Sometimes it really is surprising to find out that something you thought was unquestionably bad is actually quite popular. Activision announced this week that this fan-favorite location is one of two new maps that will make their Modern Warfare 2 (opens in new tab) debut in Season 1.

For many, the arrival of Shipment in Modern Warfare 2 is a delight. It is also the return of a bad boy that some people inexplicably love, which is unfortunate but not surprising. The little square maze of shipping containers has been around for 15 years, since the first "Call of Duty 4," and back in 2007, its reputation was clear: it was a great way to get a little more than just a few people to play the game, but also a great way to get a little more than a few people to play the game. I have a vivid memory of sitting in the quiet lobby before a game and suddenly, when Shipping appeared as the next map, there was a flurry of cussing and a "come on!" outburst. It sucked, but it is a memory I will never forget.

Since then, the map has reappeared in various forms in 10 CoD games. It has become a tradition (at least in some of Activision's CoD studios) to include Shipment in the map pool.

Shipping makes no sense at all on paper. The total area is so small that it is nearly impossible to spawn where the enemy has not already seen you. Spawn kills are constant, survival feels random, and the lack of cover gives the dominant killstreak the freedom to kill every living thing on the map.Shipment embodies the cliché that non-players chant against Call of Duty: "A brainless, low-effort meat grinder It's a game."

Like the chewed gum on your shoe that you feel with every step you take, Shipment proves to be a sticky, obtrusive presence in a series you usually like. However, it is not as simple as "people like things that are inexplicably bad." The reasons Shipments is a bad map are the same reasons people like it. It's chaotic, nonstop, and easily abused. It's bowling in a phone booth. While one could argue that Shippment is enjoyed more as a meme than as a part of CoD's history, it would be more accurate to describe Shippment as a popular tool. The map's narrow visibility and terrible spawns make it relatively easy to rack up a lot of kills in a short amount of time, providing another opportunity for players to chip away at XP.

The best time to level up a weapon you don't like much is when Activision activates the 24/7 shipping playlist; the extent to which CoD players will go to double their XP has been demonstrated by the recent spate of destruction (in a new tab Consider Shipment's triple XP. Not many can resist its allure. Even I once dove headfirst into a shipping yard to turn a two-hour weapons challenge into a 15-minute breeze.

I have nothing against shipping as a means to an end. In that respect, grinding out XP with shipping is no different than finding a loot cave in Destiny. Used sparingly, it's a welcome boost to the monotony of CoD's traditional 6vs6 maps.

When it comes to small maps with huge XP potential, I would argue that Call of Duty can (and has) done much better than Shipment. In fact, another map coming in Season 1, Shoothouse (opens in new tab), is just that; Shoothouse is the original Modern Warfare 2019 map, and Infinity Ward is bringing it back for the first time. The map is small in size, but instead of a gladiatorial layout like Shipment's, Shoothouse is more like a normal three-lane CoD map scaled down from corner to corner. The result is a chaotic match with many kill opportunities and more streamlined spawns. Hats off to Nuketown, another CoD staple and more of a meme than a map, for bringing the thrill of small maps without resorting to mind-numbing spawn camps.

As someone who plays "Modern Warfare 2" more for FPS basics than weapons, I'm a little disappointed that both maps added in Season 1 are XP-oriented. If Infinity Ward is developing a 2022 version of "Terminal," I would like to see a 2022 version of "Terminal." Apparently the airports on the Al Mazrah map in Warzone 2.0 already have Terminal's layout, so most of the work is done.