Summary
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3is arguably the largest test that Sledgehammer Games has faced in its history with the franchise, with reports of its short development time putting a lot of pressure on the project. It is true that the release had to rely heavily on reused assets in its launch state, with its multiplayer map pool being entirely composed of 2009MW2maps being just one example of this.
Despite the lack of widespread original content inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3at launch, the in-game seasons that the game has gone on to release have provided a great opportunity for Sledgehammer Games to leave its mark on the title. Recent months have seenMW3enjoy a wide range of new content, with new operators, weapons, game modes, and maps crucially being added to the game. The newly added maps ofMW3are a particular point of fan interest, and the success of Sledgehammer’s new smaller-scale maps points to a trend of just how good the studio is at curating these kinds of experiences.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s Season 2 is a Love-letter to Sledgehammer Games' Smaller Maps
The faster pace ofCall of Duty’s multiplayer gameplay, especially when compared to other FPS giants likeBattlefield, allows the franchise to thrive in smaller-scale settings that lean into the chaos of its pacing.Call of Dutyhas produced some of the most iconic small multiplayer maps across the entire gaming industry over the years, withthe likes of Shipment and Rustbeing cultural cornerstones of gaming in their own right.
Despite this, it is clear that portions of theCoDcommunity are growing tired of Shipment and Rust, with both maps having appeared a combined total of 14 times inCall of Dutyover the years. Perhaps recognizing this, Sledgehammer Games has made a concerted effort to bring brand-new smaller experiences toModern Warfare 3in recent months, with theMeat map being added to the game on December 6.
While smaller maps such as this can be frustrating to play, many have lauded Meat as one of the best original small maps thatCall of Dutyhas released in some time, and the recent Season 2 of the title has clearly attempted to follow up on this praise. Thelaunch of Season 2 on February 7 brought Stash House to the game, which has already garnered a lot of positive attention. Both Meat and Stash House possess an excellent blend of internal and outdoor spaces, giving a surprising amount of variety to their gameplay despite their small size.
Sledgehammer Games Has Looked to the Past For MW3’s Smaller Maps
Sledgehammer’s proficiency at producing smaller maps goes beyondModern Warfare 3, however, withCall of Duty: Vanguard’s Das Haus map being one of the most recognizable maps to come from the title. Thepopularity of Das Haus has even been echoed inModern Warfare 3, with the game being set to release a remastered version of the map later on in its current season.
While thelarger-scale maps that Sledgehammer Games has released forModern Warfare 3have been met with fairly mixed receptions, the smaller experiences that the studio has produced have already taken on a following of their own. The success of these smaller maps, combined with the revival of past maps from the studio in the near future, are quickly painting Sledgehammer as the top studio for more intimate multiplayer settings inCall of Duty.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
WHERE TO PLAY
The war has changed. Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world. In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet
