Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (abbreviated as Call of Duty: MW3, or just simply MW3) is a first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games, with Raven Software having assisted in development. It is the third installment in the Modern Warfare series, a direct sequel to 2009's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and the eighth Call of Duty installment.
The game was released on November 8, 2011 in North America on Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii, with a separate version for Nintendo DS developed by n-Space. In Australia, the Wii version was released on November 23, 2011 In Japan, Square Enix handled the installment with a separate subtitled and dubbed version, as they did for Call of Duty: Black Ops.
They first released a Japanese-subtitled version on November 17, 2011.
Then, on December 22, 2011, they released a Japanese-voice dubbed
version. Within 24 hours of going on sale, the game sold 6.5 million
copies in the US and UK alone and grossed $400 million, making it the
biggest entertainment launch of all time
Gameplay
Like its predecessors, Modern Warfare 3 is a first-person shooter video game. Activision confirmed at Gamescom 2011, that Modern Warfare 3 on the PC has dedicated servers support.[13]
Campaign
The player assumes the role of various characters during the
single-player campaign, changing perspectives throughout the progression
of the story, which, like its predecessors, is divided into three sets
of missions called "Acts". Each mission in an act features a series of
objectives that are displayed on the heads up display,
which marks the direction and distance towards and from such
objectives. Damage to the player is shown by the percentage of blood
splatter shown on the screen. The player's health regenerates over time.
Mission objectives vary in their requirements, ranging from having the
player arrive at a particular checkpoint, to eliminating enemies in a
specified location, to standing their ground against enemy squadrons,
manning mini-guns and other weapons, and planting explosive charges on
an enemy installation. Some of these objectives can be failed, and may
or may not hinder progression of the story. The player is also
accompanied by fellow soldiers who cannot be issued orders.
Cooperative
Modern Warfare 3 features a new mode, called Survival Mode.
This game mode features one or two players fighting endless waves of
enemies, with each wave becoming increasingly difficult. Despite being
much compared to the World at War
Nazi Zombies mode, enemies do not spawn at fixed locations like the
zombies do; instead, they appear at tactical positions based on the
current location of the player. The mode is available on all multiplayer
maps in the game. Players earn cash for items such as weapons,
upgrades, ammo, air/ground support and equipment.[14][15] Special Ops also returns from Modern Warfare 2.
These challenge missions feature up to 48 stars, unlike its previous
installment, which featured 69. Some weapons in Spec Ops are exclusive
to that game mode, and are not available for play in Multiplayer mode.
Multiplayer
The entire Killstreak reward system has been revamped. Killstreaks are now known as Pointstreaks, and kills are no longer the only way to increase the player's pointstreak. Completing objectives such as planting the bomb in Search and Destroy or capturing a flag in Capture The Flag
awards points towards the player's Pointstreak. Pointstreak rewards are
organized into three different "strike packages" called Assault, Support, and Specialist.
The Assault strike package works the same as the Killstreak reward system in Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops:
the player must earn more and more points without dying. Once the
player is killed, his or her points are reset to zero. Likewise, the Specialist
strike package rewards players with perks after every second
consecutive kill. Upon death, however, the player loses all the perks
and the points are reset to zero. In contrast, the Support strike
package are awarded based on the total points that the player has
earned over the entire match, regardless of how often the player dies.[17]
Players are allowed to choose which Pointstreak rewards they want to
use when they gain it during the match, rather than choosing them
between rounds.
