly, or do you enjoy cruising around in your favorite car? Whichever one you prefer, you can't really go wrong.

I tested Forza Motorsport on the ROG Ally and got up to 60 FPS, depending on the track and conditions on medium settings, at 900p with FSR balanced. In dozens of hours of playtime, the game performed as smoothly as you'd hope a racing game would. Forza Horizon 5 is the same story, sporting smooth gameplay as you traverse?? around Mexico.

Both games are available on Xbox Game Pass, so you can try them both out to decide which you prefer if you're subscribed. The only downside to the two Forza games is the hefty download sizes that are bigger than you may think. Motorsport comes in at around 124GB, and Horizon 5 at a whopping 140 GB.

EA Sports FC 24

If you're a futbol fan, EA Sports FC 24 is probably already on your radar. As the first "FIFA" game not to bear the name, FC 24 is still the same game that dominates sales and playtime around the ?world.

It's also a must-have play for the cross-section of soccer fans and Ally owners. In fact, the only way to play FC 24 on a portable PC is to do so? on a Windows one. The game won't run on the Steam Deck due to EA's anti-cheat software being Windows only.

That's not a problem on the Ally, and once you're up and running, it's easy to forget you're not playing on a PS5 or desktop. FC 24 holds a steady? 60 FPS on the Ally and feels just as good to play as on b??eefier hardware.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

If you're downloading the EA app, you might as well check out the best EA game of 2023, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It's another game that really pushes hardware on PC, so it?'s not the most obvious ??ROG Ally-friendly.

While you'll have the best time if you're plugged in and using the Ally's 30w Turbo mode, it's perfectly fine unplugge??d and on the go. In my testing, I was able to get between 30-40 FPS at 720p, on low settings, and with FSR set to Quality.??

You can lock Jedi Survivor to 30 FPS for a consistent framerate, but it is able to hover around 37-40 FPS most of the time. If you do want to play in a truly portable (i.e, unplugged) manner, then lock the g?ame at 30 FPS on both 25w and 15w modes for a decent enough experience.

Once you're set up and running, you'll find that playing Jedi: Survivor on the Ally is an absolute blast. The game is available through EA's subscription service, EA Play Pro, and like with Assassin's Creed Mirage, that's plenty of time to finish.

Call of Duty

Call of Duty is a game that isn't easily available on the Steam Deck due to the B??attle.net service being incompatible due to the anti-cheat software it has. You can't play ??any of the newer titles on anything but Windows on PC.

We should note right off the bat that, at the time of writing, there have been reports of ROG Ally players getting erroneously banned for playing the latest game, Modern Warfare 3. The problem is supposedly being looked into by Asus, but it's not the case for the other recent titles. Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War, Modern Warfare 2, and Warzone can all be playe?d on the Al??ly without falling afoul of the anti-cheat system.

In fact, those games don't just play well on the Ally. They play exceptionally well. I tested Black Ops Cold War on the handheld and was able to get an incredible 75-90 FPS at 1080p, low settings on the 15w performance mode. That's?? a truly impressive feat for such a big game on a handh??eld device.

If you have an ROG Ally and want to get your Call of Duty fix on the go, you're in for a treat. You may have to cough up for a bigger SSD, though. Black Ops Cold War is a whopping 175GB on PC, but if you're happ??y to only install multiplayer, that's a more reasonable 50GB.

Update by Elliott Gatica: Since you've had plenty of time to chew through your picks from our original list of seven, how about three more games to play on the ROG Ally? This rounds our best-of list to a nice, even 10, addin??g to the Steam Deck's growin?g competition with more RPGs and multiplayer challenges below.

Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 needs no introduction as to why it should be played on more capable devices. Larian's entry to the series easily steals over 100 hours of your time, and if you don't want to be at y?our desk all day, why not bring that world with you on the go? A little pocket Astarion, portable sass.

Sure, you'll sacrifice some visual fidelity to land a more stable framerate during and out of combat or run it at a stable 30 FPS at 1080p. It's?? not a game where your best experiences relies heavily on a higher framerate. It's up to you whether you want to choose performance over graphics and vice versa.

