Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is the direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ll. Players will experience a rich and immersive campaign with unprecedented player choice, picking up directly after Modern Warfare ll, all-new open world Zombies set on the largest Call of Duty Zombies map ever, and one of the greatest collections of Modern Warfare multiplayer maps ever assembled – both fan favorites and all new ones.

Get ready for an all-new Campaign that continues the story immediately following the events of Modern Warfare II. Lead developer Sledgehammer Games, in partnership with Infinity Ward is set to deliver a full Campaign of action-packed operations ranging from signature, cinematic experiences to free-form Open Combat Missions, resulting in more player choice than ever before.

Expect a world-class Multiplayer experience celebrating the Modern Warfare series’ greatest legacies; all 16 launch maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) have been modernized with new modes and gameplay features and will be available at launch to get everyone started, while over 12 all-new core 6v6 maps will fuel post-launch live seasons.

For the first time, team up with other squads to survive and fight massive hordes of the undead in the largest Call of Duty Zombies map ever. Modern Warfare Zombies (MWZ) tells a new Zombies story from developer Treyarch, with missions, core Zombies features, and a host of secrets to discover.

In the direct sequel to Modern Warfare II, Captain Price, and Task Force 141 face off against the ultimate threat. The ultranationalist Vladimir Makarov is extending his grasp across the world, causing Task Force 141 to fight like never before.

Combat means making decisions; using different Loadouts and planning different paths through every operation across an involved and thrilling Campaign. In addition to the signature, cinematic Call of Duty missions, Modern Warfare III introduces Open Combat Missions, with even greater emphasis on player choice. Naturally, you’ll have the use of all the weapons, equipment, and tactics present in an action-packed Modern Warfare single-player experience, but for some of your engagements, it is completely up to you to decide on an appropriate course of action.

Open Combat Missions (OCMs) are an exciting innovation to the Call of Duty Campaign. Not only do these complement the cinematic missions you’ve come to expect, but they also provide you with numerous additional choices regarding your methods of mission completion. For example, if you prefer to use stealth techniques, you may wish to undertake an OCM with a lights-out approach, using night-vision goggles and suppressed weapons and complete your objectives without your adversaries knowing you were even there. However, if loud explosions and reckless abandon are part of your repertoire, strap extra armor plates onto your torso and hit those targets head-on!

Feel free to take advantage of any operable vehicles within your area of operations. You’re able to experiment with and leverage tactical and lethal equipment. You have the flexibility to maneuver across the sizable landscape of a mission’s AO and approach objectives from multiple angles. You can truly play how you want to play, and Open Combat Missions will support it.

The Zombies experience arrives in the Modern Warfare universe as a team of multi-national Operators assist the members of Task Force 141 against vast undead hordes brought on by a second major enemy threat. 

“Looks Like We Have Our Weapon.”

For the first time in Call of Duty® history, Zombies is coming to the Modern Warfare® universe in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. Developed by Treyarch in collaboration with Sledgehammer Games, Modern Warfare Zombies is a signature cooperative experience that challenges players to team up with other squads to survive and fight massive hordes of the undead in the largest Call of Duty Zombies map ever.

Watch the trailer (above), then read on for a breakdown of what is happening as the chaos unfolds.

The Break-In

The scene opens on a squad of men in military garb about to conduct a nighttime raid on an unknown location. A familiar voice calls in support to distract the local police while the military unit moves up to breach the back door of a hotel building. Inside, they quickly plant an explosive, blasting a hole in the wall to reveal stairs down to their subterranean destination. What they find in that room changes the nature of the threat in an instant.

The Discovery

Four heavily decomposed bodies are seated around a table, desiccated almost beyond all recognition. In the middle of the table sits a strange device which opens to reveal two vials filled with an active substance. One of the assailants grabs one and removes his mask to better inspect it, revealing himself as none other than Viktor Zakhaev, the ultranationalist arms dealer and enemy of Task Force 141. He appears equally surprised and pleased to have found what his team is searching for.

The Incursion

Storing the two vials in a secure container, the squad leaves, only to find that the local security forces have raised the alarm, and the military police have sent in reinforcements. The ensuing firefight is both explosive and bloody, and Zakhaev’s forces are severely outnumbered. As the skirmish continues, all but one of Zakhaev’s men are eliminated. Under fire and in desperate straits, he resorts to throwing one of his vials toward his attackers before retreating into his armored vehicle. The vessel shatters on the ground, and almost instantly, a cloying, purple fog spreads rapidly through the streets, choking out the police forces and rapidly transforming both the living and the fallen into bloodthirsty zombies.

Safe in the confines of their vehicle, Zakhaev and his fellow squadmate witness the transformation firsthand as one of their downed men screams and contorts, his eyes flashing red before attacking the closest survivor. Far from fearful, Zakhaev smiles; this weapon is like no other he could possibly have conceived.

