Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gets its first campaign premiere at Gamescom 2023

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 reveal screenshots
(Image credit: Activision)

What you need to know

  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the upcoming premium title from Activision and Sledgehammer Games.
  • It is a direct sequel to Infinity Ward's 2022 release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
  • A campaign trailer for MW3 debuted during Gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live.

After months of leaks, rumors and teasers for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 players finally got their first official look at the campaign for the upcoming first-person shooter from Activision and Sledgehammer Games. While we have recently had gameplay reveals and some additional confirmed intel about the new game, this is the first detailed trailer focused on the game's campaign that will launch on November 10.

Geoff Keighley was joined on the Gamescom stage by Shelby Carleton of Sledgehammer Games to introduce the campaign reveal trailer and lay the groundwork for Call of Duty's new campaign mechanic, Open Combat Missions. These players directed missions allow you to approach the campaign in a variety of ways based on how the player prefers. The open combat missions work seamlessly with the standard linear cinematic missions players expect for the franchise.

The gameplay reveal trailer followed Alpha Team into Operation 627 where the player will be tasked with infiltrating enemy operations, utilizing night vision goggles, rope launchers, and various other tools in the process. In the gulag, players will initate a prison riot under the cover of darkness. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 marks a new chapter for the franchise as it is the first time in the 20-year history of the Modern Warfare series that a direct sequel has been launched the year following its predecessor. Fan favorite characters Captain Price and Simon "Ghost" Riley (with Barry Sloane and Samuel Roukin reprising their roles) as well as the rest of Task Force 141 will be suiting up and heading out to cut the heads off of some snakes when they take on the Russian ultranationalist Vladmir Makarov. 

Players can preorder Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 now and gain early access to the beta as well as one week of early access to the campaign, beginning on November 2. MW3 launches in full on November 10. Preordering also unlocks a Soap operator bundle available now for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will be available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One families of consoles as well as PC via Steam and Battle.net.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Cross-gen bundle | $70 at Best Buy

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Cross-gen bundle | $70 at Best Buy

Experience the epic campaign, all new open world zombies, and classic style multiplayer on both last and current gen gaming consoles. Preordering grants early access to the beta and campaign.

Price check: $70 (Xbox) | $70 (Steam) | $70 (Battle.net) | $70 (PlayStation)

Cole Martin
Writer

Cole is the resident Call of Duty know-it-all and indie game enthusiast for Windows Central. She's a lifelong artist with two decades of experience in digital painting, and she will happily talk your ear off about budget pen displays.