Call of Duty's Launcher Goes on a Diet: MW2 & MW3 Kick Out of the Nest – Is This the End of Bloatware?
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
The Call of Duty launcher is shedding some weight as Modern Warfare 2 and 3 become standalone downloads again, sparking hope (and skepticism) about the future of the series' bloated install sizes. Is this genuine optimization or just a temporary fix before the next big release?
Right, listen up, mates! Remember that bloated Call of Duty launcher that's been hogging your precious drive space like a digital goblin hoarding gold? Well, it seems Activision's finally heard our collective groans (or maybe they're just prepping for *Black Ops 7*, who knows?). According to Rock Paper Shotgun, *Modern Warfare 2* and *Modern Warfare 3* (the modern ones, not the relics) are being kicked out of the launcher and going back to being standalone downloads. Hallelujah!
This change, which went live July 29th at 5PM BST / 9AM PT / 12PM ET, means you'll need to re-download *MW2* and *MW3* if you've already got them installed through the launcher. And the good news keeps coming: Activision's also promised that "legacy content related to MWII and MWIII modes within the main Call of Duty install will be automatically removed on August 7th to free up storage space." So, less digital clutter – sounds good, right?
Of course, seasoned gamers are already asking the important questions: Is this the beginning of the end for the infamous Call of Duty HQ launcher? I reckon it might be. The thing was supposed to *save* space, ironically, back when it launched in 2022, but it quickly ballooned into a behemoth, dwarfing even the most aggressively monetized sports games. Remember the days of manually uninstalling bits and bobs you didn't want just to claw back a few gigabytes? Fair dinkum, it was a nightmare!
Now, I'm not entirely convinced Activision's suddenly become benevolent. This could very well be a strategic move to streamline things for *Black Ops 7* and keep pushing *Warzone* down our throats. But even if it's just a temporary respite from install anxiety, I'll take it. Less bloat means more room for indie gems and, you know, actually playing the games we paid for.
So, what does this mean for you, the discerning gamer? Well, if you're planning on revisiting *Modern Warfare 2* or *Modern Warfare 3*, prepare for a re-download. And keep a close eye on that hard drive – hopefully, this is a sign that Activision's finally taking storage space seriously. But let’s be honest, I'll believe it when I see it. Time will tell if this “diet” sticks, or if the Call of Duty launcher will be back for seconds. But for now, let's raise a pint to slightly less cluttered hard drives!
Tags: Call of Duty, Modern Warfare, Activision, Gaming News, PC Gaming
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun