The highly anticipated H2M mod for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been officially canceled. This news came after a cease and desist letter from Activision Publishing, a subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. The H2M mod was scheduled for release on August 16th and promised to revitalize the multiplayer component of the 2009 Modern Warfare 2 on PC.
The mod’s developers announced the project’s cancellation on their official X (formerly Twitter) account. They received a cease and desist order from Activision, effectively shutting down all related activities. The account now simply reads “SHUTDOWN.”
“Today, our team members received a Cease & Desist order on behalf of Activision Publishing in relation to the H2M-Mod project,” the team’s final post confirmed. “We are complying with this order and shutting down all operations immediately and permanently.”
The H2M project was first announced in July 2023. The development team expressed their ambition to remaster and enhance Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer mode. Their vision included updated visuals, new content, and a blend of classic and fresh gameplay elements. This effort aimed to address what many fans felt was missing: a proper remaster of the multiplayer component. In 2020, Activision had chosen to remaster only the campaign of the original game.
The community rallied behind the project, with a recent increase in player activity for Modern Warfare Remastered, as reported by SteamDB. Many players saw the mod as a way to revive a still-popular game.
Following the cancellation, the gaming community has expressed a mix of disappointment and frustration. Recent Steam reviews for Modern Warfare Remastered have shifted to “Mostly Negative.” Social media platforms have also seen comments from fans and content creators, many of whom were eagerly anticipating the mod’s release.
Several developers involved in the H2M project shared their reactions. X user @TheWatchfulWolf, one of the developers, stated: “Fine. We’ll just make our own unique game.” Another developer, @alstr_, reflected on the project’s effort, saying: “Over a year of work from a dedicated group of people working for FREE to relive a fan favorite Call of Duty… all to get shut down AFTER PEOPLE SPENT THEIR MONEY.”
The cancellation of the H2M mod highlights the complexities of fan-created content and the legal challenges that can arise. It leaves many fans wondering what the future holds for fan-made projects within the gaming industry.
