Summary
There are few things in the gaming world that people can rely on, but one constant is that every year a newCall of Dutygame will release, and 2023 is no different. Despite a ton of rumors suggesting that 2023 would be the first year since 2005 with no fullCall of Dutyrelease, Activision has since proven that false, announcingCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3just a few weeks ago. Activision and Sledgehammer Games promise that this isa fully-fledged, “premium"Call of Dutyrelease, but some fans aren’t totally convinced.
BeforeCall of Duty:Modern Warfare 3was announced, countless rumors and leaks suggested that 2023’s entry would be a smaller-scope expansion, delivering a campaign that carried on from the events ofModern Warfare 2, and brought a few new gameplay features to multiplayer. WhileModern Warfare 3is being touted and priced as a full release, there are certain signs that might suggest those rumors were true, andModern Warfare 3’s approach to its multiplayer maps is certainly one of those.
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Launching With Remastered Maps Only Shouldn’t Be a New Call of Duty Staple
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3is launching with 16 6v6 multiplayer maps, all of which are remastered versions of classicModern Warfare 22009 maps. This decision is a pretty huge one, and it has both its great upsides and great downsides. On the more positive side of things,Modern Warfare 3launching with 16 6v6 mapsright out of the gate is an excellent thing, and the fact that they’re all tried-and-tested, mostly beloved maps only serves to makeModern Warfare 3’s multiplayer more exciting.
It’s not just quantity and quality thatModern Warfare 3’s remastered mapsare bringing, but also a refreshed sense of nostalgia. Many long-timeCall of Dutyfans will harbor a great deal of nostalgia for most of these remastered maps, and the chance to see those with modern graphics is likely more than enough for many fans to drop the cash onModern Warfare 3. It also helps that each map has been remade withModern Warfare 3’s mechanics in mind, with some new gameplay features like interactive doors being placed on some maps to give them a fresh twist.
But on the more negative side of things,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3will have no original 6v6 maps on release, and that’s not a standard that should be set going forward. While Sledgehammer has stated that original 6v6 maps will be coming in post-launch updates, there’s no word on when they’ll start to appear. One of the biggest criticisms of last year’sModern Warfare 2was its lack of new 6v6 maps in post-launch updates, and nowModern Warfare 3isn’t even releasing with any. This seems likea pretty huge step back forCall of Duty, but Sledgehammer and Activision are masking the shortcoming with nostalgia, and it seems to be working for them.
WhileCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s remastered maps are sure to be excellent, and a great trip down memory lane for nostalgic fans, they shouldn’t be the only 6v6 maps in the game. At the end of the day, this is a newCall of Duty, and a newCall of Dutyshould bring its own set of original maps to the table. After all,Modern Warfare 3wouldn’t have any maps to remaster if previous titles like2009’sModern Warfare 2hadn’t put in the work all those years ago. Even if a newCoD’s original maps aren’t that great, they still offer a new experience, and that’s what a new game should do.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3launches on November 10 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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