The Aftermath

Following the events on the ground, a helicopter descends onto the area of the outbreak as SSO Kate Laswell and Sergeant Johnny “Soap” MacTavish brief an unseen Operator on the mission at hand, codenamed Operation Deadbolt. Accompanying the team is Captain Sergei Ravenov, an Operator and mission specialist with experience in this kind of incursion. Leading them on the ground is one SSO Greene. The group has intel that Zakhaev was planning something a few months ago, but aren’t sure exactly what that was…

They’re about to find out.

Exploring the Lore

“Until we know what’s going on, containment is the name of the game. No one gets in and nothing, I mean nothing, gets out.” — Soap

Terminus Outcomes

In this iteration of Zombies, there are enemies both undead and alive. The threat from the living arrives in the form of Terminus Outcomes, a private military company hired by Zakhaev as muscle. Led by one Jack Fletcher — the surviving soldier alongside Zakhaev at the end of the trailer — the PMC makes no judgment on their clients’ motives or ethics. If the money is good, the job is on.

Veterans of the Dark Aether Zombies narrative will recognize the substance contained in the vials: Aetherium, now in a highly enriched state derived from processing vast amounts of the harvested crystalline form.

Operation Deadbolt

An emergency contingency plan put into action by the CIA, Operation Deadbolt was created in the aftermath of the outbreak events witnessed by Requiem operatives during the events of the Cold War.

SSO Laswell is given the job of prepping the plan, placing SSO Selma Greene on the ground as the de facto commander of the operation. When the team arrives at the Exclusion Zone alongside Soap and Ravenov, a few weeks have elapsed since the events shown in the first part of the trailer.

As a member of the team, your Operator joins other multi-national Operators to counter the threat posed by the Exclusion Zone, all running under the basic tenants of Operation Deadbolt: “Nothing gets in, nothing gets out.”

Modern Warfare: Zombies: Available at Launch

Prepare to face off against a greater quantity of undead than ever before as the members of Operation Deadbolt embark on difficult and multi-stage tasks as Soap and company attempt to stop Zakhaev and Terminus from plundering more resources, all while attempting to contain the current threat before it spreads out of control.

Combining the very best of Modern Warfare map features and systems with the tried-and-true core features of Treyarch Zombies, Modern Warfare Zombies presents an all-new twist on the fan-favorite third game mode, launching alongside the Campaign and Multiplayer when Modern Warfare III releases.

Get ready to contain the incursion across different regions that escalate in difficulty, with core Zombies features and a cavalcade of secrets to discover. Ready up for an open-world, player-versus-environment (PvE) extraction survival experience shared with other squads, along with a number of special story missions. Expect to face a variety of unique elements, challenges, as well as cinematics to reinforce the major story developments. Take on the hordes of undead this fall on November 10, 2023. 

Preorder MWIII, Unlock Zombie Ghost

In addition to all of the benefits you can receive for preordering Modern Warfare III detailed in this blog post, there’s a new preorder benefit you can claim: Soon you can instantly unlock the “Zombie Ghost” Operator Skin by pre-ordering or pre-purchasing any Digital edition of Modern Warfare III (either Standard/Cross-Gen, or Vault Edition).

• If you preorder before the start of Modern Warfare II Season 06, Zombie Ghost will be available for you to use on September 27.
• If you preorder after September 27, Zombie Ghost will be available for you to use immediately.
• The Zombie Ghost Operator Skin can be used in Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: WarzoneTM, and will carry forward, meaning it will also be available in Modern Warfare III, starting at game launch.

Nothing gets in, nothing gets out.

Modern Warfare III celebrates the 20th anniversary of Call of Duty with one of the greatest collections of Modern Warfare Multiplayer maps ever assembled.

Afghan. Derail. Estate. Favela. Karachi. Highrise. Invasion. Quarry. Rundown. Rust. Scrapyard. Skidrow. Sub Base. Terminal. Underpass. Wasteland.

All 16 launch maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) have been modernized, both graphically and with meticulous attention given to the authenticity and aspects of the maps that made them so popular. Veteran players love these Core 6v6 maps, and there’s no better time to introduce a generation of new players to experience the community’s favorite Modern Warfare content.

Prepare for seminal design to meet modern gameplay. This faithful modernization of the maps keeps their authenticity intact while infusing the latest tech, gameplay, modes, content, and more. Though you might have noticed elements of Terminal and Highrise during your time in Al Mazrah, the Modern Warfare III versions of these maps are built from scratch from the original 2009 designs.

In addition to brand-new modes like Cutthroat (a competitive 3v3v3 experience), a full range of fan-favorite and innovative gameplay features will be available at launch to get everyone started, like choosing to play Hardpoint and Kill Confirmed on Favela, modes that were never part of the original map offering, providing a refreshing multiplayer experience within these familiar environments.

