Modern Warfare 2 H2M Mod Canned By Activision

Highlights

H2M mod canceled by Activision a day before release, disappointing fans.
Fans, angered by sudden cancelation, raise objections and review-bomb Modern Warfare Remastered.
Activision’s action suspiciously timed with Steam sale and Black Ops 6 beta.

H2M, a Call of Duty mod intended to bring Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer content into Modern Warfare 1‘s 2017 remaster, was suddenly canceled a day before its intended release via a cease and desist letter from Activision.

The developers planned to launch on August 16th, but in a sad Twitter announcement on August 15, they explained they now have to shut down their operations. With insult to injury, over the last few days, this mod has re-gathered fan appeal towards Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered on Steam.

It appears Activision isn’t keen on community mods like H2M distracting fans from their brand-new releases.

If you see a release of the H2M mod online for download, please avoid it and don’t trust it, as it’s become a way to spread malware.

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The H2M Mod was planned to be a nice reset for COD fans. The fan update would have freshened Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer with a nice new coat of paint and reset everyone’s achievements and progression back to ground zero.

So, players would have gotten a classic Call of Duty experience without the option to automatically unlock everything, keeping fans returning for more of that same original grind they fell in love with in 2009.

Not only are fans outraged over the sudden cancelation, but this news came right after a huge 50% off sale of Modern Warfare Remastered on Steam, leading many players who bought the game solely for the H2M mod during the sale to issue a refund and beg others to do the same.

Was This A Pre-Planned Business Decision?

A soldier next to a helicopter from Modern Warfare 2 (2009).

It is highly unlikely that Activision hadn’t had the insight to notice this upcoming mod and the advantageous Steam sale. These two factors even caused Modern Warfare Remastered to get on Steam’s Top Sellers chart.

So, Activision seemingly chose not to issue a cease and desist until after the sale is a complete. Which if true, is a real kick in the face to their own fans. A company profiting from the potential release of a mod that they burn to the ground moments later isn’t a good look. But then again, Activision is no stranger to bad press.

Yes, players would have needed a legal copy of Modern Warfare 1 Remastered through Steam to play this mod, so its potential success would have meant more traction for a game from which Activision profits.

Many community theories have emerged to explain why Activision made such an assertive decision. Unlike actions by other game developers like Bethesda’s Fallout: Next Gen Update, which hurt the Fallout: London mod, Activision’s decision was deliberate and targeted at H2M.

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Some are noting the upcoming beta for Black Ops 6 on August 30th. With H2M launching two weeks before, Activision’s action could ensure that every Call of Duty fan had their eyes directly on their upcoming game.

Activision has the legal right to protect and limit public access to its intellectual property, yet, the abrupt cancelation sucks, and upset fans have already gone to review-bomb Modern Warfare Remastered on Steam.

The Sad Fate Of H2M

Combat from Modern Warfare 1 Remaster's H2M Mod.

The only clear reason why a cancelation like this would be necessary is if Activision has a Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Remaster planned or in development. Although they remastered the campaign in 2020, there has been no update about a multiplayer component since.

Even though nothing much can be done now, as the project is publicly scrapped forever, we hope a gaming company pulling a fast one on its community like this never happens again.

Despite the legality of the action, many of us find it far from moral, especially with fan speculation that Activision likely had the time to cancel this project further before launch.

All we can do now is mourn this once-promising community-led project that only aimed to help fans re-enjoy the Call of Duty game that many of us miss.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)

Released: November 10, 2009
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
How Long To Beat: 7 Hours