Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 are going to include swimming for the first time in franchise history. We've also been told that cars can sink, so thank god.
Okay, okay, I know some of you will be shouting at the screen right now, "we've already had swimming in Call of Duty!" but in previous games swimming has been restricted to set-pieces during the campaign. Who can forget the iconic mission in the original Modern Warfare 2, way back in 2009. Taking that oil rig also gave us the first instance of slow-time breach and clearing. But no, we're talking about a kind of swimming that any player can do at any time (provided they're in a body of water, obviously). Yep, it seems thatswimming is coming to Call of Duty, which is honestly a bit late given that Caldera takes place on an island. But hey ho, let's get into the details.
Swimming Mechanic To Feature In Modern Warfare 2 & Warzone 2
According to Westie (who was invited to try the game by Call of Duty), you will be able to swim in the Campaign, the Co-Op mode, Multiplayer, and Warzone. He described the mechanic in detail, and said that we would be able to swim on the surface or hold our breath and dive below if we needed to keep stealthy. The deeper you go, the darker the water gets, and will therefore provide better cover.
But this is going to involve more than simple movement mechanics. Bullets will also react to water and will slow down in liquid. You can even do melee takedowns from the water's edge, Splinter Cell-style. More impressively still, vehicles will react to water. They'll slow down when you hit the surface, then slowly fill with water and sink, but there are amphibious vehicles too, luckily.
And before you go doubting the news, in the Modern Warfare 2 reveal trailer we actually see multiple shots of the characters swimming. In fact, much of the game looks like it takes place on the high seas, so we're confident you'll see this mechanic in the final version of the game.
For more details on the new game head on over to our hub article regarding everything we know about Modern Warfare II.