Palworld

Palworld is another Xbox Game Pass game worth at least a look. W?ith its rise in popularity, seemingly out of nowhere, it took PC gamers by surprise as its concurrent users on Steam skyrocketed for weeks.

Personally, since this is an action game, the higher the framerate, the better. Even if you have to sacrifice texture and asset quality a bit to get a stable 45 FPS and up, it'll be worth it. It seems that getting the game around 900p is the sweet spot to get just that. It's certainly got some performance woes, so you'll have to play around with it, but thankfully developer Pocketpair has slowly fixed some of t?hose since launch.

Helldivers 2

Democracy jokes aside, Helldivers 2 is another game that took the world by storm this year and it's a must-play if you like shooter games in general. Even then, it's worth giving it a go just for some of the wild community stories coming out of the online play.

There's a lot that goes on in this game that can easily tank your performance. Despite saying that action games should be at a higher framerate, you should probably sacrifice some performance for better graphical quality. You can get Helldivers 2 running at 45 FPS at best. Setting your Render Scale at Balanced and putting most ?other settings like textures and lighting at medium or low will make this a blast in handheld m??ode.

The post Best 10 games to play on the ROG Ally appeared first on Destructoid.

The best FPS games to play are those with tight controls, badass weaponry, and gameplay that tests yo?u to your very limits. The following games certainly do that as you blast your way through ?enemies with a typically powerful arsenal.

Apex Legends remains to be one of the best battle royale games out there, while Doom Eternal provides single-player fans with a juicy campaign packed to capacity ?with thrill. Here are all the best FPS games you can play right now.

[caption id="attachment_369717" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Apex Legends

Apex Legends is a battle royale that came out of nowhere in 2019, courtesy of EA and Respawn, and has taken the world by storm. Moving around the world is excitedly energetic as you can slide and wall climb anywhere you please. Each character has their own ability to add to the chaos, such as Caustic dropping p??oisonous canisters onto the battlefield and Gibraltar summoning a bombardment toward their foes. It's free to play and is crossplay compatible, so you can join games with your friends in a snap as well. The costumes you can buy are also pr??etty out there �as you can see in the picture above.

[caption id="attachment_480038" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Battlefield 3

Battlefield 3, despite releasing more than a decade ago, still warrants playing today. The shooting feels spot-on and feels heavier than the likes of Call of Duty and Titanfall. The bigger maps allow for thrilling sniping action, and you can ride vehicles like tanks across the battlefield. There are some smaller maps like Operation Metro as well that will test your skills with its narrow hallways and diverse battle environments. This game has a strong map variety. The Battlefield series focuses more on teamwork as you can resupply your pals on the squad and revive them from death; it's much more strategic than a game of Team Deathmatch. It would be great if the Battlefield series could stand tall again.

[caption id="attachment_480042" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via 2K[/caption]

Borderlands 2

Borderlands 2 is my most nostalgic FPS, and it could be yours too. It has a hilarious script with a devious, unruly antagonist who thinks too much of himself. However, the main highlight is collecting loot. As you defeat enemies and bosses around the world, you'll collect all sorts of weapons each with their own stats and gimmicks to use on foes. I remember laughing and playing with my online friends every week. The game's so entertaining that I beat the game through the mediocre streaming service OnLive and still enjoyed it.

Its sequel Borderlands 3 looks better and runs impressively, but to me??, the more engaging experience is the second entry in the series due to the characters and weapons you'll find.

[caption id="attachment_369853" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Activision[/caption]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brings everything you love about the series. A spectacular array of weapons, detailed multiplayer maps, and a thoroughly entertaining campaign. This series is the pinnacle of the FPS genre as each gun feels impactful and the controls are on point. The new maps, which include Breenbergh Hotel and the Valderas Museum, are also highlights �presenting depth and a wide ?range of scenarios from short-range to long-range combat. It's jus??t a shame this game is such a storage hog!

[caption id="attachment_400393" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via CD Projekt Red[/caption]

Cyberpunk 2077

CD Projekt Red weaves an intriguing story led by the custom player character, V, and their companion, ??the mysterious Johnny Silverhand, played by Keanu Reeves. Somehow, Silverhand slowly takes over your mind, narrating a fascinati?ng plot from beginning to end.

