I remember it was around last June. As usual, I was browsing for gaming news on X (formerly Twitter) when I stumbled upon a leak regarding the next 'Call of Duty.' At first, I doubted my own eyes. I thought the leaker had made a typo or that it wasn't Korean. The title of the next Call of Duty was 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare IV.' The leaked sequence was even harder to believe: Task Force 141 and the South Korean military joining forces to engage North Korean troops.

The desire for a 'Korean War' setting in Call of Duty has been a perennial wish for fans both at home and abroad. But every time, we were met with different theaters of war or brief, single-mission cameos like in 'Advanced Warfare,' leading us to resign ourselves with a "figures as much" attitude. I expected the same this time, too.

Campaign - It's for Real This Time: The Second Korean War Breaks Out!

But this time, it was for real. Modern Warfare IV deals with a fictional Korea where the Second Korean War has broken out. Under a new leadership regime, the North Korean military, bolstered by massive support, launches an air raid on Seoul, the capital of South Korea, plunging the city into chaos. It is a moment that realizes the dreams of many Korean Call of Duty fans.

Regarding the choice of South Korea as a setting, Infinity Ward co-heads Jack O'Hara and Mark Grigsby stated, "We wanted to refresh the Modern Warfare title, and to do that, we chose a battlefield we hadn't visited before. In that sense, Korea was the most suitable stage." They added that the architectural styles not previously seen in the game, the rise of K-culture, and South Korea's geopolitical position in its standoff with North Korea were all compelling factors.

The development team didn't just stop at using Korea as a backdrop; they poured their hearts into depicting it realistically. In fact, the South Korean military equipment, convenience stores, and street scenes featured in the trailer will feel quite familiar to Korean gamers.

Of course, as befits a Modern Warfare series that spans the globe, the action is not limited to Korea. With various locations around the world—including Russia, New York, Paris, and Mumbai—falling into danger at the hands of an axis of evil, Task Force 141, led by our perennial Captain Price, will traverse these global stages to confront the threats.

The development team explained that through the South Korean military, they aimed to highlight the efforts of ordinary soldiers rather than war heroes, and that they would be given as much weight as Task Force 141 in this title. Additionally, the trailer teased fans with scenes of Valeria, the former Mexican cartel leader from Modern Warfare II (2022), cooperating with Price, as well as a tense standoff between Ghost and Price.

Multiplayer - More Immersive, Pain Points Addressed.

In multiplayer, the focus is on increasing immersion and thoroughly fixing pain points. Changes were made primarily to movement and combat. For movement, the team ensured that vaulting over obstacles is as smooth as possible, minimizing the feeling of getting 'stuck.' New additions include 'Ledge Shimmy,' which allows for weapon operation while mantling, and 'Supine Slide,' a long-distance slide performed on the back.

Regarding combat, the team emphasized the removal of 'Bloom,' a common complaint in many other FPS games. Bloom refers to the mechanic where bullets spread despite aiming directly at a target; the development team replaced this with a different system to ensure bullets land exactly where the player aims, creating a more satisfying gunplay experience.

Furthermore, VFX like muzzle smoke have been adjusted to avoid obstructing combat, and the 'Depth of Field' option—which many FPS gamers disable because they feel it puts them at a disadvantage when aiming down sights—has been tuned to ensure enemies remain clearly identifiable even when ADS.

Also, unlike previous titles where the weapon position remained static when hugging a wall, this game features fine-tuned weapon orientation based on how the player leans against a wall, allowing for more realistic cover and entry.

Gunsmithing remains, and special attachments called 'Apex Attachments' have been introduced. Similar to the conversion kits from the previous game, these provide additional playstyles. For example, the ORIS 8.6 sniper rifle can be equipped with a quick-detach throwing dagger, the SANG 9mm pistol can mount an under-barrel 12-gauge shotgun, and the ISO Nightshade can be fitted with a smart tracker that reveals an enemy's location when a special round is attached to them.

At launch, the game will feature 24 primary weapons, 9 secondary weapons and melee weapons, 28 Apex attachments, 500 standard attachments, 17 killstreaks, 11 field upgrades, 11 lethal equipment, 9 tactical equipment, and 18 perks.

As for modes, in addition to existing fan favorites, new modes like 'Combat Outpost' and 'Frontal Assault' are being introduced for users interested in large-scale warfare.

It has been confirmed that 12 maps will be available at launch, with settings including South Korea, North Korea, Russia, and Mumbai, as seen in the campaign. Furthermore, the development team hinted at the addition of 'Kill Blocks,' maps that change dynamically. Inspired by stadiums that change structure based on events, the map layout changes with every match, ensuring a fresh experience even when playing the same map.

Additionally, the 'Prestige' system, which resets levels for rewards, now offers two paths. Choosing the 'Classic Prestige' track resets everything, including unlocked equipment, in exchange for extra rewards, while the 'Regular Track' allows players to move to the next level chapter while keeping their unlocked items, albeit with fewer rewards.

Listening to the Community - Ending Legacy Console Support, Switch 2 Release, and QoL Improvements

Finally, Infinity Ward promised to listen to community feedback and implement changes. Notably, support for legacy consoles has been discontinued, and features frequently requested by the community, such as 'offline campaign play' and the 'removal of the restart-after-update system,' are currently being implemented.

Furthermore, a release on the Nintendo Switch 2 has been confirmed. This makes 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare IV' the first title under the 10-year Call of Duty supply agreement between Microsoft and Nintendo. The development team added that it is currently running smoothly on the Switch and is undergoing polishing to enhance its quality.

The team also emphasized that they are working to include features like 'Theater Mode' for recording gameplay, 'Map Voting,' and 'Red Dots on Minimap' when firing weapons.

With global attention focused on whether the first Call of Duty set primarily in South Korea will be a success, 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare IV,' developed by Infinity Ward, is scheduled for a worldwide simultaneous release on October 23.