Along with revamping the entire Killstreak reward system, Modern Warfare 3 also has a completely modified Ranking and Unlocks system, which does not use a currency system for unlocks.[18] The player's primary weapon levels up alongside the player, and unlocks a number of "Proficiency" perks such as Attachments, (allows two attachments and is a successor to the "Bling" and "Warlord" perks), Kick (reduced recoil while aiming down the player's sight) and Focus (reduced flinching while under fire). Only one Proficiency can be put on a primary weapon.[19] Another new addition is the ability to equip "Hybrid Scopes" on a weapon, such as a Reflex Sight a magnifier similar to an ACOG on the same weapon, and the player can switch between the scopes.[19] Modern Warfare 3
introduces a new "Prestige Shop" which will unlock only after the
player has selected the option to prestige for the first time. The
"Prestige Shop" allows Prestige players to use tokens they gain from
using the Prestige option to buy exclusive features such as double XP
and an extra custom weapon class.[20]
Several controversial perks in Modern Warfare 2, accused of being overpowered, have been removed in Modern Warfare 3. Diving from standing to prone, known as "dolphin diving", has been removed due to balancing issues.[21] Modern Warfare 3 will utilize Treyarch's hot fix system to fix bugs and glitches.[22] Modern Warfare 3 features a local and online split-screen option.[23]
Several new game modes have also been added:
- "Kill Confirmed" requires players to collect floating dog tags from the corpse of a downed enemy before the kill can be registered. However, the opposing team can pick up the dog tag as well to deny the other team of a kill.
- "Team Defender" requires both teams to try to capture a flag dropped by the first person who gets killed when the match starts, and hold it to gain double points per kill while the team without the flag only gets the default amount per kill.
Private matches also now include pre-made game modes including:
"Infected" (where the infected kills enemies to recruit them to their
team), "Drop Zone" (where the player must hold a drop zone for points
and care packages), "Team Juggernaut" (each team plays alongside an AI
Juggernaut character), "Gun Game" (be the first to get one kill with
every gun in the game), "One in the Chamber" (in which players are only
allowed one pistol with one bullet and three lives where they can only
get more bullets by killing other players), and "Juggernaut" (free for
all against a juggernaut, kill the juggernaut to become it). Along with
this, players are allowed to create their own game modes with customized
settings such as number of players and time limit.[17]
Special Ops
The Special Ops game mode from the second Modern Warfare game is
present in Modern Warfare 3, and includes new features which make it
more repayable and similar to other game modes, such as Nazi Zombies
from previous Call of Duty games, and Hordes from Gears of War.
One of the changes makes it easier to unlock new Special Ops levels,
which is good for casual players, but undesirable for those looking for a
challenge. The two main Special Ops modes include one that is generally
the same from the last Modern Warfare game, and a new wave based game
where the player is inserted into a multiplayer map alone or with a
single partner and defends an area against waves of enemies. Between
waves, the players can buy support options with XP earned during each
round.
Call of Duty: Elite
Main article: Call of Duty: Elite
Call of Duty: Elite is a new free/subscription-based service developed by Beachhead Studios for the multiplayer portion of Modern Warfare 3 (as well as the previous installment in the series, Black Ops). It was first showcased at E3 2011 and was released on November 8, 2011 to coincide with the release of Modern Warfare 3.
The free version includes features such as lifetime statistics and
social-networking integration. The subscription version is priced at
$49.99 per year and includes monthly downloadable content,
daily competitions with virtual and real life prizes, the ability to
level up your clan, pro analysis and strategies, and more.Synopsis
Characters
Main article: List of characters in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The game sees the return of former Task Force 141 Cpt. John "Soap" MacTavish (voiced by Kevin McKidd), former S.A.S. Cpt. John Price (Billy Murray) and Russian informant "Nikolai", who are on the run after killing the rogue U.S. Army Lt. General Shepherd, the main antagonist of the previous game. However, for most of the game, the player will control Yuri (Brian Bloom), an ex-Spetsnaz
who joins Price on his hunt for Russian Ultranationalist Vladimir
Makarov (Roman Varshavsky). Makarov returns as the game's primary
antagonist,[25] and has a new contact named "Volk", a Russian bombmaker in Paris, France. Several new playable characters have been added, including: Delta Force operative Sgt. Derek "Frost" Westbrook; S.A.S.
operative Sgt. Marcus Burns; and Andrei Harkov, a Russian federal
security agent tasked with protecting the Russian President. Just like
President Al-Fulani in the first game,
Soap is only "playable" during the game's opening sequence; while Price
becomes the player character in the game's final mission, Dust to Dust.
The player also takes brief control of an unnamed American cameraman in
London, seconds before he and his family are killed by a WMD; as well as an AC-130 TV Operator during Team Metal's escape from Paris in the mission Iron Lady.