The 16 Core launch maps are further complemented with the addition of four huge environments ready at launch and containing a host of new play spaces. These are composed of three brand-new Battle Maps — large scale locations where Modern Warfare III’s Ground War and Invasion game modes will be fought — and a single, colossal War map, as Modern Warfare III marks the welcome return and evolution of the legendary War Mode that first debuted in 2017’s Call of Duty: WWII.

With Day One Multiplayer content featuring faithful modernizations of Modern Warfare’s fan-favorite maps, over 12 all-new core 6v6 maps will fuel post-launch live seasons.

Expect many customization advancements and new gameplay mechanics to further evolve the quintessential, fast-moving gameplay. Here are three innovations, with more to be revealed in the coming weeks:

Breach and clear with the new Tactical Stance feature, a perfect middle-ground between hip-fire and aiming down sights. When entering tight hallways and cramped rooms, toggle Tac-Stance on to improve weapon performance and win the fight. Here’s what to expect from Tac-Stance:

• The operator unshoulders the weapon and holds it in a canted firing position.
• You can toggle in and out of Tac-Stance dynamically while aiming down sights.
• Tac-Stance trades precise accuracy for improved mobility and handling.
• Some spread to your firing will occur, best described as a middle ground between full ADS and hipfire.
• It is designed to be used in aggressive, close-quarter combat situations.
• By default, you fire in Tac-Stance while Sliding.

Modern Warfare III brings new levels of customization to Create-a-Class. Get ready to build your Loadout based on cutting-edge military equipment, such as gloves, tactical vests, boots and more; allowing you to fine-tune more aspects of gameplay.

The evolution of the Gunsmith continues with the addition of After-Market Parts. This is a special set of customization options allowing you to focus on your preferred and specific playstyle. After-Market Parts enable you to construct unique weapon configurations or types such as customizing a machine gun into a bullpup configuration (with the firing grip in front of the breech rather than behind it), thus increasing mobility and handling without compromising on damage output.

After-Market Parts will also offer new progression paths, and challenges to unlock. We will be sharing more information on these innovations in the coming weeks.

The core mechanics of Modern Warfare III deliver a massive offering of classic features bringing exceptional freedom of choice, movement, and customization to gameplay.

Here are the Multiplayer features confirmed for Modern Warfare III Multiplayer, coming Day One:

• Map Voting returns, allowing players greater autonomy over their Multiplayer matches.
• Classic Minimap Behavior, with red dots indicating when an enemy is firing an unsuppressed weapon.
• All chosen Perks are available at the start of each match.
• The Covert Sneakers Perk allows for silent movement (assuming you’ve chosen the correct footwear).
• Core Multiplayer Health is increased to 150, lengthening the Time-to-Kill (TTK). Hardcore mode is not affected.

When maneuvering in Modern Warfare III Multiplayer, expect the following movement abilities in terms of your Operator’s general responsiveness:

• You can cancel Slide animations (i.e., “slide cancel”), but Slide Cancelling does not reset Tactical Sprint.
• You can cancel partial Reloads during an animation (i.e., “reload cancel”) to immediately return fire.
• Mantling is faster, and you can Mantle while Sprinting.
• You can fire during and immediately after Sliding.
• Tactical Sprint durations are increased (the exact duration depends on the weapon being used).
• Tactical Sprint recharges while Sprinting.

As discussed before, a vast amount of content and weapon progression from Modern Warfare II will come with you to Modern Warfare III. That means every Multiplayer weapon you currently have in your MWII arsenal, along with all the new weapons available in Modern Warfare III, will be accessible to use on Day One.

• The depth of choice here truly honors the player investment into Modern Warfare II.
• All MWII weapons, attachments, and unlocks will Carry Forward. There will be seamless functionality between new attachments and global Weapon Platforms.
• Any MWII attachments that were considered “universal” (such as some Muzzles) will be available to attach to MWIII weapons, where applicable.
• In certain cases, MWII weapons carried forward into MWIII will be able to utilize MWIII attachments that you unlock, where applicable.
• The number of Weapon Platforms (AKA “Receivers”) have been increased for some categories, reducing restrictions on weapon customization by allowing for core attachments to be added to your favorite MWII weapons.

For the first time, team up with other squads to survive and fight massive hordes of the undead in the largest Call of Duty Zombies map ever. Modern Warfare Zombies (MWZ) tells an involved and unearthly Dark Aether Zombies story set in the Modern Warfare universe. Expect to undertake missions across different regions that escalate in difficulty, with core Zombies features and a cavalcade of secrets to discover. Ready up for an open-world player versus enemy (PvE) extraction survival experience against some of the biggest enemies in Call of Duty history.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare III is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on Nov. 10, 2023.