All The CoD: Modern Warfare 3 Multiplayer Maps For Launch

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is almost here. For a lot of people, multiplayer is the main draw. So you might be wondering what maps the game will have at launch. There will be a lot of core multiplayer maps available to players right out of the gate, and there are some key things to know–including that the core multiplayer maps are all carryovers from a past game.

Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer maps

At launch on November 10, Modern Warfare III will have 16 maps available for the core multiplayer experience. These maps may feel familiar to players, as all 16 maps are updated versions of maps from 2009’s Modern Warfare II. This includes fan-favorites like Rust and Highrise.

Activision said these will be “meticulously crafted, modernized” version of the older maps. The developer said they have been designed to “maintain the authenticity and accuracy of the originals.”

Modern Warfare 3 core multiplayer map list:

• Afghan
• Derail
• Estate
• Favela
• Karachi
• Highrise
• Invasion
• Quarry
• Rundown
• Rust
• Scrapyard
• Skidrow
• Sub Base
• Terminal
• Underpass
• Wasteland

In addition to those 16 maps, Activision said there will be “a number” of the most popular maps from 2022’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II in Modern Warfare III “shortly” after launch, and they will be housed in their own dedicated playlist. These include Farm 18, Mercado, and Shoot House. More will be added “gradually” throughout Modern Warfare III’s seasons. This is part of Activision’s wider “Carry Forward” program; weapons, Operators, store bundles, and other content from 2022’s Modern Warfare II will also carry over to Modern Warfare III.

What’s new about these “old” maps?

These are maps that you might be familiar with, but Sledgehammer Games and Infinity Ward said the teams are using the “wealth of game engine and design tech advancements” to make the maps look better than ever. Some of these advancements include variable-rate shading and improved runtime systems to help make enemies appear more visibly on the map.

Activision said “scenic detail and visibility” should be improved across all the maps, while vehicles appearing on the streets are new compared to their 2009 original counterparts. Beyond that, Activision said some buildings are depicted in different colors and materials now. For example, the soccer pitch on Favela, which was previously made up of dirt and grass, is now a paved-over blacktop.

There are lighting changes, too. “The game’s in-game illumination techniques noticeably brighten areas like Favela’s central alleyways, allowing players to see enemy Operators more clearly, rather than have targets blend into the shadows,” Activision said.

The maps play differently, too

Activision added that the 16 maps from 2009’s Modern Warfare II benefit from the technical advancements that Activision’s Call of Duty teams have made over the years in terms of movement. The tactical sprint system introduced in 2019’s Modern Warfare II has been carried forward with subsequent releases, and this applies to Modern Warfare III as well. This means players can jump and mantle to get across and through the maps in a new way compared to how they could back in 2009.

Updated map areas

Some of the 16 maps have been updated with new areas to explore. On Estate, players can now access the lake behind the boathouse and swim underwater to previously inaccessible locations. Skidrow, meanwhile, changes the bookshop into a movie store, and the ceiling has been fixed. On the fan-favorite Rust map, the open pipe where campers used to park out and snipe from has been replaced by a small building. For the Highrise map, the office space is now decked out with the logo of the fictional company ActiBase.

Beyond Core

Beyond Core multiplayer, Modern Warfare III introduces three brand-new Battle Maps for the large-scale Ground War and Invasion modes. Additionally, Activision teased a “gargantuan” map for the return of War Mode, the attack-and-defend mode last seen in Call of Duty: WWII. This map is called Spearhead.

Ground War:

• Levin Resort
• Orlov Military Base
• Popov Power

War Mode:

More maps are coming post-launch

As fans have come to know and expect, launch is just the beginning for any new Call of Duty game. For Modern Warfare III, Activision said players can look forward to a “flow” of post-launch content that will be free. This will include a dozen-plus Core 6v6 maps, with three launching in Season 1 and three more coming in Season 2. There will be “additional maps and modes” coming to Modern Warfare II throughout the game’s Season 3 and beyond.

Modern Warfare III launches on November 10, but people who preorder can start playing the campaign on November 2. Watch out, though, as spoilers have begun to emerge. For more, check out GameSpot’s Modern Warfare III preorder guide and everything you need to know. You can also find out exactly when the game launches here.