New non-player characters (NPCs) include: Delta Force operatives "Sandman" (William Fichtner),[26] "Truck" (Idris Elba), and "Grinch" (Timothy Olyphant), who serve as Frost's squadmates. Captain MacMillan returns from Call of Duty 4 to provide the 141 with critical intelligence. Craig Fairbrass, who originally voiced the characters Gaz and Ghost, returns to voice SAS operative Sergeant Wallcroft, who originally had a minor role in the first Modern Warfare.[27]
Plot
On August 17, 2016, immediately after killing General Shepherd, Captain John Price and Nikolai evacuate a dying John "Soap" MacTavish from Site Hotel Bravo, Afghanistan. Soap receives medical attention in a safehouse run by Nikolai's Loyalist allies in Himachal Pradesh, India,
but Vladamir Makarov's forces arrive in an attempt to kill the trio.
After the doctor is shot down, Yuri, Nikolai's best soldier who has a
grudge against Makarov, gives Soap an adrenaline shot to keep his heart
going, and secures a safe route to an extraction point out of the
country. Together, the four are all that remain of the now-disavowed
Task Force 141. On the same day, World War III continues. The actions of Delta Force
Team Metal, which includes Sgt. Derek "Frost" Westbrook, "Grinch",
"Truck", and their C.O. "Sandman" (with whom Soap, Price, and Ghost
previously worked together with on Operation Kingfish three years ago
to kill/capture Makarov), facilitates the Russian army's withdrawal from
the invasion of Lower Manhattan, New York. They destroy a jamming tower on top of the New York Stock Exchange, then hijack a Russian Oscar II submarine in the East River, in order to use its ordinance against its own fleet.
On October 4, 2016, Russian President Boris Vorshevsky announces plans to make peace with the United States at a summit in Hamburg, Germany. However, Makarov's men hijack Vorshevsky's plane and force it into a crash landing at the Hamburg tarmac. F.S.O.
Agent Andrei Harkov attempts to secure Vorshevsky's safety, but is
killed when Makarov appears inside what the F.S.O. mistake as the evac
chopper. Makarov kidnaps the President, and plans to capture and torture
his daughter Alena, to force the President to give Makarov the launch
codes for the Russian nuclear arsenal.
Soap recovers from his wounds, and, with help from Yuri; and with intel from Price's former mentor and C.O., MacMillan; the 141 follow Makarov's trail to an arms transport in Sierra Leone, but are unable to intercept the cargo, which is distributed to Paris, Berlin, and London. A British S.A.S. unit, including Sgt. Marcus Burns and Sgt. Wallcroft,
is sent in to deal with the cargo, but discover one of the transports
to be a decoy. A piece of the real cargo, revealed to be a biochemical weapon
from Fregata Industries, is detonated on a London street nearby,
killing a young American family as it releases its toxic payload near Big Ben. The attacks pave the way for the Russian Army to invade Europe, and Team Metal is deployed to Hamburg to rescue the U.S. Vice President
from a hostage situation. Acting on intelligence supplied by Price, who
had extracted it from a warlord in Somalia named Waraabe, they capture
Volk, a Russian bomb-maker and CEO of Fregata Industries, in Paris.
Then, they fight to an extraction point with the help of an AC-130
gunship, but the Eiffel Tower collapses into the river after a bombing run eliminates all Russian forces at the escape point.
Team Metal learns from Volk of Makarov's hiding at the Hotel Lustig in Prague,
where he is about to call a meeting with his top advisors. Price's team
infiltrates the locked-down city. Once in Prague, the 141 meets
Loyalist Kamarov,
now one of the organizers of the Czech Resistance, to try to
assassinate Makarov. Yuri and Soap take up sniping postitons from a
church tower across from the hotel, but Kamarov himself is taken hostage
and rigged with explosives. Price, who sneaks into the building,
escapes the hotel just as Kamarov is blown up. Makarov reveals that he
knows Yuri personally, by acknowledging him as his former "friend".
