Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play fans beg devs to ban overpowered ISO Hemlock “ASAP”

Luca Di Marzo
Embassy Modern Warfare 2 Hemlock

Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 introduced players to the new ISO Hemlock Assault Rifle. It hasn’t taken long for players to discover that the Hemlock is overpowered in Ranked Play matches and fans are demanding a swift ban.

Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 delivered the highly anticipated Ranked Play mode for those who want to play like the pros. Part of playing like CDL pros is adhering to the same rules and regulations enforced in competitive matches.

For this reason, the dominant weapons in Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play are the TAQ-56 and Vaznev-9k. However, Season 2 also saw the introduction of the ISO Hemlock Assault Rifle. The new addition is wreaking havoc in Ranked Play matches with many claiming that the weapon is overpowered.

Prior to the launch of Ranked Play, CDL pros banned the M4 and Kastov-74u for the same reason. In turn, these weapons are also banned in Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play matches. Now, players are begging the devs to add the ISO Hemlock to the list of banned weapons.

MW2 players call for ISO Hemlock ban in Ranked Play

Ranked Play fans took to Reddit to express that the “Hemlock needs to go ASAP.” According to players, the weapon’s incredible accuracy, TTK, and quick handling make it one of the most broken weapons in Modern Warfare 2.

Several players admitted that they dabbled with the ISO Hemlock to see what the fuss was about and here’s what one had to say: “Just used this and it’s a literal ICR. It’s absolutely stupid.”

Of course, the player is referring to the Black Ops ICR, known for its incredible laser-like accuracy.

Others questioned that if the concept of Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play is to “play like the pros,” then the ISO Hemlock has no business being in the list of available weapons.

Despite being a recent addition to Modern Warfare 2, it’ll be interesting to see if the devs act quickly to add it to the banned list. For the time being, players claim that by not using it you’re “actually putting yourself at a disadvantage.”

The ISO Hemlock has certainly disturbed the two-weapon Ranked Play meta, and while weapon variety is a positive characteristic, players are furious that they’re at a disadvantage when not using it.


For more, check out all of the Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play rewards & how to get them in Season 2, or how to get CDL 2023 Major 3 Twitch viewership rewards.

Image Credit: Activision

About The Author

Luca is an Associate Editor at CharlieIntel. An accomplished, writer with interests in sports and gaming alike, Luca is focused on Call of Duty and FIFA as a content creator. After earning his BA in English Literature at Concordia University, he began writing for Gamelevate, OddsShark, and H4X. Luca joined CharlieIntel in 2021. You can reach Luca at [email protected], or via X @TheLucaDiMarzo.