Modern Warfare 3's Shadow Looms Over Call of Duty 2023

Over its two-decade run, the Call of Duty franchise has had its share of highs and lows. While games like Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare 2, and Black Ops are considered all-time greats, titles such as Call of Duty: Ghosts and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare failed to meet the series' potential. In 2011, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was released after a string of successful titles, but it fell short of fans' expectations. Sadly, if rumors about Call of Duty 2023 are true, history may repeat itself.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Didn't Hold a Candle to Its Predecessors

Despite receiving critical acclaim upon its release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has since become a somewhat lackluster addition to the franchise. Although it boasts excellent gunplay, iconic maps, an explosive single-player campaign, and a thrilling version of the classic Spec Ops mode, there's a sense of familiarity that leaves players feeling underwhelmed. This is partly due to the fact that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 revolutionized the military shooter genre, leaving Modern Warfare 3 to simply build upon what had already been done. As a result, while Modern Warfare 3 has all the great components of its predecessors, they're ultimately recycled features that fans had seen before.

Call of Duty 2023 Might Fall Into the Same Trap

Recent rumors suggest that the upcoming Call of Duty game may be a direct sequel to Modern Warfare 2, titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. While the source of this information, Tom Henderson, has a good track record when it comes to Call of Duty leaks, it's the alleged developer of the game that is causing some concern. According to the leaks, Sledgehammer Games, known for their work on previous Call of Duty titles such as Advanced Warfare and WW2, will be developing Modern Warfare 3. While Advanced Warfare has gained a cult following, it is generally considered to be weaker than the Modern Warfare and Black Ops games, and WW2 was a disappointing return to the franchise's roots. The most recent release, Call of Duty: Vanguard, also received criticism for its adherence to the franchise's annual release formula.

The upcoming Call of Duty game is rumored to include a full campaign, multiplayer, zombies, and a new Warzone map. However, there are concerns that Sledgehammer may be taking on too much and may not have enough development time to deliver a truly great game. As a result, there are fears that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 could end up repeating the mistakes of the original 2011 release.