Makarov then detonates rigged explosives in Yuri and Soap's overwatch
spot. Soap and Yuri are not killed by the explosion, but the former is
wounded from the height he'd fallen, causing his knife wound
to reopen. Yuri helps him and escapes with Price to a resistance
safehouse. He puts pressure on Soap's wound while Price stands to his
side. Soap tells Price that Makarov and Yuri know each other and dies
afterward. After leaving his Colt M1911
pistol with Soap's body and taking Soap's journal and dog tag, an
enraged Price punches Yuri down a staircase and holds him at gunpoint,
demanding him to explain his connection with Makarov.
Yuri explains that he was a former Ultranationalist who befriended
Makarov, escorting him and Zakhaev. He evacuated Zakhaev from the arms
deal at Price's 1996 assassination mission,
and witnessed Makarov's detonation of the nuclear bomb in the Middle
East, killing 30,000 of Shepherd's Marines. Yuri, changed by the latter
event, attempted to stop the massacre at the Zakhaev International Airport in Moscow
5 years later, but was found out, restrained and shot in the stomach by
Makarov beforehand. Yuri's guilt convinces Price that they are fighting
for the same thing, and the two keep their alliance.
After infiltrating Makarov's castle near Prague and learning of
Vorshevsky's captivity, Price and Yuri alert Team Metal of an
Ultranationalist plan to abduct Alena from a safehouse in Berlin. Team
Metal is unable to prevent the kidnapping, but trace Makarov's
Ultranationalists to a Siberian
diamond mine. Together with Task Force 141 (minus Frost), they ensure
the safety of President Vorshevsky and Alena, end the conflict between
the United States and Russia, and clear the name of the Task Force 141.
During extraction, Sandman, Grinch, and Truck stay behind to buy the
evacuation chopper some time, but are killed when the mine collapses on
them.
On January 21, 2017, three months after World War III, Price, Yuri, and Nikolai track Makarov to Hotel Oasis in the Arabian Peninsula. Price and Yuri assault the hotel with E.O.D.
armor, which is later destroyed by the impact of a crashing elevator.
Makarov attempts to escape by helicopter on the roof, but Price kills
the two pilots and crashes the helicopter back down. Makarov prepares to
murder a weary Price, but is distracted in time by Yuri, whom he kills
instead. Enraged, Price then tackles Makarov and wraps a steel cable
around his throat, then forces and crashes his body through the glass
roof, resulting in Makarov's death by hanging
and the end of the Ultranationalist movement. Price lands on the atrium
floor and smokes a cigar in front of Makarov's hanging corpse as the
police arrive. A picture of Soap, Price, Ghost and Sandman as part of
"Operation Kingfish" is shown after the credits.
Development
A 2010 Q3 earnings call from Activision confirmed that the eighth installment of the franchise – a FPS
– was currently in development by Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software
and due for release "during the back half of 2011". This was revealed
to be Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, with the latter developers co-developing multiplayer.[29] Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was known to be in development after a legal dispute between Infinity Ward co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella and Activision
resulted in the pair being fired from the company. Several dozen
Infinity Ward employees followed West and Zampella as a result of the
ongoing dispute, causing Activision to enlist the services of Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software to assist development of the title.[30] The game was said to have been in development since only two weeks after the release of their previous game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.[7] Also reported was that Sledgehammer is aiming for a "bug free" first outing in the Call of Duty franchise, which also sets a goal for Metacritic review scores above 95 percent.[31] Modern Warfare 3 utilizes the MW3 Engine, unofficially the IW 5.0 Engine. Improvements include better streaming and audio.[3] Sledgehammer Games announced the game to be the first entry in the Modern Warfare series to have built-in support for color-blind gamers.[32]
The Official UK PlayStation Magazine lent credence to speculation that Modern Warfare 3
would be a prequel starring fan favourite character Ghost. The mag's
informants strengthen a rumor which first reared its head online early
in January 2011. On the Rumor Machine page in its issue (055), OPM
points to "insider whispers" which suggest: "Infinity Ward's next Modern Warfare title will be a prequel, with Ghost in the lead role."[33] According to PSM3, the first snippet of Modern Warfare 3
gameplay would be revealed in mid-April. According to the publication's
May 2011 issue, insider rumors say "the next in Activision's megaton
FPS series will be announced in mid-April".[34]
On May 13, 2011, video game website Kotaku revealed the existence of Modern Warfare 3
following a massive leak. According to Kotaku, this leak came from
multiple sources who may or may not work at Activision and Infinity
Ward. The leak contained thorough information about the game, confirming
that it would be a direct sequel to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, as well details regarding weapons, levels and modes found in the game.[35] In response to the leaks, Robert Bowling tweeted "A lot of hype & a lot of leaked info on MW3,
some still accurate, some not. To avoid spoiling the experience, I'd
wait for the real reveal." Just hours after the leaked assets appeared
on Kotaku, four teaser trailers were released on the official Call of Duty YouTube page, separately titled "America", "England", "France" and "Germany", indicating the various locales of the game.
