Highlights
- Some have argued that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is just an overpriced DLC disguised as a premium release, and the reveal that its Trophy list is being treated as DLC for MW2 instead of being separate reignites that argument.
- The absence of a Platinum Trophy in Modern Warfare 3 could discourage Trophy hunters from engaging with the game and make them less interested in completing various tasks.
- Activision risks alienating potential players with this choice and should consider adding a Platinum Trophy, or at the very least use the backlash as a lesson for future games.
Ever since it was first rumored to be in the works, the conversation around Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has been quite negative. Some initial leaks suggested that Call of Duty would be skipping annual releases in 2023, with an expansion instead planned that brings back content from the original Modern Warfare 2, as well as a new campaign experience. However, Activision then shut that idea down, with the publisher saying that a premium Call of Duty game would indeed come in 2023. That game is Modern Warfare 3, something that fans have been quick to call an overpriced DLC - an argument that has been strengthened following the reveal of the game’s Trophy list.
Whether it was to maintain Call of Duty’s consistency or end the franchise’s PlayStation exclusive content deal sooner, many fans have argued that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is just a renamed DLC that costs the same as a full game. After all, its content perfectly matches the leaked expansion’s description, and it would make sense if map remakes from the original Modern Warfare 2 were added as DLC for the MW2 reboot instead of MW3. While Activision has done its best to push back against this criticism, touting the open-world Zombies mode and original multiplayer maps coming post-launch, Modern Warfare 3’s Trophy list literally being recognized as DLC is hard to ignore.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – All Campaign Rewards
Players can get their hands on some exclusive Call of Duty unlocks if they complete the Modern Warfare 3 campaign.
Why Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s Lack of a Platinum Trophy is a Big Deal
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s Trophy List Furthers the DLC Argument
For live service games like Overwatch 2 and frequently supported titles like Minecraft, developers will regularly add DLC Trophy sets to their games. These extra Trophies usually offer fresh challenges tied to new content, and they are separate from the main list of the game so it is not harder for players to earn a title’s Platinum. Bonus Trophy sets do not have Platinums of their own, as only full games receive a Platinum Trophy, and each game will only get one Platinum. This is where the DLC argument for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 comes back into play.
Instead of having its own separate Trophy list like every other premium Call of Duty game, complete with a Platinum to collect, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s Trophy set is treated like DLC Trophies for Modern Warfare 2. It is organized in the same way as every other game’s DLC sets, and while it is a full list that is packed with campaign and Zombies tasks apart from its missing Platinum, that missing Trophy stands out clearly. It's odd to see 39 Trophies, including higher rarity ones like Golds, in a DLC set, but either way the missing Platinum makes it feel as if Modern Warfare 3 was always meant to be an add-on for MW2 and is not the premium game it is being touted as.
One justification for the lack of a Platinum and this DLC-like Trophy set could be the new Call of Duty application, which aims to unite multiple games under one roof. Because MW2 is technically the “main game” for the app, and players download content packs for everything else, this approach could be preventing Activision from offering standalone Trophy sets since all games will be "DLC" for the app. The PS4 version of the game having a standalone list and the next-gen version lacking one could support this theory.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s Lack of a Platinum Hurts Trophy Hunters
Aside from reviving the arguments that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is just an overpriced DLC disguised as a premium release, the lack of a Platinum Trophy could serve to turn away Trophy hunters. After all, those who care about getting PlayStation’s coveted achievements could have a lot less motivation to do random campaign tasks or grind out kills in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies if they know they will not get a Platinum Trophy at the end of their hunt. This could extend to Veteran difficulty as well, as players may engage less with several parts of the game since there is no Platinum to justify that engagement.
Some Trophy hunters that have always seen Call of Duty Platinums as easy and fun to collect could even avoid picking up Modern Warfare 3 because of this decision. While Call of Duty’s success is unlikely to be impacted by a handful of Trophy hunters losing interest in the game, it is still something to consider, as Activision surely does not want to alienate any potential players. Hopefully, the backlash about the missing Platinum leads to a patch that adds one in the near future, or at the very least serves as a lesson for future games.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
Released in November of 2023, Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023) continues Captain Price's story from the 2019 and 2022 games.
