For the first time in back-to-back years, Call of Duty returns with a direct sequel as Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III picks up immediately following the events of last year's incredible blockbuster Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II. This all-new experience is scheduled to be released worldwide on Friday, November 10th allowing players for the first time to continue their journey, progression, and story seamlessly for a new year to come.

Get ready for an all-new Campaign that continues the story immediately following the events of Modern Warfare II. Lead developer Sledgehammer Games, in partnership with Infinity Ward is set to deliver a full Campaign of action-packed operations ranging from signature, cinematic experiences to free-form Open Combat Missions, resulting in more player choice than ever before.

Expect a world-class Multiplayer experience celebrating the Modern Warfare series’ greatest legacies; all 16 launch maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) have been modernized with new modes and gameplay features and will be available at launch to get everyone started, while over 12 all-new core 6v6 maps will fuel post-launch live seasons.

For the first time, team up with other squads to survive and fight massive hordes of the undead in the largest Call of Duty Zombies map ever. Modern Warfare Zombies (MWZ) tells a new Zombies story from developer Treyarch, with missions, core Zombies features, and a host of secrets to discover.

Campaign: Adapt or Die in a Fight Against the Ultimate Threat

In the direct sequel to the record-breaking Modern Warfare II, Captain Price, and Task Force 141 face off against the ultimate threat. The ultranationalist Vladimir Makarov is extending his grasp across the world, causing Task Force 141 to fight like never before.

Combat means making decisions; using different Loadouts and planning different paths through every operation across an involved and thrilling Campaign. In addition to the signature, cinematic Call of Duty missions, Modern Warfare III introduces Open Combat Missions, with even greater emphasis on player choice. Naturally, you’ll have the use of all the weapons, equipment, and tactics present in an action-packed Modern Warfare single-player experience, but for some of your engagements, it is completely up to you to decide on an appropriate course of action.

Open Combat Missions

Open Combat Missions (OCMs) are an exciting innovation to the Call of Duty Campaign. Not only do these complement the cinematic missions you’ve come to expect, but they also provide you with numerous additional choices regarding your methods of mission completion. For example, if you prefer to use stealth techniques, you may wish to undertake an OCM with a lights-out approach, using night-vision goggles and suppressed weapons and complete your objectives without your adversaries knowing you were even there. However, if loud explosions and reckless abandon are part of your repertoire, strap extra armor plates onto your torso and hit those targets head-on!

Feel free to take advantage of any operable vehicles within your area of operations. You’re able to experiment with and leverage tactical and lethal equipment. You have the flexibility to maneuver across the sizable landscape of a mission’s AO and approach objectives from multiple angles. You can truly play how you want to play, and Open Combat Missions will support it.

Multiplayer: It’s Time to Settle Old Scores and Start New Ones

Modern Warfare III celebrates the 20th anniversary of Call of Duty with one of the greatest collections of Modern Warfare Multiplayer maps ever assembled.

Legendary Core Maps. Modern Gameplay.

Afghan. Derail. Estate. Favela. Karachi. Highrise. Invasion. Quarry. Rundown. Rust. Scrapyard. Skidrow. Sub Base. Terminal. Underpass. Wasteland.

All 16 launch maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) have been modernized, both graphically and with meticulous attention given to the authenticity and aspects of the maps that made them so popular. Veteran players love these Core 6v6 maps, and there’s no better time to introduce a generation of new players to experience the community’s favorite Modern Warfare content.

Prepare for seminal design to meet modern gameplay. This faithful modernization of the maps keeps their authenticity intact while infusing the latest tech, gameplay, modes, content, and more. Though you might have noticed elements of Terminal and Highrise during your time in Al Mazrah, the Modern Warfare III versions of these maps are built from scratch from the original 2009 designs.

In addition to brand-new modes like Cutthroat (a competitive 3v3v3 experience), a full range of fan-favorite and innovative gameplay features will be available at launch to get everyone started, like choosing to play Hardpoint and Kill Confirmed on Favela, modes that were never part of the original map offering, providing a refreshing multiplayer experience within these familiar environments.

Going Big with Brand-New Maps. Ground War and War Modes Return!

The 16 Core launch maps are further complemented with the addition of four huge environments ready at launch and containing a host of new play spaces. These are composed of three brand-new Battle Maps — large scale locations where Modern Warfare III’s Ground War and Invasion game modes will be fought — and a single, colossal War map, as Modern Warfare III marks the welcome return and evolution of the legendary War Mode that first debuted in 2017’s Call of Duty®: WWII.

All-New Core Map Content Comes to Live Season Content

With Day One Multiplayer content featuring faithful modernizations of Modern Warfare’s fan-favorite maps, over 12 all-new core 6v6 maps will fuel post-launch live seasons.

Multiplayer Features: New Mechanics and Robust Customization

Expect many customization advancements and new gameplay mechanics to further evolve the quintessential, fast-moving gameplay. Here are three innovations, with more to be revealed in the coming weeks:

Campaign screenshot shown.

New Gameplay Innovation: Tac-Stance

Breach and clear with the new Tactical Stance feature, a perfect middle-ground between hip-fire and aiming down sights. When entering tight hallways and cramped rooms, toggle Tac-Stance on to improve weapon performance and win the fight. Here’s what to expect from Tac-Stance:

• The operator unshoulders the weapon and holds it in a canted firing position.
• You can toggle in and out of Tac-Stance dynamically while aiming down sights.
• Tac-Stance trades precise accuracy for improved mobility and handling.
• Some spread to your firing will occur, best described as a middle ground between full ADS and hipfire.
• It is designed to be used in aggressive, close-quarter combat situations.
• By default, you fire in Tac-Stance while Sliding.