Marketing
On May 23, 2011, Activision released the first gameplay trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on YouTube ahead of its official premiere during the NBA Western Conference Finals.[37] On May 31, 2011, Activision announced Call of Duty: Elite, a brand new social service for the Call of Duty community to track and compare statistics, create videos and access premium content. The service is fully integrated into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and launched on November 8, 2011 to coincide with the game's release.[38] On June 6, 2011, at 11:00 AM (PDT), the first live gameplay demo of Modern Warfare 3 was presented by Robert Bowling and Glen Schofield at E3 2011. On June 14, 2011, 12:35 PM (EST), the first live gameplay demo of the new Survival Mode was played by Jimmy Fallon and Simon Pegg on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.[39] On August 9, 2011, the trailer for the new Survival Mode was released on YouTube.[40] On September 2, 2011, the multiplayer world premiere trailer was released on YouTube.[41]
On September 3, 2011, another multiplayer trailer was released on
YouTube showing off the heads-up display along with various weapons,
perks, and killstreaks.[42] On October 6, 2011, a second full-length cinematic trailer was released.[43] On October 22, 2011, the launch trailer was released.[44]
On July 19, 2011, UK distributor Lygo's unveiled a range of Turtle Beach Ear Force Modern Warfare 3
gaming headsets that launched in November 2011. The headsets are
distinguished by custom audio presets designed by the audio teams at
developers Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games "in order to provide the
ultimate immersion into the cinematic world of Modern Warfare 3".[45] On August 24, 2011, Activision revealed the official Modern Warfare 3 sunglasses. These Call of Duty-branded
glasses come from technology eyewear manufacturer GUNNAR – in a
licensed partnership with Activision – and join its "Advanced Gaming
Eyewear" line. They come with a limited edition Modern Warfare 3
carrying case and cleaning cloth. The product is sold exclusively in
North America at Best Buy retail locations and at select European
retailers.[46] Microsoft released two limited-edition Modern Warfare 3-themed accessories on October 11, 2011, a wireless controller and a wireless headset.[47] On September 29, 2011, Munitio announced a partnership with Activision in order to make a special edition Modern Warfare 3 9 mm "billet" earphone featuring the Modern Warfare 3 logo, among other things. The earphones were available for pre-order and were released on October 23, 2011.[48] On October 18, 2011, Logitech announced a partnership with Activision in order to make a special edition Modern Warfare 3 mouse and keyboard which feature many things, including the Modern Warfare 3 logo.[49]
On September 2, 2011, Jeep announced a partnership with Activision for the second year in a row, to make a special edition Modern Warfare 3 Jeep based on the Wrangler Rubicon model. The Jeep comes with various features including the interior and exterior being designed with a Modern Warfare 3 theme. Jeep dealers started selling this model in November 2011.[50]
On August 24, 2011, the PepsiCo-owned brand Mountain Dew
officially announced on their Facebook page that they would be
promoting the game with their "Game Fuel" soda variants, which would be
cherry-citrus-flavored (the original Game Fuel that promoted Halo 3 in 2007 and brought back in 2009 to promote World of Warcraft)
and Tropical-flavored (a brand-new flavor that was tested by 500 Dew
Labs members). The drinks feature codes to give the player double
experience points in-game for a limited time depending on the size of
the drink.[51] Another PepsiCo-owned brand, Doritos,
are promoting the game with their "Cool Ranch" and "Nacho Cheese"
flavors and also follow the same rules as the Mountain Dew promotion.
