Despite receiving warranted fan backlash since its release, MW3 has the potential to be the best COD game in years if it makes a few significant changes and improvements.
Many have been quick to criticize Modern Warfare 3’s incredibly disappointing campaign and its reliance on old maps for multiplayer that make the game feel like more of a DLC than a fully-fledged release.
However, there’s still plenty to like about the game, with many players praising its overall feel. Many believe its multiplayer to be an improvement over MW2.
Despite this, several glaring issues need to be addressed to truly elevate MW3 to greatness.
What MW3 Needs to Do to Improve
Here are the main ways to improve MW3:
- Fix Desync & Netcode Issues
- Remove SBMM
- Rework Armory Unlocks System
- Improve Spawns
- Make Enemy Players More Visible
- More Maps
It may seem like a lot, but if Activision works to address the above issues, it can go a long way in gaining back some fan favor and make it one of the better Call of Duty titles in recent memory.
Below, we go through each improvement in detail, as well as how fans are responding and what they want implemented in MW3.
Fix Desync & Netcode Issues
By and large the biggest complaint that fans have when it comes to MW3’s multiplayer is the inconsistent netcode, desync issues, and unreliable servers.
Having a poor netcode is one of the biggest problems for any multiplayer FPS, especially of this caliber and mainstream appeal. Netcode issues have a detrimental effect on TTK, and can cause lag and frustrating desync problems that can affect whether your hits register or not.
Fixing the netcode and desync issues on MW3’s servers should be the priority for the newest Call of Duty title.
Remove SBMM
SBMM is a feature that works to pair players up with those that are similar to their skill level. It’s a great concept in theory, but it often sends players to more difficult lobbies. Many think that SBMM is going to kill the game.
SBMM can lead to ‘smurfing’, where players purposely lose games to match up with lower-skilled players, ruining the experience for many.
Considering how long Call of Duty has utilized Skill-Based Matchmaking, it is very unlikely that MW3 will remove it any time soon, if ever.
However, even acknowledging the fan outcry and response to SBMM would go a long way to show the community that their concerns are at least taken into consideration.
Rework Armory Unlocks System
The Armory Unlocks system is a brand new way to unlock weapons and equipment in Modern Warfare 3.
Unlike previous Call of Duty titles, you can’t unlock everything by reaching max rank. Instead, you must complete a series of Daily Challenges to unlock specific weapons, equipment, and killstreaks in MW3.
Many fans hate the new Armory Unlocks system, as it takes a ridiculously long time to unlock gear and to see everything the game has to offer.
A rework of the Armory Unlocks where important weapons and equipment aren’t tied to Daily Challenges would be much appreciated. This would allow you to unlock your gear at your own pace with far fewer restrictions.
Some even suggest that the challenges for Armory Unlocks should only count towards unlocking Camos and Calling Cards in MW3. This would prevent gating the game’s most important content.
Improve Spawns
Since MW3’s Open Beta, the game has suffered a myriad of spawn issues in multiplayer, causing huge amounts of frustration for the playerbase.
In particular, the main spawn issues seem to be within the Hardpoint game type. Spawns were completely broken on Quarry at release:
The spawns are so bad in MW3, it led to the temporary removal of three maps from the Hardpoint map rotation:
To ensure the game’s longevity, spawns must improve going forward for Modern Warfare 3.
Make Enemy Players More Visible
What’s the use of a multiplayer FPS if you can’t even see what you’re shooting at? One major criticism of MW3 that keeps cropping up is how difficult it is to see enemy players out in the field.
Some players attribute this to the game’s larger maps causing Operators to appear a lot smaller than what they’re used to:
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Additionally, the Carry Forward feature that brings in content from MW2 has flooded the game with poorly balanced skins, such as the invisible ‘Groot’ skin which many believe to be ruining the game.
This Reddit user suggests implementing highlights around enemy players to combat the ‘invisibility’ of certain skins in MW3
Improving enemy visibility would certainly enhance the multiplayer experience by a whole lot in MW3!
More Maps
Lastly (but not least!), one of the biggest criticisms directed at MW3 is its over-reliance on old maps from the original MW2 from 2009. The maps themselves are not the problem – they provide visual upgrades to some of the most beloved Call of Duty maps at the height of the series’ popularity.
It gives fans a decent hit of nostalgia, but many have been wanting something more original for a new COD game.
These User Reviews on Metacritic reflect how many fans feel towards MW3’s maps:
To make the game feel less like an overpriced DLC, Sledgehammer Games should work to include new and original maps into the roster as a way of catering to fans new and old. It would also be good to see some fan-favorites from other past COD titles make an appearence!