Highlights
- The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer trailer pays homage to the franchise's previous installment, Modern Warfare 2, with similar map designs and gameplay mechanics.
- The trailer showcases the inclusion of 16 remakes of Modern Warfare 2's maps, aiming to appeal to veteran fans of the franchise.
- The use of Eminem's song "Till I Collapse" in the trailer further emphasizes the connection and nostalgia between Modern Warfare 3 and the 2009 classic.
The release date for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is just around the corner, with a wealth of information now being available regarding its campaign, core multiplayer, and ambitious Zombies mode. Just recently, the official multiplayer trailer for the title was released, giving fans a concrete overview of the maps, pacing, and core game mechanics of its online experience.
While these new details were fascinating by themselves, they were boosted by the clear respect that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is paying to 2009's Modern Warfare 2. The multiplayer reveal trailer really stressed the similarities that it shares with the online modes of MW2, and there were several key elements that will be huge points of interest for fans of the classic 2009 game.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Multiplayer Trailer: A Love Letter To Modern Warfare 2
The reveal trailer for Modern Warfare 3's multiplayer was full of the high-octane energy that the franchise has built itself on over the past two decades. Of course, a huge focus of the trailer was placed on the map roster of MW3, which is set to be entirely composed of remakes of the first MW2's maps. The trailer confirmed that MW3 will feature 16 of MW2's maps at launch, immediately showing how the game is being set up to appeal to veteran fans of the franchise.
The way these maps play in MW3 will be a bit different to how fans remember, with the trailer showing how doors have been added in some areas as well as featuring bodies of water that players can swim in. Despite these differences, the promotional material for MW3 has also stressed the faster pacing of its multiplayer, with things like reload canceling making a reappearance. This should mean that the overall feel and movement of MW3 will be much more fitting for the maps of 2009's MW2, especially compared to the notoriously slower movement of 2022's MW2.
As well as making the movement of MW3 more reflective of 2009's Modern Warfare 2, the multiplayer trailer showed fans that the upcoming game is aiming to maintain the charm of the original maps. This was best evidenced in the trailer's portrayal of the classic Highrise map, where it confirmed that MW3's take will feature the same out of bounds jump-spots and secret ladders as the first.
Away from the gameplay itself, the multiplayer trailer for MW3 even went as far as to use Eminem's song "Till I Collapse," which famously appeared in the multiplayer trailer for the original Modern Warfare 2. This essentially confirms the deep connection between both titles, and it is clear that Sledgehammer Games is significantly leaning into the legacy of the 2009 game in the promotional and execution of the upcoming release. Eminem was a staple of many CoD trailers between 2009 and 2013, making his appearance in MW3's trailer a bold statement of intent.
Overall, the clear appeal to nostalgia within the MW3 multiplayer trailer is great news for the franchise's older fans. With that being said, there is a clear risk in catering so much to fans of a much older title, with newer players not possessing the same love for older maps and their style of play. Either way, the community should gear up for a multiplayer experience that shares deep ties to one of the most iconic multiplayer titles in the franchise's history.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 launches on November 10 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
