Is it Worth Buying the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Vault Edition?

The short answer is yes, the Vault Edition is worth it for hardcore Call of Duty fans who plan to play Modern Warfare 2 extensively. The exclusive extras like early campaign access, Red Team 141 operators, and battle pass tier skips provide good value if you‘ll put in dozens or hundreds of hours. More casual players can likely just get the Standard Edition.

What is the Vault Edition?

The Vault Edition is a premium digital-only edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It costs $99.99, while the regular edition is $69.99.

Here‘s what you get with the Vault Edition:

• Early access to the MW2 campaign, 1 week before standard edition
• Red Team 141 Operator Pack – Ghost, Soap, Price, Farah
• FJX Cinder Weapon Vault blueprint
• Battle Pass (1 season) + 50 tier skips
• 50 COD Point tier skips

So in essence, you‘re paying $30 extra for early campaign access, unique operators and blueprints, and major head starts on the battle pass.

Breaking Down the Vault Edition Value

Let‘s take a deeper look at what you‘re getting in each area:

Early Campaign Access

• Play 1 week early on October 20
• Experience MW2‘s story first
• Avoid spoilers before official launch
• Estimated 6-10 hours of extra playtime

Red Team 141 Operator Pack

• Includes Ghost, Soap, Price, and Farah operators
• Highly desired Ghost operator available here first
• Unique voice lines, quips, animations
• Showcase in multiplayer matches
• Estimated 20+ hours enjoying operators

FJX Cinder Weapon Vault

• Instantly unlocks M4 weapon platform
• All base M4 variants and attachments unlocked
• Unique blueprint alters M4 visuals
• Strong, versatile AR ready from day one
• Estimated 10-30 hours usage boost

Battle Pass and Tier Skips

• 1 free season of MW2 battle pass ($10 value)
• 50 instant tier skips (saves hours of grind)
• Unlock majority of cosmetics right away
• Enjoy premium pass items faster
• Estimated 30+ hours of accelerated progress

Add it all up, and you‘re looking at around 70+ hours of enhanced early game experiences. That‘s quite substantial!

Evaluating Your Playstyle

Now let‘s think about your own interests and playstyle. Are you going to play MW2 often enough to make those Vault Edition perks really pay off?

Here‘s a breakdown of who will benefit most:

Perfect for:

• Hardcore COD fans who play 4+ hours per week
• People who play nightly in long sessions
• Those excited for campaign story and co-op
• Multiplayer addicts who enjoy progression
• Collectors wanting to unlock items quickly

Not essential for:

• Occasional COD players, 1-2 hrs per week
• Fans mostly interested in core gameplay
• Players who don‘t care about cosmetics or ops
• People who wait to buy DLC maps separately

So evaluate your own plans. Are you going to dive into MW2 head first and play it regularly? Then the Vault Edition will really maximize your experience.

More casual fans can certainly enjoy MW2 without it. But if COD is your main game for the next year, the Vault perks will provide tons of extra value.

Early Campaign Details

Since early campaign access is a big Vault Edition perk, let‘s look at some key details:

• Continues story following 2019‘s Modern Warfare reboot
• Travel across global locales like Amsterdam and Mexico
• Missions involve Task Force 141 operators
• Typical COD campaign length around 6-10 hours
• Can play 1 week early starting October 20
• Also unlocks co-op Special Ops mode
• Multiplayer still launches October 28 for all

Story and gameplay-wise, this campaign is shaping up well in early previews. Early access lets you experience that Excelerate development first, avoid spoilers, and jump right into co-op.

Battle Pass Breakdown

The battle pass perks are also a big factor, so here‘s some context around MW2‘s system:

• 100 tiers per season of cosmetic content
• Free and premium pass options
• Premium costs 1000 COD Points, around $10
• Takes most players 1-2 months per pass
• Tiers include operators, blueprints, emblems, XP, etc

Normally you start at tier 1 and slowly progress through a pass over a whole season. But with the Vault Edition, you unlock the premium pass immediately and boost halfway through at tier 50.

This frontloads tons of great cosmetic content so you can enjoy it sooner. Rather than grinding away on free tiers, you‘ll be earning premium-exclusive items right from launch.

Weighing the Vault Investment

Let‘s recap the math on the Vault Edition:

• $99.99 price point
• Standard edition costs $69.99
• You‘re paying a $30 premium

And here‘s a realistic look at the value you get:

• Around 70 hours of enhanced early play
• $10 value from 1 free battle pass
• Dozens of unlocked cosmetic items
• Prestige of getting bonuses and content first

For most players investing dozens or hundreds of hours into MW2, the Vault Edition gives you around $30 worth of extra value.

Hardcore fans should find that additional content, progression boosts, and early access well worth the price. But more casual players can likely just enjoy the standard edition.

So in summary, think about your own interest level and how much time you‘ll realistically play. The Vault Edition rewards frequent players who want to maximize their early MW2 experience.

Remember Warzone 2.0 Too!

One final note – all your Vault Edition content will carry over into Warzone 2.0 as well! This new free-to-play battle royale launches in November.

Your unlocked Operators, Blueprints, and Battle Pass progress will be usable in Warzone 2.0. So the Vault Edition gives your MW2 bonuses extended value in that connected experience too.

Between Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0, you‘re looking at hundreds more hours of enjoyment from the exclusive Vault Edition items and faster unlocks.

Bottom Line on Vault Edition Value

Let‘s sum it all up:

The MW2 Vault Edition provides great bonuses for hardcore COD fans who will play extensively. Early campaign access, unique operators, faster battle pass progress, and the M4 vault shortcut are all worthwhile perks.

Occasional players can certainly just get the Standard Edition and enjoy MW2‘s core content. But if you plan to put dozens or hundreds of hours into Modern Warfare 2, the Vault Edition will maximize your experience!