Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023 video game)

Modern Warfare III will feature similar gameplay to Modern Warfare II and other games in the Call of Duty series. Mechanics returning in Modern Warfare III include the return of slide cancelling.[4] According to Activision, in addition to linear missions, the game's campaign will feature "Open Combat Missions", allowing players to freely choose how they want to approach their objectives.[5]

In Multiplayer, all sixteen maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) will be available at launch, alongside the ability to vote for maps while in a matchmade lobby (which was absent in some recent titles), and increased player health for longer "time-to-kill" (TTK).[6] The "red dot" minimap that was absent in Modern Warfare (2019) and Modern Warfare II will also return, which will allow players to see enemies on their radar when the enemies fire a weapon without a suppressor.[7] Classic game modes such as "Kill Confirmed" and "Hardpoint" will return alongside a new game mode titled "Cutthroat", where three teams of three players go head to head. In addition, the Ground War mode also returns with dedicated maps, as well as War mode, last seen in Call of Duty: WWII.[6] The game will feature moderation powered by artificial intelligence, listening in on in-game interactions and immediately reporting any overly-toxic behavior.[8][9] At least twelve new multiplayer maps have been confirmed to release post-launch.[6]

An open world PvE Zombies mode, developed by Treyarch in collaboration with Sledgehammer Games, will also be included in the game. The game mode is structured similarly to the DMZ mode in Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, rather than the round-based survival experience from older Zombies modes.[10] Up to 24 players play together as separate squads in a large-sized map, Urzikstan, which is also set to be a new battle royale map for Warzone 2.0. Each team can tackle zombies, as well as AI-controlled human enemies, in order to complete objectives around the map, as well as collect loot and sell them at buy stations, or extract them via exfiltration. In place of rounds, the map is divided into "zones", with varying levels of threat indicating the difficulty. After 45 minutes of in-match time, an "Aether Storm" begins to expand and cover the map, leaving players with 15 minutes to exfil with their loot, which can be carried over into subsequent matches. Core mechanics from previous Zombies modes return, such as weapon wallbuys, Perk-a-Cola drinks, and the Mystery Box. Story quests are also featured in the mode, which further progress the narrative.[11]

Modern Warfare III is being developed by Sledgehammer Games, and is set to use a revamped version of the IW engine. Reports of the game's existence began to surface in February 2023, when Bloomberg reported that the next entry to the Call of Duty series would be a continuation of the rebooted Modern Warfare sub-series. Per the report, Activision planned to ship an expansion pack for Modern Warfare II in late 2023, assigning Sledgehammer to lead the production of the project. The expansion was intended to feature a new single-player campaign that would continue the story of Modern Warfare II, along with new content for the game's multiplayer component. During the development of the project, however, Activision chose to shift its direction, turning the expansion into a fully-fledged Call of Duty title.[15] Fellow Call of Duty developer Treyarch was brought in to develop a Zombies mode for the new title, the first ever instance of such in the Modern Warfare sub-series.[16]

In July 2023, Activision confirmed that Modern Warfare II operators, weapons and cosmetic items would carry over into the 2023 title, following a leak that suggested said title would be named Modern Warfare III.[17] After confirming the game's title, a blog post was released, detailing the specifics of the carryover.[18]

On August 7, 2023, a teaser trailer was posted, confirming the title.[25] Around this time, a phone number was set up by Activision that was shared via social media. This phone number, after participants agreed to a few terms, would begin sending anonymous messages to participants, such as "we need someone like you, with experience in Al Mazrah." This phone number was noted to give unusual responses when sent the word "zombies" or the names of multiplayer maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (ex. "Rust").[26] On August 17, 2023, a full reveal took place inside of a Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 event and concluded with a reveal trailer.[3] Pre-orders were also opened, with players being able to play the campaign up to a week early, as well as gain access to new operator skins and an open beta for the multiplayer mode.[27]

Modern Warfare III is set to release on November 10, 2023. The confirmed platforms for the game are PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.[2]

• Official website