And if you soured on Cyberpunk at launch, now may be the time to revisit. CD Projekt Red has pushed a ton of updates since launch, and the heavy patching was enough to draw mass player attention two years ?later. Even if the story isn't your thing, the g?unplay's still decent, with all manner of weapons to find among the open world of Night City and beyond. There's also the badass Phantom Liberty expansion that features Hobbs & Shaw actor Idris Elba. 

[caption id="attachment_369878" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Valve[/caption]

Counter-Strike 2

The most intense FPS you can play is Counter-Strike 2. Avail??able as a free-to-play title, this game offers intuitive shooting controls and will require precise shots from you to win. Beloved maps like "Dust 2" and "Office" require deep strategy as you manoeuvre through their tight corners. The system in which you buy each weapon also adds to the pressure of the game �??Spend too much and you'll be stuck with a pistol for one round.

[caption id="attachment_400394" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Valve[/caption]

Left 4 Dead 2

This one’s an oldie but a goodie, and it's likely almost all of your friends on Steam have it. In Left 4 Dead 2, hordes of zombies rage toward you and three other unlucky companions as you relentlessly unload against decaying foes. There are multiple types of swarming undead like the Spitters, who blast acid, or bulky infected that charge in without a moment’s notice—aptly named, you guessed it, Chargers. It’s intense, as the chaos demands you need to be alert at all times. However, Valve does provide some levity within the game’s funny dialogue. Left 4 Dead 2 certainly has aged well; the dedicated community proves as much.

[caption id="attachment_369883" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Bethesda[/caption]

Doom Eternal

If multiplayer isn't your bag and you want a shot at some intense FPS gameplay, Doom Eternal will call you. You'll be ripping and tearing through demons as you shred bullets into them with your powerful weapons. The environments look unique as they're hellish and post-apocalyptic. In addition, the music will keep your heart pumping while you take on some of the toughest bosses in gaming. If you decide to pick up Doom Eternal, you'll be in for a thrilling time.

[caption id="attachment_369884" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Ubisoft[/caption]

Rainbow Six Siege

If you're tired of Counter-Strike and want to dive into more gadget-based encounters, Rainbow Six Siege should interest you. You're setting up barricades, blasting explosives, and using an axe to dent the walls to either save the hostage or keep hostiles away. The shooting is intense as only a few bullets can seal your fate, and that rush of danger is what keeps many players coming back for more.

[caption id="attachment_369885" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Metroid Prime Remastered

Metroid Prime has never looked better, thanks to Nintendo and its fantastic remaster. The game has stellar design, entertaining puzzles, and thrilling bosses to face along the way. The exploration of the world is key in the game and retu??rning to past areas with new abilities is super sat?isfying. The remaster has improved the game significantly with a more modern two-stick control method.

The remaster has impressed us with its graphical upgrade. "Metroid Prime Remastered is a fantastic renewal of the classic GameCube title," said Zoey Handley in their Destructoid review."It now looks like how our brains tell us it looked the first time we played it." It's one of the best FPS games to play as it offers a great opportunity to get caught up on the lore before the fabled Metroid Prime 4. 

[caption id="attachment_400391" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Ascendant Studios[/caption]

Immortals of Aveum

Immortals of Aveum may have flown under the radar for FPS fans, but it’s certainly worth gearing up for. The magic-based take on the genre is re??freshing, with spectacular effects and outstanding (and demanding) graphical capabilities all around.

The story is dull as hell, but the combat is a constant thrill. You'll take on mighty bosses—like the mega-nasty dragon, Howler—with all manner of tools at your disposal. We've got a running list of Immortals tips and tricks o??utlining some of those special abilities, shields, and the game's handy whip (which also works for traversal).

[caption id="attachment_480063" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Blizzard[/caption]

Overwatch 2

I will go out on a limb and declare Overwatch 2 i??s one of the best FPS games you can play right now. It doesn't have the best support from its developers with dull events, but when you can talk about the general gameplay, few other games match it. This hero shooter has characters each with their own abilities that can change the state of battle.

