Why Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Must Embrace the Choices of Black Ops Cold War

Highlights

Within Black Ops Cold War, players were faced with significant decisions, such as the choice to save a teammate or the dilemma of whether to tell the truth or deceive others. These choices instilled a sense of gravity within players, as they realized the weight their decisions carried and the unique outcomes they could experience in the final mission.

Implementing a similar choice system in the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 could significantly enhance the game's high stakes and impactful story moments. The Call of Duty franchise has experienced both successes and divisions in recent years. Although 2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare brought new life to the series, subsequent releases were met with mixed reactions. Call of Duty: Vanguard introduced interesting concepts and fulfilled fans' desire for a return to a World War II setting, but its execution fell short. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 initially received praise but suffered from a lack of updates. However, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was generally regarded as one of the franchise's stronger entries, despite some criticisms.

Released just a year after Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War garnered positive reviews from fans and critics alike. Developed by Treyarch, in collaboration with four other studios, this entry maintained the series' reputation for high-quality gameplay and was brimming with exciting content. However, the standout feature of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was undeniably its single-player campaign, which showcased a mechanics that should definitely be incorporated into the rumored Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

The Case for Modern Warfare 3 to Carry Over Black Ops Cold War's Choices

In a first for the franchise, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War introduces meaningful choices to its campaign. Throughout the remarkably well-executed storyline, players encounter several unique choices, two of which are of utmost importance. The initial decision arises in the "End of the Line" mission, where the player must choose between saving Lazar or Park. This choice dictates the presence of the chosen character in the remainder of the game. The second significant choice emerges at the game's culmination, where players have the opportunity to either deceive or disclose the truth to Adler. Each option leads to an entirely distinct final mission for players.

The choices in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War are incredibly impactful, as they affect the narrative, the player's emotions, and the game's mechanics and structure all at once. Deciding which teammate lives or dies has a lasting impact, as the survivor's presence throughout the rest of the campaign reinforces the weight of that choice. Similarly, choosing whether to tell Adler the truth or lie adds emotional stakes and leads to a unique finale with distinct set pieces and story beats. While not all choices in Black Ops Cold War are as significant, the concept of choice is still an intriguing mechanic to explore in the franchise.

If the next entry in the Call of Duty series, potentially Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, adopts the choice system from Black Ops Cold War, it would be a fitting addition. Although not officially confirmed yet, there are strong rumors and numerous leaks suggesting that Modern Warfare 3 will be released this year. Following the events of Modern Warfare 2, the campaign of Modern Warfare 3 is expected to raise the stakes even higher, especially with the introduction of Makarov.

In high-stakes situations, significant story moments and impactful character deaths often occur. To enhance the emotional impact, involving players in making life-or-death choices and other pivotal decisions is the most effective approach. This method significantly influences the narrative and mission structure of Modern Warfare 3, as it did in Black Ops Cold War.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is currently accessible on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.