Modern Warfare 3 Was Created In Just 16 Months

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Avinash Jaisrani

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Before the end of the year, another Call of Duty has become part of the gaming industry. While rumors leading up to this release stated that Activision had planned a premium DLC expansion for Modern Warfare 2, the publisher went ahead and released Modern Warfare 3 for the full $70 price tag.

The initial reception to this entry has been far from ideal. Following criticism about a short campaign and reused multiplayer maps, players began to refund the game in droves. Many also resorted to review-bombing, targeting the older Modern Warfare 3 by mistake.

A new report from Bloomberg may explain the current situation. It sheds light on Call of Duty’s development timeline, revealing that Sledgehammer Games was given a mere 16-month period to complete this title.

Why it matters: Modern games require a lot more time to create than before. Therefore, a shorter development cycle can be devastating, leading to overworked staff, poor quality control, and other problems.

The report confirms that many employees at Sledgehammer Games were led to believe that they were working on a premium expansion for Modern Warfare 2.

At first, the developer worked on a campaign in Mexico, hoping to create a spin-off based on the Modern Warfare franchise. However, these plans were abandoned a few months later when the studio was asked to create a new entry for the series involving the villain Makarov.

Ultimately, this led to confusion and anger among the developers. Many claimed that they were told Modern Warfare 3 was meant to be an expansion, while others said this was open for interpretation during the earlier parts of development.

The report further highlights that Sledgehammer Games had already faced a troubled development cycle with Call of Duty Vanguard, making this scenario even more disheartening for the studio.

Traditionally, Call of Duty games require around three years to create. Therefore, this entry was made in less than half of the traditional development cycle.

Crunch was also a factor during the 16-month development of Modern Warfare 3. Many Sledgehammer Games employees were forced to work over weekends and long nights, adding to the disappointment.

All of this has culminated in a poorly reviewed campaign. While the overall Metacritic score is yet to be revealed, we would not be surprised if this entry eventually became the worst-reviewed Call of Duty to date.

Fortunately, the game is being well received by the most hardcore Call of Duty fans. Among the core studios, Sledgehammer Games has earned a reputation for being the most responsive to community feedback.

Therefore, the team has made various changes that have been requested for more than a year. Combining these changes with fan-favorite maps from 2009 has resulted in a nostalgic and enjoyable multiplayer experience for millions of die-hard fans.

Avinash Jaisrani

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