Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Confirmed to Drop this Year after Secret Alpha Test Leaks

Activision Blizzard have understandably had their hands full with the FTC hearing and their seemingly endless legal battles to get acquired by Microsoft. However, business must continue as normal regardless of the situation, and as such, it seems like the upcoming Call of Duty might just be the long-rumoured Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.

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Related: Call of Duty 2024 Will Cover the Gulf War

Throughout the history of the Call of Duty franchise, Activision have operated on a switching system, with releases typically swapping between Sledgehammer, Treyarch and Infinity Ward. Whilst we’re not entirely sure on what’s happening with that, it does seem that this years release won’t be another entry into Black Ops, or a new instalment completely, but instead we’ll be sticking with the story of Captain Price and Soap, and returning to Modern Warfare again.

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Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 – We’re Heading Back Out

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3

Thanks to a leak over on Twitter, we now have various bits of information we didn’t already know about, as well as some interesting DMCA related situations. As you’ll know, every year it ends up being a big hoohah as to what the upcoming Call of Duty title is going to be, but instead of that this year, it’s more of when is it going to be confirmed to be Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, which seems to be the worst kept secret for the last few months.

Related: Microsoft Landmark Call of Duty Deal with Sony Keeps the Franchise on PlayStation for Ten More Years.

Thanks to @xinput_ on Twitter, we now have some concrete information. Due to a secret alpha playtest, potentially called Hailström, we now that the upcoming 2023 release of Call of Duty is almost certainly Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.

In a franchise first, the game will allow the transferring of guns and operators from Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, and the game will feel like a faster, more arcade experience, essentially Modern Warfare 2.5. The leaker added that remastered fan favourite maps Scrapyard and Terminal will make a return, as will the classic minimap, and there will be changes in the perk system, now being categorised as gear.

Related: “F**k no, f**k no, f**k no&#8221”: Call of Duty’s Latest Crossover is None Other Than… Nicki Minaj, for Some Reason?

Most interestingly, when these leaks first appeared online they were accompanied by photos of the playtest, which Activision quickly removed, using DMCA notices to force their hand. Within these DMCA notices though, the copyrighted material was referred to as Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, which is the first time Activision have directly referred to the project as such.

This may only be a pre-release build of the game, hence the alpha test, and it may all be smoke and mirrors from Activision, but the evidence is building that in a few short months we’ll be lacing up our boots and jumping back into the world of Price and co, finishing off the best Call of Duty franchise since the original Modern Warfare trilogy.

What do you make of all this? Do you think this leak all but confirms the upcoming Call of Duty instalment? Will you be happy with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by Luke Addison

Luke Addison is the Lead Video Game Critic and Gaming Editor. As likely to be caught listening to noughties rock as he is watching the latest blockbuster cinema release, Luke is the quintessential millennial wistfully wishing after a forgotten era of entertainment. Also a diehard Chelsea fan, for his sins.

Twitter: @callmeafilmnerd

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