While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will have a file size around 150GB, the game's physical disc will contain only a negligible fraction of that data. Infinity Ward's upcoming first-person shooter will be a direct follow-up to the 2019 reboot of Modern Warfare, with players fighting around the world alongside the iconic Task Force 141. The large CoD: Modern Warfare 2 file size is still substantially smaller than previous entries, but the data present on the physical disc will be downright tiny.

As reported by Twitter user DoesItPlay1 (via MobileSyrup), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will only include about 70MB of data on its physical disc. Considering the game's actual size comes to around 150GB following a massive pre-release update, this means that significantly less than 1% of the actual game is present on the disc. This practice of utilizing "dummy discs" has become increasingly criticized in recent years, considering that most players who purchase physical discs do so because they don't want to download an entire game. Forcing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 players to download almost the whole game even when suing the disc completely defeats the purpose of the physical release.

Related: Modern Warfare 2 Launch DLC Will Support Real-Life Veterans

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's Disc Is Practically Pointless

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 night vision

Like the controversial Modern Warfare 2 phone number requirement, the use of an almost empty dummy disc is a covert digital rights management system that unfairly penalizes certain players. Many fans who purchase the disc-based version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will do so because they're reluctant to download the digital version, either to save storage space or because they have a weak internet connection. Unfortunately, forcing a 35GB download even with the disc version of the title completely negates both of these advantages.

As discs become less useful in the age of digital gaming, it seems likely that companies will eventually stop creating both disc-based games and consoles with disc drives altogether. The version of the PS5 console with a disc drive is more expensive than the digital-only version, for example, as is the case with the Xbox Series X and its cheaper Series S counterpart without a disc drive. As the industry turns away from discs, it seems likely that more games will have dummy discs with only a few megabytes of data on them.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be smaller than previous CoD releases, but the game's physical disc is still way smaller than it should be. A partial download is expected for any modern game, but including less than 1% of a game on its disc is a disservice to fans who prefer physical media. When only 70MB of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is on the disc, it just makes more sense to buy the game digitally.

Next: Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer: Everything Included At Launch

Sources: DoesItPlay1/Twitter, MobileSyrup

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  • Call of Duty MWII Game Poster
    Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
    Released:
    2022-10-28
    Developer:
    Infinity Ward
    Franchise:
    Call of Duty
    Genre:
    FPS, Shooter, Action
    Publisher:
    Activision
    ESRB:
    M
    Platform:
    PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows
    Summary:
    A reboot of the 2009 sequel, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is the sequel to the 2019 release Modern Warfare reboot. Players will join the ranks of returning favorites such as Captain John Price, Gaz, Ghost, and Soap, along with newcomers from the recent reboot Kate and Farah. Joining Task Force 141, players will engage in an operation to save the world from a retaliatory strike against the U.S. after a missile strike kills a foreign general. Players will also head to the middle east to face off against a terrorist organization known as al Qatala and the Las Almas drug cartel. Infinity Ward brings back all the staple multiplayer features expected, as well as the simultaneous launch of Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 which will utilize the latest IW 9.0 engine.
    Prequel:
    Call of Duty Modern Warfare
    How Long To Beat:
    8 Hours