Call of Duty Modern Warfare was abruptly removed from the Russian PlayStation store

(Image credit: Activision)

Just as the very first players were signing into the Call of Duty beta on PS4, unfortunate fans in Russia were struggling to find access to the beta. Sure enough, Activision has confirmed that the Modern Warfare PS4 beta will not be available in Russia, assuring that the multiplatform betas won't be affected and that more information is coming soon.

“Unfortunately Sony Interactive Entertainment is unable to support the Modern Warfare Beta on PS4 in Russia this weekend. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available. This does not affect our Beta plans on other platforms next weekend," an Activision rep told Charlie Intel. To clarify, it sounds like Activision is saying the two subsequent betas will be available in Russia as planned.

Further, it's being reported that a support rep for PlayStation in Russia responded to concerns from players unable to access the beta, revealing that pre-orders for Call of Duty Modern Warfare were being pulled and that the game would no longer be available on the PlayStation Store going forward. Reportedly, this was corroborated by a PlayStation PR rep in Russia, who confirmed the PS4 beta would not be available in Russia and that pre-orders would close for the moment.

A prominent theory posits that the Russian media, and by proxy the Russian government, had been critical of the Modern Warfare campaign's reportedly favorable portrayal of the White Helmets, a group of volunteer rescue workers in rebel-occupied areas of Syria and Turkey.

Forget about the world for a minute and count down the top 10 Call of Duty games with us.

Jordan Gerblick

After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer, I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

Latest in Call of Duty
A player wearing a gasmask and holding a gun during the shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Call of Duty season 2 brings back Gun Game and a fan-favorite Zombies weapon we haven't seen in 10 years
A player wearing a gasmask and holding a gun during the shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
136,000 Call of Duty accounts have gotten banned since ranked launched for Black Ops 6: "We’re not slowing down in our mission to shut down cheaters"
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War reportedly surpasses Red Dead Redemption 2's huge development costs, with a massive $700 million budget
Black Ops 6
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 makes headshots deadlier while cutting back on weapon sway and recoil: "We will be keeping a close eye on sniper balance after this change"
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 movement.
Black Ops 6 player spent nearly 20 hours grinding to Prestige without getting a single kill, all by spamming Spy Cams
Black Ops 6 Zombies
Call of Duty hacker says "I had my fun" after reportedly getting thousands of Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 players falsely banned
Latest in News
Dune Awakening
Dune Awakening launches for $50 without a stay in early access, and while the survival MMO "will not have a monthly subscription" it will have "optional" paid DLC
Linda Cardellini as Laura Barton in Hawkeye
Linda Cardellini cast as Jason's mom, the original Friday the 13th killer, for Crystal Lake prequel series
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red won't make survival games just because they're popular, but Netflix's Edgerunners anime is fueling dreams bigger than RPGs
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing female protagonist Naoe
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe actor was terrified to perform until her first mocap scene earned "a standing ovation" on set: "Maybe I can do this mocap thing"
Daredevil: Born Again
Marvel may have just sneakily confirmed one of the biggest Daredevil: Born Again fan theories
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Yasuke actor says that Naoe could beat his samurai in a fight: “Especially with that big a** helmet of mine”