We wish you a very merry CODMAS! I know, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is not even a month old. Season 1 is here, though, and its bringing holiday cheer to all the good little Operators of Urzikstan. Here's a breakdown of the new weapons, battle pass, maps, and operators coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone with Season 1.
Call of Duty: MW3 Season 1 — Release date and time
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Season 1 will go live on December 6 at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET across all platforms.
Call of Duty: MW3 season 1 — new multiplayer maps
Sledgehammer Games put all their chips in the nostalgia basket for Modern Warfare 3, with 16 maps at launch that were remakes of every map from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009). While the overall community response to this has been positive, there are still a few folks who want new maps to sink their teeth into.
Even before Modern Warfare 3 was released, the development teams behind the first-person shooter were open that seasonal content would include new, never-before-seen maps. Now they're ready to deliver on that promise. Modern Warfare 3 will receive 4 new maps during Season 1.
Meat
How is that for a new map name. Say hello to Meat, a compact map centered around the East Bay Meats slaughterhouse. Call of Duty fans love their small maps. From Rust to Shipment to Das Haus to Nuketown, small maps dominate.
They're great for boosting your Kill/Death ratio, they're a lot of fun for demolitionists who want to torment everybody with launchers and noob tubes, and they're great for knocking out camo challenges. It's too early to know for sure if Meat will join the ranks of the greatest compact maps, but we can get our loadouts with a noob tube ready in the meantime.
Meat is particularly designed to allow you to make use of the new Tac-Stance ability and Modern Warfare 3's operator agility as you weave through the small confines of a meat locker and processing center. The outer loading dock will over longer sight lines for those who are grinding out those sniper camos.
Meat will be available with the launch of Season 1 and on all 6v6 playlists.
Greece
The Call of Duty team hasn't given up their efforts to get everybody to embrace underwater gunfights. Greece is a mid-sized Mediterranean-inspired map based on an undisclosed coastal town. From the screenshot alone, it has the potential to be one of the prettiest maps CoD has ever offered.
The map is idyllic, though there are burning yachts on the shore. Take your offense underwater in the canal or the sea, or look for those vantage points where you can look down on your foes.
Greece will be available at launch for Season 1 on all 6v6 playlists.
Rio
Fans of close-quarters combat can look forward to Rio, a bright and colorful map with elegant streets and an upscale shopping center that reportedly offers tight engagement zones. Like Meat, Rio has the potential to scratch the itch for those of us looking for our next small map to bombard with every explosive available in-game. Enemies can be engaged in the tight quarters of the mall, or take the fight outside to the vibrant streets. A covered walkway, garage, and vehicles give players ample vantage points, so don't forget to look up.
Rio will be available on all 6v6 playlists when Season 1 Reloaded launches.
Training Facility
2v2 Gunfight was a popular game mode for Call of Duty that was surprisingly absent from MW3 at launch. It will be returning to playlist rotation in Season 1, with fan-favorite maps returning alongside an all-new map. Training Facility is a complete training course used by Konni Group set in the remains of an old warehouse.
With a central shoot house and plenty of verticality and climbing opportunities for the operators who like to look down on their unsuspecting foes, you can use your enhanced abilities to achieve the best angles for your weapons.
Training Facility will be available in 2v2 Gunfight when Season 1 launches.
Call of Duty: MW3 season 1 — new multiplayer modes
Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer will be getting 3 new modes at launch, with more to arrive in the midseason Reloaded update. Popular modes from Call of Duty past will make a return, while some brand-new limited-time modes will make their first appearances.
All or Nothing (FFA)
Some may remember All or Nothing from Black Ops' wager playlist way back when, others may remember it for its iterations in various Black Ops and Modern Warfare games since. With Season 1, All or Nothing will be added to Modern Warfare 3 for the first time.
The game mode allows operators to deploy with nothing more than a throwing knife and no ammo. After getting one kill with a throwing knife, players earn the scavenger perk, which then allows them to retrieve ammo for their sidearm pistol. The first player to get 20 kills with any combo of throwing knife or pistol eliminations wins.
