Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2s Grand Prix-inspired multiplayer map makes a return in the games release build, after being mysteriously wiped from social media following its announcement earlier this year.
The map, initially called Marina Bay Grand Prix, was announced back in August during the Call of Duty (eSports) League Championship Weekend and was seemingly inspired by the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore.
But in September, any mention of the map was purged from all of Call of Duty and Infinity Wards social media accounts, as well as any trailers on its YouTube channel. The map was also missing during the multiplayer open beta.
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Eurogamer raised the disappearance of the map with Activision at the time but was given no comment.
Now, the map has reappeared in the game with a different name: Crown Raceway. There is no mention of the Grand Prix or its supposed setting in the Singapore circuit. Its location is now described generically as “Southeast Asia”.
However, loading up the map, its clear the map still closely resembles the Marina Bay Circuit.
The key giveaways are the Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel and the Marina Bay Sands hotel which is famous for its swimming pool roof shaped as a ship.
While Activision will not give an official explanation for the maps sudden disappearance and re-emergence, we speculate that the map may have changed due to licensing concerns with F1.
This isnt the only map in Modern Warfare 2 to disappear. Valderas Museum, a map that was playable in the beta, has been removed in the final game, again with no notice from Activision or Infinity Ward.