A very beloved Call of Duty game could be making a comeback on modern platforms, with a newly discovered rating suggesting Activision may be working on another re-release. Older Call of Duty titles have already enjoyed a surprising resurgence in 2026, making the possibility of another returning fan favorite particularly exciting and not out of the ordinary.
Activision has recently found considerable success revisiting its extensive back catalog. In July, the publisher unexpectedly released ports of the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2 for PS4 and PS5, allowing players to revisit two of the franchise’s most celebrated entries without needing their original PS3 hardware. Unlike previous Call of Duty re-releases, these weren’t full remasters or remakes; instead, they offered relatively straightforward versions of the original games, with their campaigns, multiplayer, and Zombies modes intact. Despite their age and limited improvements, both releases proved remarkably popular, proving there is still a huge appetite for older Call of Duty experiences among fans new and old.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Could Be the Next Classic to Return
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Image via Activision -
Image via Activision -
Image via Activision
The original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 from 2009 has received a new classification in Australia, potentially pointing toward another re-release of Infinity Ward’s beloved shooter. The Australian Classification Board listing was issued on October 1, 2026, giving the game an R18+ rating and listing Activision Publishing as its production company. Interestingly, the entry specifically identifies the original 2009 game while listing 2026 as its production year. The discovery follows a similar pattern to the classifications that preceded this year’s Black Ops ports, although the listing doesn’t identify any platforms or confirm a new release. Activision has yet to announce another port, meaning Modern Warfare 2‘s potential return remains speculation for now.
Released in November 2009, Modern Warfare 2 was nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. Building on the enormous success of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward delivered a blockbuster campaign alongside a multiplayer experience that helped define online gaming during the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation. Maps like Rust, Terminal, Highrise, and Favela became instant classics, while its customizable killstreaks and expansive progression systems kept millions of players hooked on its gameplay formula. Nearly 17 years later, its chaotic multiplayer and memorable campaign remain among the most celebrated experiences in Call of Duty history.
Of course, Modern Warfare 2 has already returned once before, although not quite in the way many fans wanted. Activision released Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered in 2020, bringing the original single-player experience to newer hardware with significantly improved visuals. However, the remaster omitted both multiplayer and Spec Ops, with Activision explaining that it preferred incorporating classic maps into 2019’s Modern Warfare reboot rather than splitting players between separate multiplayer experiences. A new Modern Warfare 2 port could potentially bring the full experience to modern platforms the way fans have been asking for, while also giving PlayStation fans without the same backward compatibility features as Xbox convenient access to the game.
The success of this year’s Black Ops ports certainly gives Activision a compelling reason to continue exploring its older games. Alinea Analytics estimated that the two releases sold a combined 11.2 million copies on PlayStation in July alone, generating approximately $435 million in revenue. Activision hasn’t officially confirmed those figures, but they suggest that straightforward ports of classic Call of Duty games can still generate extraordinary interest. If Modern Warfare 2 is next, other classics like World at War and the original Modern Warfare 3 could become appealing candidates for similar treatment. Nothing is confirmed yet, but after seeing how enthusiastically players embraced the return of Black Ops, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore how valuable Call of Duty‘s past remains.
- Released
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November 10, 2009
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Multiplayer
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Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
