There’s something rotten in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered , and I’m not talking about the return of some bugs and issues that plagued the game shortly after its release. I’m talking about DLC. As expected from any Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare Remastered has add-ons for people to buy. The problem today is in the content. The DLC is the same DLC from the original release, only now it costs more money.
What? That’s craziness, right? I mean, this Variety Map Pack is content that already existed for the game and came out in 2008. It’s being remastered too, bringing back the Broadcast, Creek, Chinatown, and Killhouse maps. Instead of charging the original price again, $9.99, that’s been jacked up to $14.99. People are paying $5 more for what is basically the same thing. It isn’t difficult to see why players are upset.
Can you blame them? This is content that already existed. It isn’t as though whole maps needed to be created and designed. Activision already had them. They just put a fresh coat of paint on everything. There was no time spent designing and realizing them. They existed. Instead of just going and putting that extra shine there, then sending them off for $10, they had to add an additional $5 fee. Is this a premium for the privilege of being able to play 9 year old maps again?
Though, to be fair, I could have a more harsh opinion. Honestly, I think Activision should have included any and all Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered DLC with the game. After all, this is a remaster. All of the bits and pieces are already there. Putting extra polish on these small pieces of the whole should be an accepted part of the process. Instead of keeping things broken up, they should be provided as whole.
Especially since remasters are overall considered to be the complete editions of games. Think of some of the others we’ve seen as of late. Skyrim: Special Edition, Batman: Return to Arkham, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and BioShock: The Collection all included everything possible. If the game had DLC, it was in the package. Because that’s what we’ve come to expect. If you get a remaster, it remasters everything. It isn’t broken up into parts, like Activision has done with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered .
I suppose the positive to this is that it is entirely optional. All Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered’ s add-ons are happen to be maps. Old ones too. You know if they’re something you’d like or not. It’s just a shame that they are being sold at a premium price, rather than their original fee or, even better, for free.