One of Call of Duty’s most iconic maps was originally released by accident

One of the Call of Duty franchise’s most iconic multiplayer maps, Shipment, was first released by accident, it’s been revealed.

The tiny, hectic battleground featuring empty shipping containers has appeared in multiple series entries since its 2007 debut as one of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’s launch maps.

But in an interview with Dextero, Infinity Ward multiplayer design director Geoff Smith said it’s inclusion in the game was “truly an accident”.

Sphipment, which is one of Call of Duty’s smallest maps, was designed purely as a “split-screen map, back when that was a thing”, Smith said.

But during development, it made its way into the game’s “playlist script” as Infinity Ward used it for internal testing, he recalled.

“Our MP lead at the time, when we went live, forgot to [pull] it out and there was no going back,” Smith said. “That was truly an accident.”

Further reading

Modern Warfare 2 Season 3 Reloaded trailer shows off new multiplayer map

The mid-season update for Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 arrives on May 10

The Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 Season 3 Reloaded update launched last week. It introduced new core multiplayer map Alboran Hatchery, a new Atomgrad Raid episode, a new DMZ playspace, Warzone 2 Ranked Play and fresh weapons, among other features.

Earlier today, the European Commission approved Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Call of Duty owner Activision Blizzard after the Xbox maker agreed to cloud gaming licensing commitments that addressed the regulator’s competition concerns.