All or Nothing will be available at Season 1 launch.
Gunfight (2v2)
2 versus 2 mode Gunfight will be returning to the playlist rotation, with players thrown onto a small map for a round-based match with random weapon loadouts. There are no respawns, so make your shots count here. The assigned loadouts change every round, with 6 rounds lasting 40 seconds each.
At the end of 40 seconds, if there are players on both teams still alive, an overtime flag will spawn. The first team to capture the overtime flag or eliminate the enemy team will win. If both teams for some reason wait out the 10-second duration of the overtime flag, whichever team has the most health will win.
In addition to the new Training Facility map specifically for 2v2 Gunfight, Season 1 will carry forward Gunfight maps from Modern Warfare 2 (2022). This carry-forward list includes Alley, Blacksite, Exhibit, and Shipment. Gunfight will be available at Season 1 launch.
Team Gunfight (6v6)
If you like the sound of Gunfight but want to play with a larger squad, your time as near! Team Gunfight will feature teams of 6 playing on standard Multiplayer maps with randomized loadouts and no respawns. It's hectic, risky, and you'll need to prove your team is the best at adapting to weaponry in the heat of a fight.
Team Gunfight will arrive with the midseason Reloaded update.
Vortex (LTM)
Vortex is a brand-new, limited-time free-for-all mode coming to Modern Warfare 3 with the mid-season Reloaded update. One player will be armed with the infamous Raygun from Call of Duty Zombies. Other players will need to eliminate the Operator with the Raygun if they want a taste of it for themselves. Vortex will take place on three remixed multiplayer maps: Satan's Quarry, Sporeyard, and Tetanus.
CODMAS: Santa's Slayground (LTM)
While The Haunting is, by far, my favorite Call of Duty holiday event, I do still hold so much love for CODMAS. Last year, Infinity Ward gave us the Klaus operator skin and the Shipmas map. This year, Sledgehammer Games has gone a little more grim for the season. Santa Gnaws will be joining the slayground with the return of holiday-themed maps Shipmas and Hangover. There will be a full, limited-time event slated around the holidays, though we'll need to wait until Midseason to get more details.
At least Krampus isn't back. IS HE?
Infected
If you've ever played Call of Duty or Halo, you've been roped into an infected match at least once. One player is chosen at random to be infected, and it's up to them to eliminate the other survivors. Dead survivors reanimate and return as infected players, and the swarm grows as humanity dwindles.
Infected will be added to Modern Warfare 3 playlist rotation with the Season 1 Reloaded update.
Headquarters
Truth be told, I've put well over 100 hours into Modern Warfare 3 (2023) and didn't even notice that Headquarters wasn't part of the playlist rotation. An HQ location spawns on the map and players must hold it down as it slowly rotates around the combat area. It's not one of my favorite modes, but it will be returning with the Season 1 Reloaded update. If you've missed Headquarters, this is your CODMAS present.
Ranked play
Giving us an exceptional Zombies experience wasn't enough for Treyarch. The team has been working in partnership with Sledgehammer Games to bring Ranked Play to Modern Warfare 3 during Season 1 Reloaded. Built upon the foundations of Ranked Play from MW2 (2022), the mode will be updated with new rewards, MW3 maps, weapons, and loadout content.
Ranked Play is a stand-alone competitive Multiplayer mode that leverages Call of Duty League approved rules, restrictions, maps, and modes. Players are given a visible skill rating and can earn rewards across multiple Skill Divisions and Tiers. A Top 250 Leaderboard is available for those who want to prove themselves as a top Operator.
Call of Duty: MW3 Season 1 — New perks and killstreaks
Assassin Vest
The new Assassin Vest in Modern Warfare 3 will remove a player's option to have a field upgrade, but in exchange, the Operator won't leave behind enemy skulls after an elimination. They also become immune to UAV and radar effects, even if stationary. When the Assassin Vest is equipped alongside Ghost T/V camo gear the effect does not stack but instead is replaced with the Hijacked IFF Strobe gear.
