Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer won’t feature destruction like Vanguard

While Call of Duty: Vanguard’s multiplayer modes boasted environmental destruction, Modern Warfare 2 will not have this feature.

The reactive environments in Vanguard’s multiplayer counted among its selling points. Thanks to the destructibility features, player behavior could dismantle materials such as glass, tile, and wood.

High-caliber weapons could especially wreak havoc on a map’s environment, heightening the tactical nature of the experience. But while developer Sledgehammer Games applied these reactive elements to every combat arena, few players were impressed by the feature’s execution in-game.

Those hoping to see Call of Duty’s destructive capabilities evolve in the upcoming multiplayer suite shouldn’t hold their breath.

No destruction for Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer

Activision

MW2 ditches Vanguard’s reactive environments.

In a recent Q&A session with members of the press, relayed by VentureBeat, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 developers fielded questions about the title’s online modes.

• Read More: Will Warzone have a console FOV slider in Modern Warfare 2?

When asked about the potential return of destructible elements, Multiplayer Design Director Geoffrey Smith said they won’t feature in multiplayer modes. “We can’t really afford it on a large scale across the map,” he explained, adding that players can expect to see damage and wear without structural pieces actually coming apart.

Expect wear damage to show in MW2’s multiplayer.

Co-Studio Head Patrick Kelly chimed in next, noting that the team did entertain the addition of destruction. However, fully reactive environments engendered challenges that made it “difficult to create a play space where you would call it an appropriate combat space.” Kelly continued,

“If you can punch through walls, everything like that. At the other end of the spectrum, if you have more of a purely–I don’t want to call it just cosmetic, but where you can’t shoot holes through the walls, things like that, you also end up with the challenge of visibility. Now you have variable backdrops. You have to do other things in terms of room lighting and fill and all these other things where you’re artificially representing things and characters in the environment.”

At the very least, the crew confirmed Modern Warfare 2’s single-player campaign will showcase full-scale ruination.

• Read More: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2: Release date, platforms, trailers, everything we know

Activision unveiled the sequel earlier this week, offering a glimpse at its multiplayer and single-player experiences.

Not every piece of news was met with excitement, though. For instance, the Call of Duty community remains divided on Modern Warfare 2’s $70 price point.