Modern Warfare 3 to launch with “modernized” MW2 maps

Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One players can dive into collecting all of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III achievements achievements when it launches on November 10. Activision has now revealed what we can expect from this year’s game, including the fact that it won’t arrive with any new maps, only 16 “modernized” maps from 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III gameplay trailer

This year, we’ll be joining Captain Price and Task Force 141 as they try to stop the ultranationalist Vladimir Makarov, and for the first time, this year’s Call of Duty will include cinematic “Open Combat Missions” — a mission type that “empowers player decisions like never before.” Activision says that these missions will allow you to take a stealthy or loud approach, and the mission will react and adapt to your playstyle.

As for the multiplayer portion of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, we’ll not be getting any new 6v6 maps at launch, only three new Battle maps and a War map. Activision says that “12 new core 6v6 maps will fuel post-launch live seasons,” so at launch we’ll receive 16 maps from the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, all given a fresh coat of paint and “modernized” compared to their 2009 variants. Many game modes will return along with the new 3v3v3 Cutthroat Mode, and multiplayer features like map voting will be available. A host of improvements are also on the way for the Gunsmith, perks, and the like, and a new Tac-Stance movement mechanic for close-quarters combat. Plus, for the first time ever, you’ll be able to “carry forward” weapons and Operator content from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, instead of starting over.

Interestingly, Treyarch has stepped in to create Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III’s zombies mode, which is promising to offer “massive hordes of the undead in the largest Call of Duty zombies map ever.” Taking place in an open-world environment, the zombies mode will see squads work together through missions while fighting off the zombies in a “PvE extraction survival experience.”

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III launches on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on November 10, and it has some big shoes to fill after last year’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II surpassed $1 billion in sales in its first ten days.