The Assassin Vest features two tactical and lethal slots, along with three gear slots: Glove, boots, and gear.
Swarm
Unleash the hell of a swarm of mosquito drones on the battlefield, providing blanket coverage to an area. The Swarm will require 15 kills, or 1875 points if you're using the Scorestreak system, to earn.
EMP
One of my personal favorite killstreaks is finally back. The EMP is an electromagnetic pulse that disrupts enemy killstreaks and equipment. It can be a bear to earn, however, requiring 13 kills or 1625 points.
Call of Duty: MW3 Season 1 — Zombies update
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode was a first for the MW series. Built on the foundations of Infinity Ward's DMZ, Zombies offers an open-world take on the classic mode, where players can complete objectives while active on a version of Urzikstan that has been overrun by the undead and mercenaries alike. Season 1 will bring new challenges and objectives to the MWZ, including a mysterious gateway that has opened up in the Exclusion Zone.
Inside the Dark Aether Rift lies something sinister, challenging those who dare enter with a time-sensitive challenge that will require you to complete an objective before escaping—hopefully with your lives. Dark Aether Rifts are being introduced as a new end-game experience that players can master after completing seasonal missions.
For rewards, a whole new set of schematics will be available to unlock, but doing so will certainly test your mettle.
Zombies Story Act 4
If you've just been mindlessly slaying hordes of the undead in the MWZ, you may be surprised to discover that the mode actually has its own self-contained story line. Told throughout cutscenes and various mission challenges that can be accomplished while in the exclusion zone, the Zombies story will be getting a 4th Act as part of Season 1. Operators will need to push further into the Exclusion Zone as a new anomaly appears.
Operation Deadbolt Strike Teams find themselves pulled through to the other side of the Dark Aether for the first time. A new story mission will launch Act 4, with tasks that test your abilities and prepare you for the fight ahead. New challenges, rewards, and a new set of prestige challenges will be coming to Zombies. Players can also look forward to a new Warlord battle, new wonder weapon to earn, and new schematics and acquisitions to obtains.
New weapon: V-R11 Wonder Weapon
I wouldn't necessarily dub the V-R11 a "new weapon", though its arrival in the MWZ Exclusion Zone will be the first time it is seen outside its original appearance in Call of Duty: Black Ops Call of the Dead DLC. The V-R11 is a lasered wonder weapon that does no damage to the zombie or human it is initially aimed at, instead converting that fearsome foe into a useful ally.
MWZ already has the "brain rot" effect, which can be used to modify your weapon's ammunition so that zombies will turn on their undead brethren. The V-R11 will work similarly, though it will have the added benefit of forcing mercenaries on the battlefield to turncoat to your side, as well.
Classified schematics
Three new schematics are coming to the MWZ. These include the Dog Bone, a classified legendary schematic that allows the player to summon a friendly Hell Hound to assist them in the exclusion zone. Previously, the only way to summon a hellhound was to collect four chunks of meat dropped at random by zombies and then drop them off at a dog house somewhere on the map. The new schematic allows you to keep a hellhound in your pocket and use it when you need it most, as opposed to hoping RNG gives you the goods.
The Golden Armor Plate schematic is also legendary and will replace the armor carrier with plates that automatically repair over time while also providing additional resistance.
The last schematic being added at launch is the Aether Blade, a special throwing knife with infinite ammo and a boomerang-like effect. The Aether Blade can be thrown at an enemy, and it will locate the next nearest enemy to hit before returning to the Operator.
Dokkaebi (Warlord)
If you've been following the story of the MWZ, you're aware that Terminus Outcomes has been up to some shady things in the exclusion zone. Jack Fletcher, the leader of Terminus, will deploy another Lieutenant to the battle space in the Season 1 Reloaded update. Prepare yourself for South Korean born Dokkaebi, an electronic warfare specialist with a fleet of self-programmed autonomous drones.