Tracer can rewind time while Pharah can leap into the air and reign down rockets from above. Everyone has their role to play and like Battlefield 3, if each team member contributes, it can feel incredibly rewarding. The maps are well-designed with capture points that keep you on your toes too. While I think Blizzard has dropped the ball in recent years, I won't forget the incredible memories of playing Overwatch with my friends; that's why Overwatch 2 is on this list.

[caption id="attachment_480047" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Superhot Team[/caption]

SUPERHOT

Superhot is an incredible FPS, especially if you play the game in VR. This post-modern graphical style is matched up w??ith a unique gameplay system. Time stops when you are standing still, but when you move, your foes will move towards you and fire their weapons. You can shoot with a pistol, but there are other tools at your disposal you can grab, use, or throw like a sword or an assault rifle.

"It’s a shooter at heart, but Superhot brings something fresh and unexpected to the FPS genre," said our review. "It mixes thrilling, action-packed combat with meticulous, precision planning, and somehow these opposing ideas are able?? to unfold simultaneously." This mix of a puzzle game with an FPS is a fantastic way to spend? your weekend.

[caption id="attachment_480059" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Titanfall 2

Before Apex Legends, there was Titanfall 2. This shoote?r has clever level design within its single player campaign and somehow manages you to care for this mech robot that assists you during battle. You can even get inside the mech and cause chaos below to your victims. There's wall-jumping, intriguing platforms to jump on top of like being in the middle of an apartment-making factory, and cool weapons to utilize throughout the campaign. The campaign is the star event for me, but others say the multiplayer is a fantastic time too.

[caption id="attachment_369891" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Riot Games[/caption]

Valorant

Last up is Valorant. It combines the fluidity of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and the ability-focused gameplay of Overwatch to create a triumphant FPS in and of itself. The maps are fantastically designed, and the weapons all feel great to control. It's heroes' abilities add further strategy to the original Counter-Strike-like formula as you create barr??iers with toxic gas, resurrect fal??len allies, and activate seismic charges to shake up the opponent's standing.

The post 15 Best FPS Games to play appeared first on Destructoid.

Season 5 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone are almost upon us, and they'll be bringing plenty of new events, weapons, oper?ators, and more. This season seeks to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, and players can expect lots of free content related to the subculture, including cameos from icons such as Nicki Minaj.

[caption id="attachment_394038" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Infinity Ward.[/caption]

Call of Duty Season 5 gets hip

Season 5 of Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone begins on August 2 at 9 AM PT across all platforms. As part of the franchise's celebration of 50 years of hip-hop, everyone who logs in between August 7 and 16 on four separa??te days will receive free hip-hop War Tracks from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s.

Additionally, new operators will be added in Call of Duty Season 5, and some of them will please hip-hop fans. Snoop Dogg's operator will be available, and he is seen holding a custom blue rifle. This isn't the first time the rapper has teamed up with Call of Duty, as in 2014 he lent his voice talents to the franchis??e.

Nicki Minaj will also be available, making the pink-haired rapper the franchi??se's first-ever self-named female operator. An operator bundle featuring rapper 21 Savage is also planned.

With Season 5, the Prestige ??Rank cap will be raised from 17 to 21, and the new maximum level cap will be 1050. Reach Prestige Rank 21, and you'll receive an? exclusive Kastov-74u Weapon Blueprint.

Modern Warfare 2 was a hit for the franchise, becoming the fastest title in the Call of Duty series to generate $1 billion in revenue. ??Continued updates wit??h surprising twists will ensure the user base remains active.

The post Nicki Minaj is coming to Call of Duty appeared first on Destructoid.

Annual series initially looked to be taking a year off

Activision has re-confirmed that it intends to release a brand new Call of Duty release in 2023, responding to suggestions that the series would be taking time out this year to focus on DLC and additional content for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone.

But, following a recent report by Bloomberg, the publisher reached out to new outlets to confirm that a new, premium Call of Duty game will launch in 2023, though further details on the title were not forthcoming. According to Bloomberg, developer Sledgehammer Games had initially begun the project as MW2 DLC, but the scope and scale of the project have seen it expanded into its own title �an "extension" of sorts for the MW2 narrative/timeline.