Both promotions started on October 10, 2011 and ended on December 31,
2011.[52] In Australia, 500 ml cans of V Energy Drink have been branded with the Modern Warfare 3 logo, along with a branded code which can be used for downloads and previews.[53]
To promote the game, Activision held a two-day event called Call of Duty: Experience 2011 (Call of Duty: XP for short) which took place in Los Angeles
from September 2–3, 2011. It featured many things including the reveal
of the new multiplayer which attendees were able to play for the first
time. In addition, all attendees received the Hardened Edition for free
as a gift for attending.[54] At a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
VIP party in Amsterdam, Dutch porn star and avid fan of the series Kim
Holland was originally invited to attend the event until she was
suddenly uninvited when Activision discovered her profession. In her
blog, she shared her opinion and feelings towards Activision's sudden
decision: "People murdering people is neat, [...] but love-makers are
dirty?" she wrote. Activision did not respond to any comments about the
subject.[55]
Activision had planned to set up an official website to promote the
game, however the domain name "ModernWarfare3.com" had already been
taken and was used for an anti-Call of Duty website and redirecting
users to Electronic Arts's upcoming game Battlefield 3. Activision filed a lawsuit against the site with the National Arbitration Forum costing US$2,600.[56] On September 8, 2011, Activision won the lawsuit and acquired the rights to the domain name.[57] In November 2011, actors Jonah Hill and Sam Worthington (who voiced the main character Alex Mason in Black Ops), and NBA athlete Dwight Howard starred in commercials advertising the game.[58]
Release
Two weeks before the release of the game, it was reported that half
of the PC version had been uploaded online after being stolen from a
warehouse in Fresno, California. Investigators working on behalf of
Activision have been searching torrent websites for traces of the game
as well as visiting people who had downloaded a copy across the United
States and requesting that they remove it or they will face a fine of US$5000.[59]
As early as late October, reports were already surfacing about copies
being sold early to people with gameplay videos uploaded online.[60] On November 3, 2011, it was reported that copies of the game were already being sold early in the United States. K-Mart had already started selling copies of the game before its scheduled release date with copies already appearing on eBay and Craigslist.
This was due to an error made by one the shipping companies that told
K-mart to sell copies of the game immediately after receiving the
shipments. However, Activision contacted K-mart about this and had the
issue resolved.[61]
French site TF1 News reported that a truck suffered a collision with a car on November 6, 2011 in Créteil, south Paris,
before two masked individuals emerged from the car. The criminals
reportedly used tear gas to neutralise the truck drivers before hopping
in and making off with the video game shipment said to be worth 400,000
Euros. A separate report said the truck contained a delivery of 6000
copies of Modern Warfare 3.[62]
Shortly after the game's release, a man from Aurora, Colorado
who did not receive a copy of the game at his local Best Buy, despite
pre-ordering it, claimed to be so angry that he "could blow this place
up". He was also reported as having threatened to shoot employees once
they left the store. Lomon Sar, age 31, was issued a citation and court
summons by police responding to the disturbance.[63]
Retail versions
Modern Warfare 3 was released in two different retail versions across the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
platforms: Standard and Hardened. The standard version consists of the
game and an instructional manual, and is the only version available for
the Microsoft Windows platform. Contents within the Hardened Edition
include the game disc with "unique art", one year membership to Call of
Duty: Elite, "special founder status" on Call of Duty: Elite which
includes an exclusive in-game emblem, playercard, weapon camouflage,
clan XP boost, and more exclusive benefits, premium collectible Steelbook case, exclusive PSN animated timeline theme for PS3 only, exclusive Spec Ops Juggernaut Xbox Live
avatar outfit for Xbox 360 only, and a limited edition, collectible
field journal, which chronicles "the entire saga with 100+ pages of
authentic military sketches, diagrams, and written entries."[64]
Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward confirmed that there will be no Prestige Edition of Modern Warfare 3. In the past, the Prestige editions of previous Call of Duty games have included physical items such as a remote-controlled car for Black Ops, and a pair of night vision goggles and a life-sized plastic head to put them on for Modern Warfare 2.[65]
On August 19, 2011, UK retailer GAME announced an Intel Pack of Modern Warfare 3.