Call of Duty: Warzone Season 1 — Welcome to Urzikstan
Welcome to Urzikstan. If you've played Modern Warfare Zombies since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 launched, you've already had a chance to familiarize yourself a bit with the newest map coming to Call of Duty: Warzone. Urzikstan is an urban landscape with 11 major points of interest.
Players will recognize locations such as the Popov Power Plant in the north and the Zaravan Suburbs to the south. Horizontal zip lines, a driveable train, and more ways to traverse Urzikstan will all be part of the Season 1 update. Modern Warfare 3's changes to movement will be coming to Warzone, as well, including the return of slide-cancelling and the addition of Tac-Stance.
Urzikstan will replace Al Mazrah as the 'big map' for Battle Royale modes, while players can still deploy into Ashika Island and Vondel, as well. The map includes an array of rural, industrial, and suburban zones. Developed by Raven Software, Urzikstan will offer 11 major points of interest that are named on the Tac Map with 27 additional, large-scale points of interest named on the in-game Compass.
A new map isn't all we can look forward to in Warzone. A major update will change the Call of Duty HQ, so you will no longer be disconnected from your squad when switching between multiplayer, zombies, and Warzone modes.
Launch modes
All modes will be set on the new big map for the first 48 hours to celebrate the launch of Urzikstan, including Battle Royale and Plunder. Resurgence modes will receive areas of Urzikstan as a pool of locations, mixed in with Ashika and Vondel, as a limited time mode called Urzikstan Resurgence. This will give players the chance to focus on some of the more hot-drop friendly points of interest, including:
- Orlov Military Base
- Popov Power
- Zaravan Suburbs
In-Season modes
With Season 1 Reloaded we can expect to see Lockdown return alongside the limited-time CODMAS mode Slay Ride Resurgence, which will be making its holiday debut.
If you're worried about not being able to join the fun with your preferred squadsize, you can breathe a little easier. All squad sizes for Battle Royale on Urzikstan will be available all season long. This is a change to the previous rotating squad playlists for Battle Royale on Al Mazrah.
Gameplay and movement changes
Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software have been working together to more closely align the gameplay mechanics between Warzone and Multiplayer, starting with the bump to 150 health in core modes for MW3 multiplayer. With Season 1, this will expand to changes to movement mechanics in Warzone to align more with MW3's movement. The following movement changes will be implemented with Season 1 launch:
- Slide canceling.
- Tac-Stance.
- ADS while sliding.
- Running while reloading
- A slight movement boost when using the Stim Tactical.
The following gameplay changes, detailed on the Call of Duty Blog for Season 1, can be expected at launch:
- Backup Pistol: Always have a dedicated pistol when swimming or climbing ladders or ledge hanging, no matter your Loadout.
- Improved Water Combat: Alongside the dedicated pistol, improvements have been made to water visibility, such that it is now easier to see targets both when in and out of the water.
- Manual Gas Mask: You can now manually choose when to equip the Gas Mask. When looking at a Gas Mask on the ground, Players are presented with two options: Equip it, or Stow it. Equipping the Gas Mask will begin the equip animation of putting it onto their face. Stowing the Gas Mask will place it in the Backpack for Players to manually equip at a later time. As a result, the animation will no longer interrupt gameplay, and importantly, Players will only hear the heavy breathing sound effect while in the Gas.
- Experimental Gas Grenade: This Tear Gas Tactical now deals gas damage, and as such can be countered with an equipped Gas Mask.
- Dedicated Ammo Slots: Specific new Backpack slots cater to ammo, allowing quick and easy access. These slots will be automatically filled as Players find ammo. Additional ammo can still be stored in the all-purpose Backpack slots.
- Loot Rarity: Weapons, equipment, killstreaks, and more will now appear with a color-coded tooltip to indicate the value and rarity of the item, as well as if a weapon is from a “Custom Loadout”.
- Contract Activation Laptop: Players will now activate Contracts by interacting with larger, more easily identifiable laptops found throughout the map.
