Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is now a split title, being separated between the original 2009 release and the updated, rebooted game that launched in 2022. Between these two games, some of the best multiplayer maps have been uncovered, some of which have become iconic in the Call of Duty community. With this guide in hand, you’re going to learn about the best MW2 maps, including the new MW2 maps from 2022 and the old MW2 maps from 2009.
By way of a comparison, which game boasts the best maps? Out of the two titles, which of them offers up the greatest multiplayer experience? These are the questions that we’ll answer as we see the best MW2 maps ranked. If you have a particular favourite, read on to see if it even made the cut – this is the definitive list, handwritten by a Call of Duty fan with seventeen years of experience.
Additionally, we’ll mention if any of these MW2 maps are featured in Call of Duty tournaments, so you know if there’s an esports edge to these environments.
Out of the assortment of Modern Warfare 2 maps from 2022 that are readily available, there aren’t many that are proving to be memorable. There are some that are certainly better than others, but for the most part, the new MW2 maps aren’t sticking in anyone’s mind as being truly special. There’s something to be said about the older games, as some of the best Call of Duty games released over a decade ago are still revered for their spectacular maps.
But, we promised we’d see the MW2 maps ranked, and that’s what we’re here to do – here are the top five MW2 maps from the 2022 version of the game.
Mercado is a colourful and exciting map with plenty of lanes to get lost in. There are long sightlines mixed in with close-quarters combat, and it’s as versatile as it is attractive to the eye. It’s a staple in the Call of Duty League, and it offers exhilarating Hardpoint and Search and Destroy matches in the esports scene. There are some pitfalls in the map, and sometimes, the open spaces feel a little too large, but for the most part, it’s a balanced map that is easily the pick of the bunch where MW2 maps are concerned.
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
Embassy is another Call of Duty League map, but it’s also a fan-favourite multiplayer map in general. It has a good size and nice sightlines, and for a newcomer, it’s an easy map to get to grips with. There’s not much in the way of verticality, and it’s as traditional a three-lane map as you’ll ever see. Like Mercado, there are some open areas that are somewhat questionable, and there are some sketchy spots where a headglitch can be hugely exploited, but it’s a balanced map overall, it has solid spawns, and it’s nice to look at.
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
Hotel, as it’s simply known, is the third Call of Duty League pick to make this list, being as it is a favourite for Control, Hardpoint, and Search and Destroy. In fact, Hotel is so balanced that it’s the only one out of all the Modern Warfare 2 maps to see every competitive game mode played out on it. That alone is enough to make it one of the best MW2 maps 2023 will ever see, but it’s also conducive to fast-paced play just as much as it is a slower rate of action – it’s a great map, and that’s for certain.
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
This is the first pick of the new MW2 maps to not be a competitive option. Since its launch, Farm 18 has been a fan-favourite map, and it’s best known for its two-way, three-lane structure, which incorporates sweeping streets, ruined buildings, and some of the tightest, close-quarters fights the franchise has ever seen. It accommodates any style of play, and it doesn’t matter if you’re running a sniper rifle, SMG, or an assault rifle, you’ll find a spot to enjoy on Farm 18.
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
As one of the new MW2 maps to release post-launch, Himmelmatt Expo quickly became revered for its attractive stylisation and balanced layout. It also became one of the first new Modern Warfare 2 maps to be introduced to the Call of Duty League, halfway through the season. It’s a snowy map – the first of its kind in MW2 – and it perfectly accommodates every game mode with ease. When it was introduced, it came in shortly after Valderas Museum, one of the MW2 maps removed before launch then, for some reason, re-added later.
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
It may be way more than a decade old by today, but the original Modern Warfare 2 still has pulling power, and it’s still active. Out of all the Call of Duty games, it’s arguably the most memorable, and it helped to define the modern competitive Call of Duty scene. Here are the best old MW2 maps, ranked for your appreciation.
Rust is a legendary map, and it’s where boys became men. On Rust, one vs. one matches were played out with each passing minute, with rivalries being settled – or started – and grudges being aired. As a small-form map, Rust provided fans with a close-quarters environment in which they could get up close and personal with their opponents, and SMG and shotgun players absolutely loved it. It’s an iconic map that will never be forgotten, and even today, it remains in the back of the minds of every old-school Call of Duty fan.
Highrise was famed for being one of the best maps for sniping on in the history of the entire franchise. From the moment a match kicked off, clips were hit, with players typically sniping from one side to the other mere seconds into the game. It was a fantastic three-lane map that boasted a touch of verticality, and there were some fantastic glitches that allowed players to get out of the map. It was a fantastically balanced map with great spawns – but players could still set up a spawn trap quite easily. There are few MW2 maps as memorable as Highrise.
Favela was chaos – that’s the best way of explaining this map. With tight-knit alleyways and staircases, players were almost guaranteed to stumble upon a camper hiding behind a claymore somewhere. It was one of the larger COD MW2 maps, and from end-to-end, it promised untold levels of excitement. It didn’t matter if you were playing Domination or Search and Destroy, Favela offered something to every kind of player.
Estate was one of the most unique maps in the history of the series. It was built around a central structure that sat atop a wooded hill, and the outer areas of the map were populated by a forest, shacks, cabins, and rocky cliff faces. It made for a dynamic and versatile match every time, but almost always, the fight was to secure the main building and defend it – for no real reason. It’s easily one of the best MW2 maps of all time, so much so that it was redesigned and reimagined for 2022’s Modern Warfare 2.
We can’t talk about the maps in the best Call of Duty game ever and not touch upon Terminal. This iconic map was a fan-favourite construct through and through. It has seen resurgences in subsequent Call of Duty titles. It’s featured in Modern Warfare 2 (2022) as an Invasion map, but in Modern Warfare 2 (2009), it was a top-tier 6 vs. 6 environment that quite simply became revered within weeks of the game launching. In the words of Homelander: “It was perfect.”
Before we part ways, let’s have a little fun. Here’s a table breaking down our ultimate ranking of the best MW2 maps, incorporating the maps from both the 2009 and 2022 versions of the game:
| Map | Game |
|---|---|
| Terminal | 2009 |
| Highrise | 2009 |
| Rust | 2009 |
| Hotel | 2022 |
| Favela | 2009 |
| Himmelmatt Expo | 2022 |
| Estate | 2009 |
| Mercado Las Almas | 2022 |
| Embassy | 2022 |
| Farm 18 | 2022 |
Do you agree with our ranking of the best MW2 maps?
EN Global 
JP 日本語