2019 saw the exciting reboot ofCall of Duty’s popularModern Warfareseries. The game was an astounding success and received critical acclaim, so it seemed inevitable that a sequel would happen sooner or later. After three years and two differentCall of Dutygames, it is finally happening. Two teasers have already dropped hinting at the game.The first depicts a team that appears to include Price and the reboot’s take on Simon “Ghost” Riley- a popular character from the originalModern Warfare 2whose return was hinted at in the previous game.
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The second teaser is referred to asthe “artwork reveal.“This one consists of a series of live action shots of a harbor accompanied by dramatic music and voice-overs from some of the characters. The main focus is highlighting members of the new Task Force 141, a combat unit Price started at the end of the 2019 reboot. As the camera zooms through the harbor, pictures of the team’s members are seen.Captain Price and Gazreturn from the previous game, along with the rebooted “Soap” MacTavish anda new member named Vargas. Plus a cargo ship whose entire deck is painted with Ghost’s eyes.
But one of the most interesting parts of the teaser comes not from the operators that were shown, but from a single line of dialogue. The second line heard in the minute-long clip is Price apparently saying “Roach.” Presumably, this is in reference to Gary “Roach” Sanderson, one of the main playable characters inModern Warfare 2, and suggests that he will be reappearing in the new game.
4Who is Roach?
Most ofModern Warfare 2’s campaign alternated between two playable characters- Private James Ramirez of the United States Army Rangers, and Sergeant Gary “Roach” Sanderson in Task Force 141. Both characters are treated as silent featureless protagonists. Roach’s face is never actually seen, and he does not actually speak. This is not an unusual video game tactic. Silent or featureless player characters are often used with the idea that the player can mentally project themselves onto the person they are controlling. Several playable characters in previousCall of Dutytitles had been treated similarly, including the originalModern Warfare. Yet Roach’s story remains the better known of the game’s parallel narratives.
That might be in large part because Task Force 141 included some of the most iconic characters in the series. Roach’s introduction comes in the level “Cliffhanger” where he helps the previous game’s protagonist “Soap” MacTavish infiltrate a Russian base in Kazakstan, with many his later sections also including Ghost. And of course, Roach finds himselfunder the command of Captain Pricestarting with the level “The Gulag.”
3Roach in the Reboot
Admittedly the only thing to go on about how Roach will fit into the sequel to 2019’sModern Warfareis a single mention of his name, which does not provide much information. Based on the context of the teaser, it seems a fair assumption that he is once again a member of Task Force 141. It is unclearif he will be a playable character this time around. While it is certainly possible, the 2019 reboot was not above changing player roles. For instance, Gaz was playable for a large portion of the campaign despite being an NPC throughout the original. This does make it possible he could be a supporting character instead.
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The biggest advantage the developers would have with bringing Roach into theModern Warfarereboot is they basically have a blank slate when it comes to building his character. The original never spoke, and his face was never seen in-game. Artwork forModern Warfare 2depicted him wearing a mask and ballistic goggles that kept his face hidden. This was not unusual forCall of Dutyprotagonists at the time, but exceptBlack Ops Cold War, the more recent titles have preferred fully established characters with voices. This makes it likely that Roach, whether he is playable or not, will receive a face and voice. But without much to go on, the developers can design him more or less any way they want.
2The Possibilities of Gender Swapping
The developers have already changed the ethnicity of one of the game’s major characters. Gaz was white in the originalModern Warfarebut black in the reboot. If changing races is possible why not gender? The original Roach lacked a canonical appearance or personality beyond being a man, so theoretically there would be little changed if he became she. The original games had next to no female characters, but the reboot has been showing a strong effort at diversifying its cast – something that could be accomplished with a female Roach.
1The Big Twist
The originalModern Warfare 2included a big dramatic reveal when it turned out General Shephard, up to that point an apparent ally and the commanding officer of all the major player characters, is actually the main antagonist. He already indirectly killed another player character, Joseph Allen,by setting him up to be executed by Makorov. When Ghost and Roach narrowly escape with their lives after retrieving a hard drive containing intel on Makorov, they are approached by Shephard, who executes them as “loose ends.” Ghost is shot and killed instantly. But Roach gets shot before waking up in a hole, where he can only watch as Shadow company mercs douse him in gasoline before Shephard lights it, all experienced in the first-person perspective.
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There is already evidence that Shephardwill likely return in some form for Modern Warfare II, but exactly how is unclear. Seeing as his story was directly tied to Roach, it will presumably affect how he is portrayed in the reboot. The big question would be whether Roach is going to experience the same fate as his original counterpart. We have already seen Gaz survive the events of the first game, unlike his predecessor, so there is no guarantee Roach will die in this one. This also assumes that Shephard fills out the same role he did in theModern Warfare 2, and the reboot does not try to subvert expectations.
