Highlights
- Call of Duty confirms that 2023's game is Modern Warfare 3, building off the success of Modern Warfare 2.
- The game reportedly began as DLC for Modern Warfare 2 but grew into a full release, becoming the next installment in the subseries.
- The teaser video picks up where Modern Warfare 2 left off, with familiar characters and intense action, but fans are concerned about the potential lack of innovation.
Call of Duty has officially confirmed the title of 2023's entry as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and also locked in its November release date. This is the first time two games from the same Call of Duty subseries are being released back-to-back, as 2022 saw the release of Modern Warfare 2, the sequel to 2019's Modern Warfare reboot. The double dip is allegedly due to the fact that Modern Warfare 3 reportedly began development as DLC for last year's Modern Warfare 2 to hold fans over until Treyarch's next Call of Duty title in 2024. However, it reportedly grew into a full release, becoming Modern Warfare 3.
Weeks after Call of Duty confirmed a full game release for 2023, and that all of Modern Warfare 2's weapons, operators, and bundles will carry over into the new game, a photo of Modern Warfare 3's new logo and what seemed to be the cover art featuring franchise icon Captain Price leaked on a Monster Energy package. Shortly after this, Call of Duty confirmed that its 2023 game will be teased and revealed during Modern Warfare 2's Season 5 and later poked fun at the Monster Energy leak, humorously recreating the Captain Price cover art as a goofy stick figure.
After weeks of heavy speculation, fans who've been thinking Modern Warfare 3 is up next are finally being proven correct. On Twitter, Call of Duty posted a quick 40-second teaser video confirming this year's game as Modern Warfare 3. Additionally, Call of Duty has planted its flag on November 10 for the release of this third, and potentially final, Modern Warfare reboot title.
It seems like Call of Duty is already playing off last year's Modern Warfare 2 for Modern Warfare 3's introduction. The teaser began with the iconic green spikes accompanied by sounds of the interior of a commercial airplane, picking up where Modern Warfare 2 left off with franchise villain Makarov entering the picture. The plane's seatbelt sound and the hum of its engine set the scene as a cellphone can be heard vibrating. Sounds of weapons being loaded begin as the green lines start turning red, a refreshing visual choice for the long-standing subseries. Eventually, voices of Task Force 141 enter the soundscape, mentioning themes like "cutting heads off snakes" and "never burying enemies alive" as Captain Price's face becomes visible, followed by what seems like Makarov's face.
Unfortuantely, platforms for Modern Warfare 3 are yet to be confirmed, but fans wouldn't be wrong to expect the title to land on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. This seemingly quick turnaround of Modern Warfare 3 has made some fans worry about just how iterative the title will be, especially with many weapons and cosmetics carrying over from Modern Warfare 2. With November just a few months away, fans should be expecting to learn much more about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 as Modern Warfare 2's fifth season rolls on and the Fall begins.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is coming on November 10.