Call of Duty’s Most Infamous Mission Created a Civil War in Infinity Ward: “There was a side of the studio… Then there was the other side”

Call of Duty games are well-known for their intense campaigns. Over the past two decades, the franchise has produced some iconic missions that fans just can’t forget. Despite its controversy, this one mission from 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 still remains one of the most memorable in the franchise.

Through the interviews with developers who worked on the game at the time, it was revealed that there was some conflict within the development team because of the mission. Some believed that players should have a different POV rather than joining Vladimir Makarov’s crew. The mission indeed shook the world at the time, but it proves how intense the campaign was, of Modern Warfare 2.

Some Infinity Ward developers opposed the No Russian mission in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

In a 2019 interview with Game Informer, art lead Joel Emslie explained how the No Russian mission from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 affected the development team at Infinity Ward. He said (via GameSpot),

No Russian polarized this studio – There was a side of the studio that felt that it should be played from the perspective of a security guard that got caught up in it, then there was the other side that liked the way it was going. I remember doing all the civilians for No Russian, and I just wouldn’t… there was a point in time where we were discussing how gory we would get with the people who were getting hit. I pulled back, and I said, ‘You don’t need it. People are getting tagged and their squibs are going off; it’s all good.’

Mainstream media criticized the No Russian mission as it allowed players to carry out a full-blown terrorist attack, but the mission never encouraged players to shoot down civilians or police officers. The objective simply said, “Follow Makarov’s lead.“

Players also get the option to skip the mission because of its content and it has no penalizations in terms of achievements/trophies or game completion. Players could even get through the entire mission without firing a single bullet.

Was the No Russian mission necessary for the story?

Many believe that the No Russian mission was not necessary, however, it played a key role in starting World War III. As Joseph Allen under the alias, “Alexei Borodin,” players were attempting to sabotage Makarov. However, by the end of the mission, we learn that Makarov was aware that Joseph Allen was an undercover agent. Allen’s presence convinced the Russian government that the United States had sponsored Makarov’s attack, kicking off World War 3.

The mission is indeed quite disturbing but it was necessary as it explains what kicked off the wars between powerful nations and how Makarov was the person behind it. The mission was important as it also set up the storyline for Modern Warfare 3. There were mixed reactions from the development team, but still, the studio decided to go ahead with the idea.

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