It should also be noted that while 2021 release Call of Duty: Vanguard was one of the weakest-selling entries in recent years, Modern Warfare 2 was a resounding success, having the most lucrative launch in Call of Duty history, as well as being the fastest title in the series to reach the $1 billion sales milestone. While this is purely speculation, it's not hard to imagine Activision's "skip a year" plan was a response to Vanguard's sales, with MW2's staggeri?ng s??uccess quickly putting paid to that tentative decision.

Call of Duty 2023 is currently in devel?opment at Sledgehammer G??ames.

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Drop your socks and grab your... well...

Activision Blizzard sequel Call of Duty Modern Warfare II is opening the doors to all and sundry today, as the ??gazillion-dollar shooter launches its first free multiplayer wee??kend. Players on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox can download a truncated version of the title for free to check out its hi-octane action.

The trial kicks off today and will run until Monday, December 19 at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET / 18:00 BST. During that time, squaddies can check out a variety of Modern Warfare II multip??layer modes including Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, and, my own personal specialty, Kill Confirmed. Three maps will be made available for digital pew-pew desires �namely Farm 18, El Asilo, and the recently added battlezone, Shipment, which features a ton of containers and blind corners for all your hide 'n' seek needs.

Launching in October of this year, Modern Warfare II was mostly well-received by critics and fans, praising its top-tier visuals and atmosphere, while chastising the franchise's general sense of repetition even when bolstered by the power of the ninth generation of gaming. The campaign mode serves as both a reboot and a prequel to the original Modern Warfare canon, and sees Task Force 141 attempt to take down a glob?al weapons cartel.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare II is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox plat??forms.

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If you're on PlayStation, prepare to be confused too

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 just launched Warzone 2.0 (read: battle royale) with the Al Mazrah map, on top of a beta for the DMZ mode. If you're in?? the mood for more battle royales, it sounds exciting. But of course, it's a AAA game release, so not everything is rolling out quite so smoothly for existing owners.

I went through this process? today, and can save you a headache.

[gallery link="file??" colum??ns="2" ids="350203,350202"]

If you already own Modern Warfare 2, re-download these packs

So I had Modern Warfare 2 already installed on my PS5, and even though the icon was updated to show Warzone 2.0, it actually wasn't integrated in the game yet.

To rectify this (after trying to frantically locate it via in-game menus), I deleted the entire game and re-installed it. You can also opt to re-install the "Multiplayer and "Warzone 2" packs by managing your game on the home screen. After you re-install the packs, then load ??up the game, you'll see a completely different launcher (like the one in the above second screenshot).

If you don't, you can find Warzone 2.0 on the PSN or Xbox storefronts

Alternatively, there is a Warzone 2.?0 direct do?wnload in the PSN/Xbox storefronts.

Search for Modern Warfare 2, and it'll come up with the above icon in tow (the highlighted ??game). It's si?mply called "Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0."

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Captain Price is Right

As inevitable as death, taxes, or Hamster's Arcade Archives release, Activision's newest entry to the Call of Duty franchise, Modern Warfare 2, is enjoying an incr?edible launch  In fac??t, the Steam edition of the billion-dollar head-popper has already broken the series record for concurrent players on its first day.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, available today on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms is currently entertaining an amazing 192,524 players as of this writing. While this number, in itself, is already the highest number of concurrent CoD Steam players to date, this isn't even the peak, as MW2 already hit a pretty nutso high of 238,522 players dur?ing its first hour of launch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeVapCrI1pY

That's a stunning 100,000+ players more than the previous record, which has been held by the original Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer since 2010. Once North America wakes up and has its first cup of Joe, it will be interesting to see if this peak number can be smashed even further. Of course, this Steam count represents only one faction of the CoD playerbase, with many choosing to play on PlayStation, Xbox, or Activision Blizzard's ?own?? Battle.net app.

The success of the newest Call of Duty title has been something of an annual inevitability, with even "lesser" entries such as last year's Call of Duty: Vanguard still pulling in sales numbers and player figures that most games can only dream of. And it seems, some 18 years from the series' initial inception �and despite perpetual complaints that the series has "peaked" �Call of Duty will remain one of video gaming's most lucrative and fisc??ally reliable franchises.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available now on P?layStation, PC (Steam/Battle.net), and Xbox.

