The recently unveiled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies has sparked a mixed reaction within the gaming community. One prevailing concern revolves around the absence of a unique map, which has now been confirmed.

The decision to repurpose the upcoming Warzone map Urzikstan as the open-world setting for Modern Warfare 3 Zombies has left fans disheartened. This move might hinder the mode’s success, as many enthusiasts may not be eager to traverse a Warzone map in a Zombies context.

The recurring issue of a lack of fully original play spaces in recent Call of Duty Zombies games is a valid concern for those who relish the distinctive and immersive experience of classic Zombies modes. Similar to past instances like Outbreak, the map in MW3 Zombies could risk feeling too pristine and undamaged, making the undead seem out of place and unnatural in the environment.

The official reveal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies has, as expected, garnered a mixed response from the gaming community. On one hand, the promise of large-scale battles and epic boss encounters hinted at in the trailer’s closing moments is intriguing. On the other hand, there are worries about the DMZ-like extraction timer, preventing players from enjoying extended matches as in classic Zombies experiences. However, the disappointment shared by everyone is the choice of map for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies.

While the concept of an open-world approach is undeniably interesting, players now know that this open-world map will simply be a repurposed version of the Warzone map Urzikstan. Despite the addition of Aether storms and roaming undead, it appears likely that players may find this map uninspiring. Given the historical importance of unique maps to the success of the Zombies mode, this decision is regrettable and could work against the success of MW3 Zombies.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies Fails to Address Outbreak’s Most Significant Shortcoming

Outbreak was a major triumph for Treyarch, so it’s not surprising that Modern Warfare 3 Zombies takes substantial inspiration from it. With Treyarch focusing on Call of Duty 2024, players are already anticipating the return of classic Zombies next year. This not only means that Treyarch is fully occupied, but it’s also an ideal time to introduce something fresh and diverse, given that players will experience plenty of survival gameplay in the next Call of Duty release. Nevertheless, despite the potential time and resource-saving benefits of reusing a Warzone map, it remains disheartening. Continuing to rely heavily on assets from other modes rather than delivering entirely new maps suggests that Zombies may be perceived as a low-budget project with minimal attention from Activision.

Aside from Operators diluting Call of Duty Zombies’ identity, as witnessed in Black Ops Cold War’s Survival maps, the primary issue players had with Outbreak was that its maps didn’t capture the essence of traditional Zombies locations. Except for the main quest in Outbreak, players hardly encountered areas that weren’t also seen in multiplayer’s Fireteam modes, with minimal alterations. This gave the maps an excessively pristine feel and made the Zombies appear out of place, as if they were simply shoehorned into the multiplayer settings. While this was indeed the case, more could have been done to create a more cohesive experience.

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As fans have only seen glimpses of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies in action, and the rumored Zombies beta that could potentially address these concerns isn’t materializing, there is a chance that Treyarch may have made significant adjustments to the Urzikstan map to better suit the Zombies experience. However, this seems unlikely based on the trailer, which is a disheartening prospect. Beyond 2023, the repetitive use of Urzikstan in Ground War, Warzone, and Zombies may lead to map fatigue.

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In the past, Call of Duty Zombies has been celebrated for its numerous iconic locations, such as the abandoned theater in Kino Der Toten, the medieval castle in Der Eisendrache, and the fictional 1940s city in Shadows of Evil. Unfortunately, fully original play spaces have become increasingly scarce in recent years. Black Ops Cold War took a step in the wrong direction with maps like Firebase Z that borrowed campaign assets, and Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies exacerbated this issue by reusing multiplayer maps. Regrettably, MW3 Zombies, with its reused map, appears to follow the Vanguard model rather than the classic Zombies experience. This not only risks alienating long-time Zombies fans but also makes map exploration less thrilling.

Ultimately, the decision to reuse a map limits the potential of Modern Warfare 3 Zombies. While the mode still has the potential for success, the absence of a unique map tailored specifically for Zombies may relegate it to feeling rushed and uninspired, even if the core gameplay proves enjoyable.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will be accessible on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X starting November 10.

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