How a community redesign could fix Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2’s confusing interface, with practical tips for navigation.
The Core Problem: From Game Menu to Streaming Service
This fan-created interface overhaul for Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 addresses the fundamental usability issues plaguing the official release.
A persistent pain point for the player base has been the counterintuitive user interface (UI), which a dedicated community member may have finally solved with a superior alternative design.
A significant portion of the Call of Duty community finds the Warzone 2.0 menu system disorienting. Key criticisms include cumbersome switching between game modes, buried settings, and a lack of the straightforward, snappy feel that characterized the original Warzone interface.
The design forces players through multiple nested menus, mimicking the layered navigation of a video-on-demand service rather than a fast-paced action game. This direction becomes less surprising when considering the well-documented hiring of several UI designers from Hulu by Activision in recent years.
The industry shift is notable: multiple UI/UX specialists from streaming platforms like Hulu have been recruited by Activision.
The resulting MWII interface feels built for browsing content, not for quick matchmaking or loadout tuning. It also presents clear accessibility hurdles for players using controllers, with awkward cursor-like navigation.
The hope is for corrective changes before the next major title cycle.
Despite early rumors and leaks hinting at a potential UI revamp post-launch, the in-game menus remain largely unchanged from their problematic state during the open beta period.
The Community Solution: Harrison Makes Things’ Redesign
In response to widespread feedback, a designer known as Harrison Makes Things has prototyped a comprehensive UI redesign that promises enhanced fluidity, immediate comprehension, and a user experience more aligned with the classic Warzone 1.
The proposed redesign, visible in shared mockups, consolidates playlists and mode selections onto a single, easily scannable screen. It applies the same clarity-first principle to the loadout customization page, presenting a horizontal, detailed view of weapons and attachments instead of a vertical scroll.
“My guiding principle was to retain the visual identity and assets of the current game, but rework them into a more intuitive and player-accessible framework,” Harrison explained on Reddit. The community response strongly agrees, viewing it as a logical and much-needed evolution from the present system.
“That horizontal loadout layout is genuinely frustrating because it’s precisely what we need,” wrote one commenter, capturing the collective sentiment. Another added, “This proposed design is an order of magnitude better than the current interface in terms of usability.”
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Practical Navigation Tips While We Wait
While hoping for an official update, players can adopt strategies to mitigate the current UI’s shortcomings. Practical tip: Use keyboard number keys (1-9) to quickly jump between top-level menu tabs on PC, a often-overlooked shortcut.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t enter the ‘Weapons’ tab to edit a loadout during a pre-game lobby. Instead, use the ‘Edit Loadout’ option directly from the lobby screen to save crucial seconds before a match starts. Many players waste time navigating the deeper menu structure unnecessarily.
Optimization for Advanced Players: Memorize the exact path to key settings (like Audio or Controller settings). Write them down if needed. Creating a mental map reduces friction. Furthermore, utilize the ‘Favorites’ system for modes and blueprints aggressively to create a shorter, personalized path through the content.
For controller users, increase the menu cursor speed in the settings. The default speed is often too slow for efficient navigation across large, sprawling menus. This small adjustment can significantly improve the feel of moving through the interface.
Another workaround is to use party leadership to your advantage. If you struggle to find a specific mode, have a party member who is more familiar with the menu lead the party into the match. This distributes the navigational cognitive load.
Will Activision Listen? The Future of CoD Interfaces
The potential for an official, large-scale UI overhaul in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 is still unconfirmed. However, the viral popularity of this community-driven design and similar feedback threads demonstrates a clear and passionate player demand for such a change.
A successful interface for a game of this pace must prioritize three elements: speed (fewer clicks to action), clarity (immediately understandable options), and controller-native design (navigation that feels natural with a gamepad, not a mouse). The current design sacrifices these for a thematic aesthetic that, while polished, impedes gameplay.
History shows that Activision does respond to sustained, vocal community feedback on gameplay mechanics (e.g., changes to the loadout drop system in Warzone). Whether UI falls into the same category remains the critical question. The ball is in their court to decide if a menu should be a seamless gateway to the action or a hurdle to overcome.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Modern Warfare 2 player comes up with perfect Warzone 2 UI overhaul How a community redesign could fix Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2's confusing interface, with practical tips for navigation.