In the evolving economy of interactive entertainment, Activision has quietly raised the floor for entry into one of gaming's most popular franchises. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the publisher has removed the $60 standard option entirely, asking all console players to begin at $70 — a quiet but consequential shift in how blockbuster games are priced and who gets to play them at launch. This decision arrives against the backdrop of Microsoft's pending $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a deal that may soon reshape the very nature of game ownership and access.
Modern Warfare 2 preorders open: Cross-Gen Bundle vs. Vault Edition explained
Activision has made it so players have to pay at least $70
Mark
So Activision is forcing everyone to spend at least $70 on this game now. Why eliminate the $60 option?
Mimi
They're betting that the cross-gen appeal justifies the price floor. Both versions include current and last-gen builds, which the previous two games didn't do in their standard edition. That's a real technical feature, not just marketing.
Luke
But we should note—that's Activision's framing. We don't have a statement from them explaining the business logic. It could be margin protection, or it could be what Mimi said. We're inferring.
Mark
What's actually worth the extra $30 for the Vault Edition?
Mimi
The Season 1 Battle Pass and 50 tier skips are the meat of it. If you're going to play regularly, that's a real time advantage. The cosmetics are nice but cosmetic—no gameplay edge.
Luke
Right. And cosmetics are subjective. Some players will think the Ghost skins are essential; others won't care. The tier skips are objective value, but only if you plan to engage with the seasonal system.
Mark
What about the physical disc situation on PlayStation?
Mimi
It's confusing by design, almost. PS4 disc gives you both versions. PS5 disc gives you only the PS5 version. Xbox doesn't have that split.
Luke
Which means PlayStation players have to think harder about their purchase. That's a friction point Activision created. We don't know if it's intentional or just how the licensing worked out, but it's worth flagging.
Mark
When does this actually come out?
Mimi
October 28, 2022. Warzone 2 launches the same day. And Microsoft's acquisition should be done by mid-2023, so this is the last Call of Duty that ships before Activision becomes a Microsoft studio.
Luke
Assuming no delays. Call of Duty has been reliable on that front, but the industry has surprised us before. That said, the source material doesn't hint at any problems, so October 28 is the working date.
The Pulse
- Activision has eliminated the $60 entry point entirely, forcing every console buyer — including those still on older hardware — to spend at least $70 just to play.
- Two editions now define the entire console offering: the $70 Cross-Gen Bundle for those who want the game, and the $100 Vault Edition for those who want the game plus a significant cosmetic and progression head start.
- A quiet but frustrating asymmetry exists for PlayStation disc buyers — a PS5 disc does not include the PS4 version, while Xbox physical copies carry no such restriction.
- Every preorder unlocks early Open Beta access, though Activision has yet to announce when that test window will actually open.
- Looming over the October 28 launch is Microsoft's near-$69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a deal expected to close by mid-2023 that would fold the Call of Duty franchise into Xbox's first-party empire.
In the evolving economy of interactive entertainment, Activision has quietly raised the floor for entry into one of gaming's most popular franchises. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the publisher has removed the $60 standard option entirely, asking all console players to begin at $70 — a quiet but consequential shift in how blockbuster games are priced and who gets to play them at launch. This decision arrives against the backdrop of Microsoft's pending $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a deal that may soon reshape the very nature of game ownership and access.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available for preorder, and Activision has made a pointed commercial decision in how it's being sold. There is no $60 standard edition this time — a departure from recent franchise entries like Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard. Console players must choose between the $70 Cross-Gen Bundle or the $100 Vault Edition, both of which include versions for last- and current-generation hardware. The removal of the cheaper tier means even players still on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One are required to pay the higher price.
Developed by Infinity Ward, the game is set to launch October 28, 2022, alongside Warzone 2, its free-to-play battle royale companion. The distinction between the two editions is largely cosmetic and progression-based. The Vault Edition adds the Ghost Legacy Pack, the Red Team 141 operator skins, the FJX Cinder Weapon Vault, a Season 1 Battle Pass, and 50 tier skips — a meaningful advantage for players committed to the seasonal grind.
Physical buyers on PlayStation should take note of a subtle but frustrating limitation: a PS5 disc only includes the current-generation version, while a PS4 disc grants access to both. Xbox physical copies carry no such restriction. Digital purchases sidestep the issue entirely.
All preorders include early Open Beta access, though specific dates remain unannounced. The release also arrives as Microsoft's roughly $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard moves toward a projected close by June 2023 — a deal that would bring Call of Duty under the Xbox first-party umbrella, with the next Treyarch-developed entry not expected until 2024.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is ready for preorder, and Activision has made a deliberate choice about how to sell it. Unlike the two previous entries in the franchise—Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard—there is no $60 standard edition this time around. Instead, players choosing to buy on console face only two options: the Cross-Gen Bundle at $70 or the Vault Edition at $100. Both versions include the game built for last-generation hardware (PlayStation 4 or Xbox One) and current-generation systems (PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X and S). By eliminating the cheaper tier, Activision has effectively required all console buyers to pay at least $70, even those who haven't yet upgraded from older hardware.
Infinity Ward, the studio behind the Modern Warfare sub-series, is leading development on this new installment. The game is scheduled to arrive on October 28, 2022, across all platforms. Warzone 2, the free-to-play battle royale companion, will launch simultaneously. Call of Duty has maintained a reliable annual release cadence for years, and nothing in the current landscape suggests this entry will break that pattern.
The practical difference between the two editions hinges on cosmetics and battle pass progression. Both the Cross-Gen Bundle and Vault Edition deliver the same core game on both console generations. The Vault Edition, however, bundles in substantial extras: the Ghost Legacy Pack (12 operator skins and 10 weapon blueprints for Warzone), the Red Team 141 collection (four Ghost-themed operator skins for Modern Warfare 2 itself), the FJX Cinder Weapon Vault, the Season 1 Battle Pass, and 50 tier skips. For players planning to invest time in the game's seasonal progression system, those 50 skips represent a meaningful head start.
One wrinkle exists for physical media buyers on PlayStation. If you purchase the game as a disc for PS4, you receive both the PS4 and PS5 versions. The PS5 disc, however, only includes the current-generation version—you cannot play the PS4 copy on that console. Xbox physical copies carry no such restriction; both versions come with either edition regardless of which console generation you're buying for. Digital purchases sidestep this entirely, granting access to both versions on whichever platform you own.
Every preorder, regardless of edition, unlocks early access to the Open Beta. Activision has not yet announced the specific dates or times for that test period. The timing of this release arrives as Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard—valued at nearly $69 billion—moves toward completion. The deal is expected to close sometime within Microsoft's fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. Once finalized, Activision Blizzard will join Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks as a first-party publisher under Microsoft's umbrella. Reports suggest the next Call of Duty title, being developed by Treyarch, will not arrive until 2024, marking a departure from the franchise's annual rhythm.
Notable Quotes
All preorder editions grant early access to the Open Beta, though specific dates have not been announced.— Activision
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