- Updated Tac Map Icons: The entirety of the Tac Map has been updated to better serve you, with a variety of easily distinguishable new icons.
- Classic Red Dots: The classic minimap will feature within Call of Duty: Warzone; firing unsuppressed weapons causes Operators to momentarily appear as a red dot on the minimap.
- Improved Loot Spreading: Players will now notice that the loot distribution and spread when opening a Supply Box or eliminating an enemy has received improvements to minimize loot overlap and facilitate loot identification.
- Quality of Life Carry Forward: For the new Chapter of Warzone, all existing Quality of Life improvements that have been made this year will carry forward.
New perks
New perks will be joining Warzone, though the perk system that is currently implemented in the free-to-play battle royale will continue. Operators will choose from either a pre-set or a Custom Perk Package consisting of four perks which become active once the loadout is claimed. Perk Packs can also be found as ground loot, dropped by enemy players or found in supply boxes.
Urzikstan has been designed with movement in mind, and so players will be equipped with some perks by default at all times. These include:
- Tac Pads: Improves slide distance and allows for full ADS while sliding, along with increased stance transition speeds.
- Commando Gloves: Enables reloading while running.
- Quick-Grip Gloves: Increases your weapon swap speed.
- Climbing Boots: Increases climbing and mantling speed aspect.
- Overkill: Allows you to pick two Primary Weapons.
Additionally, new and returning Perks exclusive to Call of Duty: Warzone are on the way and can be equipped as custom perks to your loadout:
- Irradiated: Move faster and take less damage while in the gas.
- Tempered: Now also available as a Custom Perk, Tempered allows you to refill armor plates to full with two plates instead of three.
- Combat Scout: Bullets you fire briefly ping an enemy for you and your squad. Hitting the enemy from farther away increases the ping time.
- Resolute: When taking damage from gunfire, this grants a short bonus to movement speed.
- Shrouded: Drop a smoke grenade when downed.
- Mountaineer: Reduces fall damage.
- Stalker: Increased strafe and aim down sight movement speed.
- Escapist: Increased downed, prone, and crouch speed.
- Primed: Accuracy and time to aim down sight is improved while jumping.
- Faculty: Delay triggered explosives while sprinting, warns of nearby enemy equipment, and reduces combat noise.
Season 1 will see Warzone reach more than 30 total perks available to players: 5 of which are now default perks, 12 perks in Slot 1 and 2, 10 Perks in Slot 3, and 7 Perks in Slot 4.
New gulag
You can't have a new map without a new Gulag. In addition to being a new environment, the Urzikstan gulag will come with new gameplay updates, as well.
- Ascender Overtime Finisher: Replacing the old overtime flag, players are now provided an exfil rope that drops into the middle of the Gulag during the match allowing extraction – but, be warned! You can both shoot, and be shot at, from the Ascender!
- Gulag Public Events: Several new Public Events may also occur within the Gulag, such as Go Again (an additional Gulag attempt if you lose the first fight), Cash Grab (more money on the floor with a big stack in the middle of the map) and Locked & Loaded Weapons (AMG + SMG Loadout with full armor), helping the victor by bringing back some much-needed power items into the match.
- Night Vision Gulag (In-Season): NVG has a new name, as the Gulag will occasionally go dark while equipping Operators with night-vision goggles for a fun new twist on the Gulag experience.
Addition content will come to Warzone with the midseason refresh early in 2024, including the Covert Exfil and Modern Warfare 2's weapon case challenge with new rewards. A new Champion's Quest with fresh rewards will also be available for players who want their shot at nuking Urzikstan (or are brave enough to steal the quest from someone else.)
Merry CODMAS!
The holidays are coming to Urzikstan with new challenges, rewards, and modes. Along with the limited time mode Slay Ride Resurgence, players can look forward to Deck the Halls. Santa has delivered presents to Urzikstan, but players will need to check the Tac Map to reveal their location and get to the trees in order to earn the rewards. Reaching a holiday tree sends up a flare, though, so be ready to stand your ground when other nearby operators are alerted to the possibility of good loot. Those who hold the point will be gifted a chance to meet Zombie Santa.
