Modern Warfare maps that shouldn't return in MWII, ranked

Players love it when great maps get remade, but nothing is worse than when the developers bring back a map that nobody liked in the first place. These are 10 maps from Modern Warfare history that I didn't want to see return in Modern Warfare II, ranked from number 10 down to the one I wanted back least of all.

Infinity Ward released Modern Warfare II in 2022. It was the sequel to the 2019 rebooted Modern Warfare, which was controversial but was also one of the most successful Call of Duty releases in history. Before the new game arrived, fans were speculating about what it would include, and so was I. This list covers what I hoped would stay out.

Number 10: Overgrown is a slow Call of Duty 4 sniping map I never understood

I don't get why Overgrown is seen as a fan favorite. I know it's an iconic map from Call of Duty 4. I know it's a huge sniping map, and I know it was remade in both Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty Online. But I don't know anybody who liked it.

It has huge visibility, it's difficult, and the lighting and set pieces are weird. The only way to play it is sitting in a window or head glitching while hard scoping with a sniper rifle. It was such a slow map, and despite being pretty to look at, it didn't play well with all its size and aesthetics. I think Infinity Ward might want to remake Overgrown, but I hoped they wouldn't. It wasn't fun before, and I don't think it would be fun now.

Number 9: Estate would be too campy with modern Call of Duty mechanics

I know this one will be unpopular, so hear me out. Estate first appeared in the original Modern Warfare 2, and it was iconic. However, with the mechanics of modern Call of Duty, I think it would be unbearable.

The map was known for how powerful its center building was. It was virtually impossible to win if your team didn't control that building. Think about how campy the modern Call of Duty community can be and how much modern mechanics cater to campers. Would Estate play well in a game like Modern Warfare 2019 or Modern Warfare II? I think it would be way too campy. Unless Infinity Ward was planning on dramatically changing the core gameplay, this was one not to remake.

Number 8: Downturn was the most hated map in Modern Warfare 3

I don't think Infinity Ward is ever going to revisit Downturn, but I'm putting it on the list in case they were thinking about it. I wanted them to stop. It was in Modern Warfare 3, and it was by far the least played map in the game.

It looked cool and had some decent details, but the flow was terrible. It was set on Wall Street after the outbreak of World War III, and you could run around buildings, streets and subway tunnels. In terms of square footage, though, it was way too big for 6v6. Even Ground War played too slowly on it because there was too much space to move around and none of it flowed. I commend Infinity Ward for making such a detailed map back in 2011, but it was easily the most hated map in Modern Warfare 3, and we should forget about it.

Number 7: Bloc has one of the most unfair B flags in Domination history

Bloc is one of the biggest maps in Call of Duty 4, and it's mainly known for having one of the most unfair B flags in Domination history. Playing Domination there was a race to capture B, because whoever captured it first held it. You couldn't recapture it.

Aside from that, it was a frustrating map because of the dark lighting and the abundance of vantage points. People sat in the windows and sniped at each other, because the second you ran out into the open you'd get blasted by four different people with four different M40A3s. I know Infinity Ward likes to remake maps, and I was worried that Bloc's size would entice them as a 10v10 map. I hoped they wouldn't.

Number 6: Free Fall from Ghosts made people sick

Free Fall is a Ghosts map, but Infinity Ward made plenty of Ghosts references in Modern Warfare 2019, so I thought it was totally possible they would remake a Ghosts map in Modern Warfare II. This was not the one to pick.

It was one of the most talked about maps in the game because of how bad it was. It looked impressive, and it took place in a collapsing building with a lot going on, but the flow was horrible and it gave people motion sickness. This map made people sick to their stomach. With Modern Warfare II being such a technically demanding game, I thought Infinity Ward might want to bring Free Fall back to show off their attention to detail, but I don't think the community would like it. "Let's leave Free Fall in the COD graveyard where it belongs."

Number 5: The Modern Warfare 2019 version of Hardhat had broken spawns

Hardhat debuted in Modern Warfare 3, and it was great. I've said a couple of times that I think it's the best map in that game. But when Infinity Ward brought it back for Modern Warfare 2019, much of that charm went out the window for one major reason: the spawns.

In Modern Warfare 3, Hardhat had good spawns and the flow was fast. It encouraged constant battles and movement. In the new version, the spawn engine would put you either directly in gunfire or way too far out, and it felt random. The 2019 Hardhat was complete nonsense because there was no flow, which is a shame because the original was good. I hoped Infinity Ward would bring back Hardhat, but it needed to be the original with the original spawn logic, not the new one.

Number 4: Wasteland is iconic, but its lack of cover made it miserable

Wasteland is one of the most iconic maps in Call of Duty history, but that doesn't mean it was good. It was a remake of a classic map from Call of Duty and Call of Duty 2, and most people knew it for its wide open spaces and total lack of cover.

If somebody got a seven kill streak on Wasteland, it was game over. Once the Harriers or the Chopper Gunner came out, somebody was getting a nuke, and with no cover, aerial kill streaks were devastating. People would camp for their seven kill streak, lie in a bush and get a free nuke. Unless you were the one getting the streaks, it was not fun, and most people hated it at the time. It's clearly iconic, but we don't need it back.

Number 3: The Modern Warfare 2019 Backlot lost what made the original great

Backlot is one of the best maps in Call of Duty 4, and many fans rejoiced when it was announced as a remake for Modern Warfare 2019. But much like Hardhat, a few changes were made, and they completely destroyed what people liked about the original.

The new version had a few extra spots that hurt the flow, and the spawns once again changed, which only damaged the flow even more. On top of that, with the way Modern Warfare 2019 was meant to be played, people barely moved on this map. In the original it was a nonstop battle. I love the original Backlot. I don't like the new one.

Number 2: Downpour from Call of Duty 4 would be the worst camp fest

Downpour first appeared in Call of Duty 4 and took place on a big, rainy farm. It wasn't the worst map in the game, but it wasn't the best. The layout was average, but the dark lighting and constant rainfall made it extremely difficult to see your enemy. It was one of the most frustrating maps in Call of Duty 4.

Now imagine how bad it would be in modern Call of Duty, with more equipment, more kill streaks and more campiness. It may be recognizable as a map, but it would be the absolute worst camp fest in Modern Warfare II if it happened. Infinity Ward needed to stay away from this one.

Number 1: The Modern Warfare 2019 version of Shipment should not come back

Shipment has been coming back over and over again, and I can't be the only one who absolutely hated the Modern Warfare 2019 version. Yes, it was great for getting camos done quickly, but the map itself was pure chaos, and not in a good way.

The spawns were terrible, the choke points made no sense, and it was worse than the classic Shipment in every way. The Call of Duty 4 and Call of Duty: WWII versions were chaotic and ridiculous, but they were fun because they had some kind of flow. Modern Warfare 2019's version was pure nonsense. Some people liked it for finishing their camo challenges quickly, but the rest of us wanted something real.

I'm down for a classic Shipment remake making a return. But please don't bring back the 2019 version. "It wasn't good, it won't be good, and we don't need it."