It comes with a British special forces avatar for both the Xbox 360 and
PlayStation 3 versions, as well as a Brady strategy guide.[66] On September 3, 2011, Activision and Microsoft jointly announced a special, limited Modern Warfare 3 version of the Xbox 360 with a 320GB hard disk. The unit is designed by the Call of Duty team and includes two custom wireless controllers, a copy of Modern Warfare 3
and features custom sounds when the console is turned on/off or when
the disc tray is ejected. A one month subscription to Xbox Live Gold is
also included, as well as exclusive avatar items.
Sales and revenue
Activision has said that it believes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 day-one shipments were the largest for any game ever. "The record number of pre-orders from Modern Warfare 3
drove the largest day-one shipments in our history, and in the
industry's history," said Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg
during an earnings call on November 8, 2011. Hirshberg said more than
1.5 million people queued at 13,000 shops at midnight on Monday to buy Modern Warfare 3, "making it the largest retail release in Activision's history and in the industry's history".[68]
Activision reported sales figures for Modern Warfare 3 in the
US and UK being more than 6.5 million copies sold on launch day and
grossed $400 million in the US and UK alone in its first 24 hours,
making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time.[69] It is the third year in a row that the Call Of Duty series has broken the same record. 2010's Black Ops grossed $360 million on day one; in 2009, Modern Warfare 2 brought in $310 million.[70] Activision Blizzard president and CEO Robert Kotick stated that "the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we
[Activision] achieved this record with sales from only two territories."[10]
The title grossed more than $775 million globally in its first five
days of availability, exceeding the $650 million record set by 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops and the $550 million one achieved by 2009's Modern Warfare 2.[71]
To be exact, it has beaten theatrical box office, book, and video game
sales records for five-day worldwide sell-through in dollars.[72]
Modern Warfare 3 went on to gross $1 billion throughout the world in 16 days of availability, beating Avatar's record of 17 days, according to Activision.[73]
According to NPD Group, Modern Warfare 3 was November's biggest selling game of the month in the U.S. Modern Warfare 3 sales surpassed first-month sales of 2010′s Black Ops by 7 percent, and sales for November sit at around the 9 million unit mark.[74][75]
Modern Warfare 3 topped the UK video game sales chart in its first week, becoming the biggest video game launch in history by revenue.[76] By November 21, 2011, the game remained the bestselling title in the United Kingdom, despite sales dropping by 87%.[77] Modern Warfare 3 held the top spot on the UK charts for a third week and fourth week running.[78][79] It was replaced by The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in its fifth week on the market.[80]
The PS3 version of Modern Warfare 3 also topped the Japanese
chart in its first week on sale. The PS3 version shifted 180,372 copies,
while the Xbox 360 version sold around 30,000.Reception
Modern Warfare 3 has received generally positive reviews from critics. The Daily Telegraph
gave the game's Xbox 360 version 5 stars out of 5, stating, "The series
has always been renowned for elements like the excellent sound design,
the gloss, polish and compulsion of its gameplay, but with Modern Warfare 3,
Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have created a game that not only
lives up to the brand hype but exceeds it. A game where the mass appeal
is justified, and the expectations are met."[96]
IGN gave
the game's Xbox 360 version a 9.0 out of 10.0, pointing out that the
game offers "great multiplayer, [a] fun campaign, tons of content, but
[also] a forgettable story."[94]
GameSpot qualifies its review, stating that "the series' signature thrills have lost some of their luster. Modern Warfare 3
iterates rather than innovates, so the fun you have is familiar" but
concludes its review by affirming that, "Fortunately, [the game is] also
utterly engrossing and immensely satisfying, giving fans another reason
to rejoice in this busy shooter season.".[92]
The Wii version of the game has not gotten as positive reviews. IGN rated the game a 4.5 out of 10, blaming the lacking graphics and poor friend code system for bringing it down.[99]
Awards
At the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards, Modern Warfare 3 received the Best Shooter award.
System Requirements
| Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows[28] | |
| Operating system | Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 |
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Phenom X3 8750 processor or better |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM |
| Graphics hardware | 256 MB Pixel Shader 3.0 or better (NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT/ATI Radeon X1950 or better) |
| Sound hardware | DirectX 9.0c or later |
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