Yes, Zombie Santa. You know what? Give me Krampus back. No? Fine.
Once an Operator gets a key from Deck the Halls, a "merry" portal appears, where players are taken to a fight against a zombified juggernaut Santa. Defeat the juggerclaus and loot his sack for your gifts.
Players can also look forward to Snowball fights in Urzikstan, with snowballs being available in Players' default loadouts or as ground loot represented by a snowflake icon on the tac map. The CODMAS event will also feature a new challenge during the 12-day event.
Call of Duty: MW3 Season 1 — Battle pass, weapons, operators
A new season of content is not complete without new weapons, new operators, and a new battle pass that can be shared between Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. Season 1 kicks things off strong with 5 new weapons along with a new host of Aftermarket parts.
XRK Stalker
The XRK Stalker is a one-hit elimination sniper rifle that players can unlock at launch in the A4 sector of the battle pass. The XRK sniper deals massive damage and his highly customizable. Don't be surprised if this sniper shows up in quickscoper loadouts.
RAM-7
The RAM-7 is a compact, bullpup assault rifle with a lightweight, polymer frame and chambered with 5.56 ammo. Built for power and mobility, the RAM-7 will knock out players at medium range and long with controlled bursts without sacrificing movement speed.
The RAM-7 can be unlocked via Battle Pass Sector A7.
Stormender
If you don't want to wait until you've racked up 13 kills to hit the enemy with an EMP, the Stormender may be for you. This weapon system fires a localized EMP on a slight delay, destroying tactical and lethal equipment and disabling other electronic devices. The Stormender is powerful enough to shoot down specific killstreaks, including drones, thanks to lock on capabilities. Unlimited recharging ammo and the ability to disable and delay equipment can give Support Operators a serious advantage on the battlefield.
The Stormender can be unlocked via Battle Pass Sector A12.
HRM-9
Looking for a light, stable 9mm submachine gun for those close quarters engagements? The HMR-9 has a high fire rate and is excellent for aggressive run-and-gun players who need to dispatch and move on quickly. With the right attachments, the HMR-9 can hold its own in a mid-range gun fight without sacrificing too much movement speed.
The HRM-9 can be unlocked by completing armory challenges later in the season.
TAQ Evolvere
The TAQ is one of my favorite assault rifles in Modern Warfare, but I often find the LMG variants to be too cumbersome to my personal playstyle. However, the TAQ Evolvere may change my mind as it is an adnvanced, multi-caliber LMG capable of firing both 7.62 or 5.556 rounds. The light machine gun can take down infantry and artillery, and is suitable with a wide variety of attachments.
The TAQ Evolvere will be available midseason.
New aftermarket parts
New aftermarket parts will be coming to Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone, allowing you to equip your very own flamethrower to certain weapons, among other new parts. The Jak Beholder Rifle Kit includes the following parts as described on the Call of Duty blog:
JAK Purifier
Compatability: MCW, MTZ-556, Holger 556, DG-56, SVA 545, RAM-7, MTZ-762, BAS-B, Sidewinder, Riveter
Equip an underbarrel flamethrower. What more needs to be said? Burn it all down. The JAK Purifier AMP is compatible with several weapons, including multiple Assault Rifles, Battle Rifles, and the Riveter Shotgun.
JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
Compatability: AMR9
Available for the AMR9 SMG, this kit creates two stacked barrels that fire simultaneously. This offers twice as much down-range damage at the cost of some accuracy.
JAK Thunder LMG Kit
Compatability: Sidewinder (BR)
Dominate lanes and hold objectives with this LMG conversion kit for the Sidewinder Battle Rifle that brings a large capacity magazine and ramps in fire rate the longer you hold down the trigger.
JAK BRB
Compatability: Many Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, Battle Rifles, Marksman Rifles, and Sniper Rifles.
Go loud. This compensator borders on excessive, offering a phenomenal reduction to recoil while significantly increasing muzzle report, resulting in an extended red dot on enemy radars.
