Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's poor reception shouldn't surprise anyone

Soldier with a gun
(Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 finally releases today (November 10), but unfortunately, there's not as much excitement for this next installment. 

Many of the reviews for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 that have already come out aren't the most flattering. Our first impressions of Modern Warfare 3's campaign were cautiously optimistic, pointing out that the new focus on Open Combat Missions (OCMs) means that there's greater replayability. 

Other than this, there have been multiple other reviews that took a more negative stance. GameSpot gave it a five out of 10 rating, while IGN said that the campaign "feels hastily put together." However, it remains to be seen just how well Modern Warfare 3 holds up compared to previous titles in this iconic franchise. 

Many are pointing towards the development process as a reason why the campaign has fallen flat to so many. Bloomberg claims that Modern Warfare 3 was made in less than a year and a half, according to a source who could not be identified as they were not authorized to speak publicly. This short schedule allegedly proved to be stressful for the developers. 

Bloomberg also stated that some staff at Sledgehammer had to work overtime late into the night or on weekends to finish the project. While an Activision spokesperson denied that Modern Warfare 3 was initially meant to be an expansion, Bloomberg added that Sledgehammer studio head Aaron Halon suggested there may have been a possibility that developers became confused on this matter as it's "a new type of direct sequel" to the previous game.

The production is all said and done now, so all that is left is for players to decide whether this next title holds up. You can purchase Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox Series X, PS5, PC, PS4, and Xbox One right now.

You can also get excited about all the fantastic discounts that are on the horizon. Be sure to check out these great Black Friday gaming deals and these Black Friday gaming laptop deals.

Elie Gould
Features Writer

Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications. 

Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they've taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.