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Players receive a variety of goodies, including a new gun

The Call of Duty series is most well known for its multiplayer, leaving the campaigns as an afterthought for many players. The series' story mode can actually be a lot of fun, with all kinds of cool action movie set pieces designed to make you feel like the biggest badass alive. Even so, it's only a small percentage of players who actually play the campaign, let alone finish it (a statistic that is true of most single player games as well). Now Activision is looking to remedy small completion rates with Modern Warfare II by giving those who finish the campaign some irresistible rewards, the company announced in a recent blog post.

If you pre-order the game, you can also get access to all of these rewards before the full release through Campaign Early Access. Activision didn't conf?irm whether you get the rewards as you go through the missions or all at once at ??the end, but if I had to guess, I'd put money on the former.

?Here's everything you can earn in "chronological mission order:"

• Calling Card: “Soap’s Determinationâ€?/li>
• Emblem: “What’s Done Is Doneâ€?/li>
• 30 Minute Double XP Token
• 30 Minute Double Weapon XP Token
• Calling Card: “Chainlinkedâ€?/li>
• Base Operator: Chuy
• 30 Minute Double XP Token
• 30 Minute Double Weapon XP Token
• Calling Card: “Gazâ€?/li>
• Base Operator: Nova
• 1 Hour Double XP Token
• 1 Hour Double Weapon XP Token
• Calling Card: “Shadow Company Opsâ€?/li>
• Base Operator: Reyes
• 1 Hour Double XP Token
• 1 Hour Double Weapon XP Token
• Base Operator: Hutch

That's ??not all, though -- players who complete the full camp?aign will also receive the Union Guard Weapon Blueprint. The powerful assault rifle comes with four pre-equipped attachments, including "the Aim OP-V4 Reflex Optic, the SZ 1MW PEQ Laser, the FSS Covert V Silencer on the Muzzle, and the Lockgrip Precision-40 Underbarrel Vertical Grip."

Don't worry if you don't plan on pre-ordering Modern Warfare II -- all of these rewards will be available to unlock ??at any time. The l?ure of getting them early is just another way for Activision to rake in the pre-orders.

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Ongoing Operations

According to murmurs circulating the information superhighway this week, Activision might be considering eschewing its annual Call of Duty release in 2023, and is instead looking into the potential of instead releasing a DLC expansion for this year's entry, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.

The speculative news comes from regular Call of Duty leaker TheGhostofHope, who posted the proposal on their Twitter account this past wee?kend. According to TheGhost, Activision will instead use 2023 to boost the content of 2021's release, adding new campaign missions, and a 20th anniversary "Best of" map pack, featuring revamped multiplayer maps from the billion-dollar shooter's storied history.

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier would offer his own corroboration of the news a day later, suggesting that the paid DLC expansion for Modern Warfare II would replac??e the launch?? of another series sequel. While Schreier notes that they themselves are unsure as to the expansion's contents, he does speculate that Activision would eventually release a brand new sequel in the fall of 2024.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOaUcJIxX9k

Call of Duty games, provided that they are decent entries, do have incredible longevity, despite the regular releases. Just last month I dived back into my recent favorite, 2020's Black Ops Cold War, to find packed lobbies and busy-busy playlists still readily available, despite the title having been superseded by 2021's Call of Duty: Vanguard, and the ongoing success of battle royale spin-off Call of Duty Warzone.

Thus, provided that Modern Warfare II delivers a solid experience, Activision could easily rake in big money from releasing a meaty expansion pack over developing an entirely new release from scratch. This approach could affect the bottom line somewhat, but the loss would likely be offset in the DLC's development, which would be understandably cheaper than producing a full game. Importantly, this approach might also reduce the workload on MWII's developer, Infinity Ward. This in itself is enough to warrant the experiment. No doubt the sales of MWII will, ultimately, make or break this decision.

Look, just let me play Nicki Minaj in multiplayer, that's all I'm in for??.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II launches October 28 on PlayStation, ??PC, and Xbo?x platforms.

