The upcoming Modern Warfare 3 has leaked online, with fans now having clear insight as to what they can expect from the franchise's 2023 installment. With the next MW release being unusually spearheaded by Sledgehammer Games, the game is poised to be one of the most developmentally unique titles that the shooter IP has ever seen.

This is evidenced by the strong rumors that are already circulating regarding Modern Warfare 3, which indicate a lot of changes to the more modern Call of Duty formula. A lot of these changes seem to be grounded in the community's desire for more classic CoD gameplay, with rumors suggesting that many beloved features from older releases will once again take center stage for the franchise.

RELATED: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Could Find Itself In The Same Boat as The 2011 Original In One Big Way

Modern Warfare 3: Classic Mini-Map and Reload Canceling

Based on a number of intriguing rumors, it seems that MW3 is really aiming to capture that classic CoD run-and-gun feel. The franchise has become more grounded and sluggish in recent years as it focuses on heightened realism, but Modern Warfare 3 may play more like its 2011 predecessor in this regard.

For example, it is rumored that MW3 will return to the classic multiplayer mini-map for its multiplayer. Recent Call of Duty titles made some controversial changes to the mini-map, with things like red dot indicators of enemies not appearing whenever they fired an unsilenced weapon. This change has been labeled confusing and detrimental to the overall flow of CoD's multiplayer, allowing players to go unpunished for brash playstyles and eliminating the risk and reward of using a silenced weapon. MW3 will allegedly return to the simple mini-map of classic CoD, with red dots frequently appearing and giving a more informed scope of the enemy's position.

Recent CoD installments also did away with reload canceling, meaning a player is forced to finish a reload animation once it has begun in order to fire their weapon again. This is the kind of change that brought about the criticisms against CoD's pacing issues, and MW3 is supposedly aiming to rectify this. According to rumors, players will once again be able to switch out of their reload animation straight back into firing in the upcoming game, falling much more in-line with that classic CoD feel.

Modern Warfare 3: Ninja Perk, Outbreak Zombies, and War Mode

It is also strongly rumored that Modern Warfare 3 will see the return of the famous Ninja perk. Historically, Ninja would silence the footsteps of players, being a must-have in the more competitive angle of the shooter franchise. Recent iterations of Call of Duty have removed the perk, instead opting for the dead silence field upgrade in its absence. With how integral footstep noise is to the modern identity of CoD, the return of a constant Ninja perk would be a huge boost for MW3.

In terms of game modes, it has been rumored that MW3 will feature the return of Outbreak Zombies and War. Outbreak Zombies appeared in Cold War, offering a large-scale mission-based twist to the classic CoD Zombies formula. A Zombies mode appearing in a Modern Warfare game would be a first, typifying the unique approach Sledgehammer is potentially taking with the release.

War was a stand-out addition to Sledgehammer's Call of Duty: WW2, being a multiplayer mode that sees one team have to fight through a large map against an opposing defending force. The mode gave an element of realism to the warfare of WW2, and could have a similar impact on the upcoming Modern Warfare 3. If these rumors hold validity, MW3 could be a return to classic form for the Call of Duty brand.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is rumored to be releasing in November 2023.

MORE: Activision Might Have Unexpectedly Fixed Some Old Call of Duty Games’ Matchmaking