Despite positive reception for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 1 and 2 remasters, a remaster of Modern Warfare 3 “does not exist,” according to a statement from Activision sent to CharlieIntel.
“A remaster of Modern Warfare 3, campaign or multiplayer, does not exist. Any reports otherwise are incorrect,” an Activision representative said in response to rumors of a Modern Warfare 3 campaign remaster.
Modern Warfare 1 and 2 remain the only Call of Duty remasters that Activision has released. Modern Warfare Remastered included both the original’s campaign and multiplayer, scoring an 8.5 out of 10 from IGN back in 2017. Modern Warfare 2 Remastered only included the campaign and scored a 7 out of 10.
Both were lauded for their updates to their respective graphics, with IGN editor Ryan McCaffrey stating that if you told someone Modern Warfare 2 was a game that came out in mid-2020, they’d probably believe you. When it came to more kinetic features, like explosion effects or flat outdoor lighting, Call of Duty’s more modern incarnations understandably beat the remasters.
Modern Warfare 3 received a 9 out of 10 from IGN back in 2011, but by then the franchise, which was also sharing the spotlight with the popular Black Ops series, was starting to spin its wheels and show a lack of innovation. Common criticisms included a “run-of-the-mill campaign” and shooting galleries of enemies who emerge from monster closets without much interest in their own wellbeing.
It’s a different age for Call of Duty. Activision, Infinity Ward, and Treyarch have split their attention between the 2019 Modern Warfare reboot, Black Ops Cold War, and the ongoing Warzone battle royale mode. Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard is embroiled in a lawsuit alleging a widespread culture of sexual harassment and discrimination. Most recently, major sponsors for Blizzard’s Overwatch League have started to pull their participation, including Coca-Cola and State Farm. You can read about the entire timeline of the lawsuit and the alleged discrimination here.
Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/target practice for IGN.