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Silent No-Scope

Infinity Ward has addressed complaints from the Call of Duty player community about its Modern Warfare 2 closed beta, which took place over the past weekend. Many veteran? players were frustrated by an �understandably odd �new tweak that has been made to the in-game mini-map.

It's all a question of noise location. In Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer, the sound of players firi??ng their weapons does not register as a red dot on the mini-map, giving away their position. This baffling choice has?????????????????????????? been implemented in order to force players to source out enemy positions via sound only. Unfortunately, it has had a very negative response from the playerbase, who find the change not only unnecessary but even problematic.

"The design reason for this is that we do not want to punish players for firing their weapons," said Infinity Ward, responding? to player complaints. "We also want players to actively search out the origin of a gunshot versus just traveling directly to where the dot is on the mini-map. We continue to gather feedback on how the game ??is playing in regards to this topic."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnsOrbljnK0

Part of the threat of pulling the trigger in CoD is that you expose yourself, whether through sound, or bullet tracers. That's part of the battle, part of the strategy, part of the game. Often, the revealing red dot is the only way you can track down a frustrating camper, or long-distance sniper. Additionally, there is already a counterpoint for the red dot in CoD in the form of weapon silencers or perks that makes your chosen character lighte??r on their feet. This is why these items and loadout choic?es exist.

This, in itself, is the point of noise in Call of Duty. It makes the shots matter. It makes having an exit strategy important, it allows for ambushes and stealth attacks. And, if you choose to play more silently, you have those options at the cost of other boons, such as damage or range. Removing the red dot from the mini-map when a player fires an automatic rifle won't make the game any more enjoyable than it will reduce t?he need for strategy �from both the noisemaker and their opponent.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will launch ??on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms October 28.

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Same name, whole new game

The Call of Duty series has seen a lot of changes over the years. With every entry in the series, the franchise evolves in one way or another, especially with three different studios to make their own mark on the series' legacy. Now with the October 28 release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (not to be confused with the 2009 game with the same name), Activision is looking to overhaul the series by adding a whole host of new features to go along with the reboot, as reported by Polygon.

A new engine

Probably the biggest change coming for Call of Duty is a brand new engine. Because the CoD games are developed separately by three different studios -- Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward?, and Treyarch -- Activision wanted to make sure that all of the games moving forward would be created to run on the same unified engine, according to Infinity Ward.

This also makes a lot of sense considering that all three studios are co-developing the new Warzone sequel, and the only way to really do that is if they're ?all working from one standard engine across the board. They also said they want to each studio to maintain their own specific voice when it comes to making the mainline games, so it'll be interesting to see how that shake??s out as the series continues to unfold.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=r72GP1PIZa0

Improved AI

Another new promise is improved AI, something that fans have complained about for years when it co??mes to the games' campaigns. Infinity Ward said they've entirely revamped their AI systems, especially taking inspiration from real world soldiers, as well as Hollywood blockbusters. Those two things kind of sound wildly different to me, but as long as it's fun to play and the AI doesn't break my im?mersion, it's all good with me.

Returning to Steam

Fans of the series were also pleased to hear a few days ago that Call of Duty is officially returning to Steam with Modern Warfare II on October 28. The games had been previously accessible on PC through Blizzard's Battle.net launcher, a change that started with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 back in 2018.

Even more gun customization

Gun attachments have been a staple of the Call of Duty experience for a while now, and with Modern Warfare II, we're going to have more customization options than ever with an upgraded Gunsmith mechanic, making ?the e??ndgame all the more satisfying.

While in the past, the attachments have had pre-set stats, the plan moving forward is that they will be fully customizable, so players will have even more control over how they want to tweak their build. When it comes to the endgame,?? y??ou'll still be able to keep customizing those attachments even after you've unlocked them all, making late game content feel more substantial than previous entries in the series.

A fully integrated anti-cheat system

Finally, Activision is addressing the rampant cheating problem that they've had to deal with in the series. It got so bad after release, they had to implement an anti-cheat system called Ricochet into both Warzone and the mainline games. This time around, Activision plans to implement Rico?chet from the get-go on all of their releases, which will hopefully make for a much more enjoyable experience. No one likes a cheat??er.

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