CoD Modern Warfare 3 has been revealed – and sounds like a daring trip down memory lane that could divide fans.
It’s certain: 2023 will see the release of another new CoD at full price. Modern Warfare 3 is being marketed as a direct and full-fledged sequel, and there’s no sign of the big DLC for the supposed second year MW2 that had been much rumoured.
Instead, MW3 is in many ways a trip down memory lane for the CoD series. This could make veterans happy, but also generate a lot of scepticism. We summarise the most important info.
Maps from back then
In multiplayer, Modern Warfare 3 relies almost entirely on remaster versions of old maps from the original MW2. All 16 maps from 2009 were rebuilt for the new engine:
Get your first details about MW3 Multiplayer including maps, gameplay mechanics, and more 🧵 pic.twitter.com/6WdeEUVqX9
– Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) August 17, 2023
The game is played on classics like Afghan, Favela, Terminal & Co., but with modern graphics and modern modes and mechanics. This idea is not bad in principle, as many of the maps from MW2 from 2009 are considered real legends today.
And what about all-new maps? Only four maps are added completely fresh, three of them for Ground War (which is the Battlefield-style mode with vehicles and flag points) and one for War mode. The latter returns from CoD WW2 and unleashes the attack team on a series of mission objectives while the defenders, well, defend.
In classic 6vs6 multiplayer, however, there are only remasters to play at launch, with 12 more DLC maps promised for subsequent seasons. The fact that apparently little map content has been developed should fuel concerns that there s actually a glorified DLC behind MW3.
After all: New game modes have already been confirmed, including a 3v3v3 mode called Cutthroat, which should turn the flow of the game upside down. In addition, Map Voting, a feature that fans have been wishing for for years, is celebrating its comeback – between matches, the majority of players will vote on which map will be next.
Movement like in the old days
It’s not just the maps that MW3 is dialing back: some of the most controversial changes of recent years are being reversed in favour of faster movement and snappy gunplay. In detail, the following changes:
- Classic minimap: Enemies now reappear as red dots as soon as they fire a weapon without a silencer.
- Slide Cancel: The slide animation cancel that was deleted in the predecessor is back. This brings the Movement back in the direction of MW 2019.
- Reload Cancel: Reload animations can now be cancelled immediately to empty the remaining magazine.
- Tac Sprint: You can now climb faster in Sprint and Tac Sprint recharges in normal Sprint. Sideways movement (penalty) has more speed.
- Tac-Stance: New way of aiming between firing from the hip and ADS (rear sight & front sight) is introduced and is also available in Slide.
- Perks: At match start all selected perks are immediately available, no loading time.
- TTK: Life energy has been increased from 100 to 150 HP, so it takes more hits to defeat an opponent.
What does this all mean? In a nutshell, Sledgehammer Games is purposefully countering the evolution of CoD from the past few years here to increase game speed and make aggressive run&gun the most lucrative tactic.
Infinity Ward had previously been heavily criticised by sections of the community for slowing down the gameplay too much in MW2019 and MW2 and rewarding campers for passivity.
What do experts say? De return to classic mechanics and features is considered positive by numerous streamers and influencers. The operator of the CoD platform (ModernWarzone in the video) explains: “At the play-on event, I asked all the other creators what they thought about it. And from every single person there, it got a thumbs up.” Leaker and influencer RalphsValve echoes this (and writes): “It’s a big win for CoD. ”
Open World Tendencies
The single player campaign and co-op mode of MW3 will probably be much less classic: In the story mode, the usual linear and cinematically staged missions will alternate with new types of “Open Combat Missions” (OCMs).
In these sandbox missions, greater freedom of play is on the agenda. Players decide for themselves how they want to approach their mission objective – whether stealthily, quietly with silencers and night vision, with controllable vehicles, in a frontal attack with body armour and grenade launchers or, or, or.
The trailer gets you in the mood already:
Similarly large-scale to the OMCs is the zombie mode, which is set on a huge and freely explorable map. There, up to 24 players compete in squads and fight hordes of undead, solve missions and have to successfully escape at the end of the round. The whole thing is strongly reminiscent of DMZ, but there is no PvP in zombie mode. Between risk and nostalgia Modern Warfare 3, if one disregards the open-world gimmicks, fully relies on the longing of fans for the good old CoD times of the 2000s and does not dare to experiment.
Map classics return. Movement is turned up to speed again. We take operators and weapons from the predecessor with us. The campaign picks up directly at the end of MW2. And with Makarov, a notorious villain returns.
Will that be enough to make players put 70 euros on the table again? It is probably the biggest gamble in recent CoD history. For 2023 Call of Duty travels back to a very popular chapter of its own past, but can’t really conceal how much recycling is going on here.
Optimists will say: Finally, CoD again as it belongs! And sceptics will disagree: There’s never been so little new. Both are right somewhere.
Editorial conclusion
CoD MW3 gives me reason to rejoice on the one hand. The maps from 2009 belong to the absolute crème de la crème of map design for me and I can’t wait to finally shoot around on Highrise and Estate again. I also very much welcome the comeback of the classic minimap. And I’m very keen on the solo campaign with Ghost, Price & Co. anyway.
On the other hand, I can hardly escape the feeling now that MW3 is simply a very extensive update. I don’t know whether it was actually planned as DLC or not. But one thing is certain: it definitely feels like that at the moment. While CoD nostalgics rejoice, others look perplexed. I can understand both sides very well.
