Highlights

  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode is highly regarded by Activision as the best "third mode" in the franchise in over a decade.
  • The Zombies mode offers a PvE environment where players can eliminate zombies and complete contracts without direct competition with other players.
  • The player engagement record set by Modern Warfare 3 may be attributed to the popularity of the Zombies mode, despite the game's disappointing sales numbers.

Johanna Faries, the general manager of Call of Duty and a senior vice president at Activision, stated that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode is probably the franchise's best-rated "third mode" in over a decade. In addition to the multiplayer and campaign modes, each Call of Duty title includes a third mode that offers an additional way for players to enjoy the game, such as last year's DMZ mode in Modern Warfare 2.

Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode allows players to enjoy a PvE environment where direct competition with other players is not a factor. The mode takes place in a Zombie-filled version of the new Warzone map, Urzikstan, and sees players roaming around the expansive area as they eliminate zombies and complete contracts. Although some Call of Duty fans have their reasons to dislike the new mode, Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode has been largely well received. Although, not many would have expected the claims that Faries shared about the new mode.

mw3's ghost perk
Related
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Update Makes Important Change to Ghost Perk

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's popular Ghost perk gets a crucial change in the game's latest update in response to previous user complaints.

In an interview with VentureBeat, Faries stated that, "[MW3's] Zombies mode is probably the best rated ‘third mode’ in a decade, and I’m not making that up. And you know, we listen, and we see that, so you feel it. And sometimes you can’t always measure it.” It seems that Call of Duty and Activision's data suggests that Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode is the most successful third mode in a long time. However, Faries also mentioned that this opinion stems from an unmeasurable feeling as well, so it's not clear whether this claim is completely backed up by data.

call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3-zombies-gameplay-logo

[MW3's] Zombies mode is probably the best rated ‘third mode’ in a decade, and I’m not making that up. And you know, we listen, and we see that, so you feel it. And sometimes you can’t always measure it.

Modern Warfare 3's player engagement numbers set records for the franchise. Following Faries' comments on its third mode, this may have been thanks to the game's Zombies mode as much as its multiplayer mode.

This player engagement record, which measured average hours played per user during the game's first two weeks on the market, came as welcome news before Modern Warfare 3's disappointing sales numbers were revealed. Despite the game's relatively weak sales, player engagement may be just as important of a stat to Activision, due to the game's robust store section where dedicated players can pay money to buy cosmetic items.