JAK Bullseye
Compatability: [[REDACTED]]
Very low-profile dot Optic. Limited interference from framework offers an exceptionally clear sight picture.
JAK Glassless Optic
Compatability: [[REDACTED]]
This small, glassless reflex Optic offers a crisp and clear sight picture for snappy target acquisition.
JAK Signal Burst
Compatability: Holger 556 (AR)
A conversion kit designed for accuracy and controllability with four-round bursts.
JAK Beholder Rifle Kit
Compatability: TYR (Handgun)
A long and heavy barrel that offers the best increase to range. Improves recoil control and damage range, converting this Handgun into a single-shot Rifle.
JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion
Compatability: Rival-9 (SMG)
Rival Assault Rifles with this three-round burst conversion kit that excels at midrange combat.
New operator: Nolan
Nolan is a distinguished soldier and Makarov's right-hand man as an integral leader of Konni Group.
New Operator: Dokkaebi
Dokkaebi will make an appearance as a playable operator at launch, in addition to her arrival as a Warlord boss in the MWZ.
New operator: Abolisher
Info about Abolisher is redacted, but players can expect to find this BlackCell operator on the SpecGru side of the fight.
New operator bundles
As always, there will be a slate of new Operator and mastercraft bundles hitting the Call of Duty store during Season 1. Among them are Santa Gnaws, Dune Part 2 including Paul Atreides or Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen operators, and the new Painted Alebrijie weapon bundle.
New prestiges and weekly challenges
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will keep with the same Prestige system we've seen in previous modern iterations of the franchise. The preseason capped player levels at 55, and Season 1 will go beyond that to unlock Prestige 1 at level 56. New challenges bring new rewards to earn as players make their way to Prestige 5, which unlocks at rank 250 and will be the new level cap until the end of Season 1. The Prestige rewards include:
- Prestige 1: Unlocked at Rank 56
- Emblem Reward
- MP: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- MWZ: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- Prestige 2: Unlocked at Rank 100
- Emblem Reward
- MP: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- MWZ: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- Prestige 3: Unlocked at Rank 150
- Emblem Reward
- MP: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- MWZ: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- Prestige 4: Unlocked at Rank 200
- Emblem Reward
- MP: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- MWZ: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- Prestige 5: Unlocked at Rank 250 and the level cap until the end of Season 1.
- Emblem Reward
- MP: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- MWZ: Four Calling Card Challenges, one Prestige 1 Mastery Calling Card Challenge.
- Blueprint Reward: “Venomous” Blueprint for the MTZ-556 AR, with a focus on ADS Speed, Sprint to Fire Speed, and Sprint Speed.
The future of DMZ
The introduction of the DMZ to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 saw the mode enter a Beta period that it seemingly will never leave. The DMZ Beta was a labor of love by Infinity Ward, who was rumored to have begun work on the mode in 2018. While DMZ continued to receive seasonal updates and RAID content during the Modern Warfare 2 (2022) post-launch cycle, it will not continue to be supported into the MW3 era.
With the launch of Season 1, the DMZ will remain a free-to-play mode for players via the Call of Duty: Warzone section of the COD HQ. The Beta will remain fully playable with all current DMZ content, including Al Mazrah, Ashika Island, the Koschei Complex, Building 21, Vondel, and all DMZ missions. However, cross-progression and support between DMZ and Warzone/MW3 will cease, and players will not be able to progress their battle pass nor use new store bundles in the DMZ beyond where it is at this time.
In a statement about the decision on the future of the DMZ, the Call of Duty team recognized that players may feel frustrated at the lack of cross-progression for the mode. However, "we felt now was the time to take all the learnings from the Beta that we could apply toward future development efforts as we evolve this style of play. We also know that many players still enjoy the mode and wanted to ensure that everybody can keep playing, which is why we are keeping a variety of content available."
Players can expect the Call of Duty dev teams to continue building upon dynamic open-world experiences, similar to DMZ and MWZ, in the future.
