Zombies are a popular trope in media that fans can't seem to get enough of, and the strong performances of the Game of Thrones' Nightwalkers and The Last of Us TV series are evidence of the support the genre has. The undead are a regular feature in gaming as well, with the Resident Evil 4 Remake garnering stellar reviews across the board, and the Call of Duty franchise has represented the mythical creatures in various capacities since Treyarch's World at War installment. World at War's Nazi Zombies was as good as a first try at a new game mode can get, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 seeks to pick up the legendary mantle once again with its Zombie Extraction gameplay after Black Ops Cold War's premier experience.

Modern Warfare 3 has generated fanfare in the FPS community as the upcoming edition intends to shake up the customary Call of Duty experience with a few feature tweaks, and the Zombies mode is one of the recipients of some changes. Taking inspiration from Black Ops Cold War's Outbreak, MW3 continues Treyarch's trend of shifting away from the round-based survival players are accustomed to in favor of an open-world PvE map, which is being dubbed the largest ever Call of Duty Zombies map. While the prospect of missions and a free play area are promising, the duration of MW3's matches could hold back the Zombies experience.

RELATED: Every Major Franchise Zombies Change Confirmed for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 So Far

Modern Warfare 3's Operation Deadbolt Mechanics Put it in a Hard Place

After conflicting reviews of Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty isn't holding back the big guns, revamping several aspects of the predecessor in MW3. The size of the Zombies map opens up new opportunities, and with the number of player counts increasing from the traditional four to a reported 24 in a single match, questions have been raised about the playability dynamics. The reported maximum of 24 players are broken into four squads of six, and Operation Deadbolt is viewed as an open-world PvE mix of previous Outbreak and DMZ modes, with each match rumored to last about an hour.

Modern Warfare 3's limited duration relieves some of the expected pressure from the Zombies mode, which isn't necessarily a good thing. Zombies are typically fodder and hardly pose a challenge individually; the problem - and where Call of Duty's modes get enjoyable - is when the creatures use the force of numbers in later rounds to overwhelm players. However, the reported duration doesn't afford enough time for the mode to get challenging, and MW3's Zombies mode runs the risk of being perceived as too easy to bother with.

On the flip side, replacing the round-based challenges of traditional Zombies modes with the exfil mechanism used in Black Ops Cold War can also be seen as a positive. Previous Call of Duty titles may have featured several rounds of Terminator-esque Zombie killing, but the more mission-focused Operation Deadbolt in Modern Warfare 3 gives players a target of reaching exfils to progress. Hence, instead of simply surviving the brutal and mindless zombie assaults, gamers can complete objectives across various map regions within the time limit.

The map size and player count also indicate a similar adjustment to the zombie horde, and the increment in enemy population could compensate for the reported time limit in MW3's Zombies, as the aesthetic of the undead clamoring mindlessly into a hail of bullets is an allure few can resist. Although the gradually increasing difficulty of the Zombies was a fan-favorite in previous Call of Duty games, Activision and Treyarch are taking a chance on the extraction gameplay in Modern Warfare 3 to breathe new life into the franchise. However, without the customary PvP elements of DMZ and the traditional Zombies round-based experience, Operation Deadbolt could easily be a double-edged sword for the upcoming title.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 launches on November 10 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

MORE: One Feature Seems Poised to Make or Break Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3