MW2's new Operator is censored due to Russia
Modern Warfare 2 has introduced Nikto as the new Tier 100 Battle Pass skin, however, he's been censored due to Russia and his Spetznaz background.
15th Jun 2023 15:55
Infinity Ward
MW2's new Operator is censored due to Russia
Modern Warfare 2 has introduced Nikto as the new Tier 100 Battle Pass skin, however, he's been censored due to Russia and his Spetznaz background.
15th Jun 2023 15:55
Infinity Ward
Modern Warfare 2 has just been pumped full of Operators via the arrival of Season 4, with a wealth of brand-new bundles to mask over the recent skin controversies.
With new skins for icons like Ghost and Farah, an "anime"-inspired silver-haired shooter, and even a returning villain making a special appearance, there appears to be enough bundles for everyone to enjoy.
But, some of the new characters are arriving with even more controversy. The Tier 100 Battle Pass Operator known as Nikto is being censored due to his Russian nationality.
MW2 adds its first Russian Operator but censors his nationality
Fun fact: Nikto is the first Russian operator to appear in the game, apart from the fact that his citizenship and language are censored in his biography compared to MW19
by u/Mathiasxd148- in ModernWarfareII
With Nikto arriving in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone Season 4 as the elite Battle Pass character, this will now be the first Russian character to be added to the current Call of Duty universe, as his nationality was revealed back in Modern Warfare 2019.
But Call of Duty has now censored his nationality and language. His previous biography stated both of these facts, but taking to the Call of Duty blog this time around, the developers have actively removed any mentions of his nationality and links to the Spetnaz organisation.
This comes after Call of Duty removed all Russian flag Calling Cards from Modern Warfare 2 after the invasion of Ukraine last year. Nikto arrives before Nikolai and Makarov, who both have cameoed in the campaign but are not featured as playable characters in multiplayer.
Modern Warfare 2019 also had Operators named Bale, Yegor (Soviet and Ukrainian dual nationality), Rodion, and Minotaur, none of which have been added to the sequel despite other characters like Roze featuring in both.
MW2's Season 4 skins come with questionable lore and names
Nikto's arrival isn't the only character to have been placed under the microscope, as the Targaryen-like Izanami has also been criticised for her choice of name, which is quite controversial when read backwards.
Of course, Izanami is a usual name for people and can't be helped for its unfortunate backward spelling, but given Activision's recent controversy with politics in Call of Duty and the re-naming of Zombies to move away from the German political party, fans have openly outed the publishers for their lack of extra care.
With Season 4 underway, it's likely that these characters will continue on exactly how they are and will continue to be firing on all cylinders across Vondel.
About The Author
Jack Marsh
Jack is an Esports Journalist at GGRecon. Graduating from the University of Chester, with a BA Honours degree in Journalism, Jack is an avid esports enthusiast and specialises in Rocket League, Call of Duty, VALORANT, and trending gaming news.