New Gameplay Innovation: Evolving Loadouts

Modern Warfare III brings new levels of customization to Create-a-Class. Get ready to build your Loadout based on cutting-edge military equipment, such as gloves, tactical vests, boots and more; allowing you to fine-tune more aspects of gameplay.

New Gameplay Innovation: After-Market Parts

The evolution of the Gunsmith continues with the addition of After-Market Parts. This is a special set of customization options allowing you to focus on your preferred and specific playstyle. After-Market Parts enable you to construct unique weapon configurations or types such as customizing a machine gun into a bullpup configuration (with the firing grip in front of the breech rather than behind it), thus increasing mobility and handling without compromising on damage output.

After-Market Parts will also offer new progression paths, and challenges to unlock. We will be sharing more information on these innovations in the coming weeks.

Multiplayer Features: Changes to Core Mechanics

The core mechanics of Modern Warfare III deliver a massive offering of classic features bringing exceptional freedom of choice, movement, and customization to gameplay.

Campaign screenshot shown.

The Return of Classic Gameplay

Here are the Multiplayer features confirmed for Modern Warfare III Multiplayer, coming Day One:

• Map Voting returns, allowing players greater autonomy over their Multiplayer matches.
• Classic Minimap Behavior, with red dots indicating when an enemy is firing an unsuppressed weapon.
• All chosen Perks are available at the start of each match.
• The Covert Sneakers Perk allows for silent movement (assuming you’ve chosen the correct footwear).
• Core Multiplayer Health is increased to 150, lengthening the Time-to-Kill (TTK). Hardcore mode is not affected.

Movement in Modern Warfare III: Responsiveness

When maneuvering in Modern Warfare III Multiplayer, expect the following movement abilities in terms of your Operator’s general responsiveness:

• You can cancel Slide animations (i.e., “slide cancel”), but Slide Cancelling does not reset Tactical Sprint.
• You can cancel partial Reloads during an animation (i.e., “reload cancel”) to immediately return fire.
• Mantling is faster, and you can Mantle while Sprinting.
• You can fire during and immediately after Sliding.
• Tactical Sprint durations are increased (the exact duration depends on the weapon being used).
• Tactical Sprint recharges while Sprinting.

Multiplayer Features: Carry Forward

Campaign screenshot shown.

As discussed in the Carry Forward Deep Dive Q&A Blog, a vast amount of content and weapon progression from Modern Warfare II will come with you to Modern Warfare III. That means every Multiplayer weapon you currently have in your MWII arsenal, along with all the new weapons available in Modern Warfare III, will be accessible to use on Day One.

• The depth of choice here truly honors the player investment into Modern Warfare II.
• All MWII weapons, attachments, and unlocks will Carry Forward. There will be seamless functionality between new attachments and global Weapon Platforms.
• Any MWII attachments that were considered “universal” (such as some Muzzles) will be available to attach to MWIII weapons, where applicable.
• In certain cases, MWII weapons carried forward into MWIII will be able to utilize MWIII attachments that you unlock, where applicable.
• The number of Weapon Platforms (AKA “Receivers”) have been increased for some categories, reducing restrictions on weapon customization by allowing for core attachments to be added to your favorite MWII weapons.

Zombies: An All-New, Open World

For the first time, team up with other squads to survive and fight massive hordes of the undead in the largest Call of Duty Zombies map ever. Modern Warfare® Zombies (MWZ) tells an involved and unearthly Dark Aether Zombies story set in the Modern Warfare universe. Expect to undertake missions across different regions that escalate in difficulty, with core Zombies features and a cavalcade of secrets to discover. Ready up for an open-world player versus enemy (PvE) extraction survival experience against some of the biggest enemies in Call of Duty history.

Additional Intel Incoming — Pre-purchase Now Available

Ensure you stay one step ahead with all the latest official information about Modern Warfare III by checking the Call of Duty Blog in the coming days and weeks, whether you’re wanting intel on Open Combat Missions of the Campaign, even more details on the Multiplayer experience, or expanded and critical knowledge regarding the all-new open-world Zombies experience.

Pre-purchases are available now at participating retailers, in-game, via your platform Stores, or at CallofDuty.com. Get details on all the pre-purchase rewards you can claim, including Campaign Early Access, Open Beta Access* and the Vault Edition, by reading the pre-purchase blog (see “Related Articles” below).

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is published by Activision. Development for the game is led by Sledgehammer Games, in partnership with Infinity Ward. Development for Modern Warfare Zombies is led by Treyarch, working closely with Sledgehammer Games. Additional development support provided (in alphabetical order) by Activision Central Design, Activision Central Technology, Activision QA, Activision Shanghai, Beenox, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Raven Software, and Toys for Bob.

Stay frosty.

*Actual platform availability and launch date(s) of MP Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only, while Early Access Beta Codes last, at participating retailers. Online multiplayer subscription may be required.

Game features described above are based on current in-development features that are subject to change based on final development changes and/or game tuning or updates that may remove or modify some or all of the above features.

© 2023 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, MODERN WARFARE, and WARZONE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is published by Activision. Development for the game is led by Sledgehammer Games, in partnership with Infinity Ward. Development for Modern Warfare Zombies is led by Treyarch, working closely with Sledgehammer Games and Infinity Ward. Additional development support across the title provided (in alphabetical order) by Activision Central Design, Activision QA, Activision Shanghai, Beenox, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Raven Software, and Toys for Bob.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com and www.youtube.com/callofduty, and follow @Activision and @CallofDuty on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. For Call of Duty Updates, follow @CODUpdates on Twitter.