Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Is $70 a Justified Price Activision Is Asking for the ‘Premium Gaming Experience’?

Published 10/27/2023, 12:58 PM EDT

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Activision‘s next major premium Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is soon going to launch. Following its Beta and everything that is being promised in the game, big things can be expected from it. However, another talking point is the price. The publisher comes up with a brand new offering, having a premium price tag attached to it. That is how it’s been for years. And the same is the case with the upcoming installment as well. But is it actually going to be worth $70?

Since the official announcement of MW3, a lot of people have come out to speak against Activision’s decision to make it a $70 game. According to them, it’s not a complete, standalone title of its own. And that there’s no actual reason for the publisher to charge so much for this entry. However, it seems like Modern Warfare 3 may eventually justify its ‘premium pricing’. Especially, after the recently concluded Open Beta phase, that saw a lot of favorable reactions from the community.

Early Beta impressions prove why Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will be worth the $70 price tag

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Ahead of the Beta, many skeptical minds were calling out Modern Warfare 3 for being just an extension of MWII and nothing else. They were convinced that it will bring no change whatsoever in terms of the overall gameplay experience. However, after the Open Beta, a lot of fans from the community have shown a very high interest in playing the upcoming title as soon as possible. Many of them even urged the devs to extend the Beta period. Few of the reactions below sum up this argument very clearly.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has earned a good amount of popularity ahead of its release. Which is always a plus point for any game. It simply shows that fans are eager and willing to dive deeper into the new FPS premium. Especially when it comes to the Multiplayer-based improvements and the addition of beloved features.

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Basically, those who have already tried the Beta have no issues in paying $70 for MW3. It’s simply because they want to have a good gaming experience – that’s what matters in the end. They believe that it will be worth that amount.

How Modern Warfare 3 compares to the first and second game in the rebooted series?

When it comes to pricing, 2019’s rebooted installment was initially released for an asking price of $59.99. It consisted of a Campaign, Multiplayer, Special Ops, and a Survival mode. As far as the Beta is concerned, it had its ups and downs before the launch but the limited build mostly received good impressions.

Then came Modern Warfare II in 2022, with an increased cost of $69.99. This installment, similar to the first game, had a Campaign and Multiplayer setup. However, it added the flavor of DMZ inside Warzone, as an extraction-based mode. Plus, there was the Special Ops experience too. Speaking of its Beta phase, the game was fun for the players but they couldn’t really adjust to the pacing. It featured a faster time-to-kill and slower movement mechanics.

Now coming onto 2023’s premium title, it will also be available for around $70 ($69.99 to be precise). However, it will bring many things for the first time in the entire MW sub-series. Compared to both the previous installments, it’s looking to not only offer what the last two entries were missing, but also unveil its own set of elements to woo the consumers.

Modern Warfare 3 is not a $70 DLC of its predecessor

A major reason why the game justifies its price tag is due to an extended variety of content. Had it been only a DLC, it could’ve come out with just an improved MP-only setup and the addition of MWII’s weapons. But that’s not the case at all. There’s more to Modern Warfare 3 than being just a direct continuation of Modern Warfare II.

Aside from good Multiplayer content, there’s a revamped Campaign too. For the uninitiated, the makers will bring a new change to how the single-player missions work in the franchise. This time, they won’t just stick to the tried and tested linear approach. Players will get to have freedom in the way they tackle certain quests. Simply put, the introduction of Open-Combat Missions is something which is going to change the format of COD games in the near future, specifically regarding the Campaign modes.

Also, this year’s installment will be the first Modern Warfare game to have Zombies. The Black Ops-only content is now coming to a new world. That’s too much for just a DLC, right? A full-fledged open-world experience with a large map, based on the PvE format of loot and extraction. Isn’t that enough to convince someone that MW3 is a complete game of its own?

Had there been a Black Ops title coming out this year, charging $70, there wouldn’t have been a problem. Why? That’s because it’s been a pattern of Activision to drop a different installment each year. In 2023, however, the publisher has decided to push its new COD in the form of a game which is a direct sequel under the same franchise. That’s the major reason some players are not ready to pay for it. Just because it’s coming right after MWII instead of witnessing a gap, consisting of more than a year, is it right to call it a $70 DLC? Definitely not.

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The verdict?

Modern Warfare 3 has already gained a good amount of positive momentum ahead of a global launch. It seems likely to witness more players buying it than those who will skip making a purchase. For gamers who only like to have a fun COD experience, $70 is not going to be an issue. They will go for it irrespective of what skeptical minds say.

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With a promising Multiplayer, intriguing Campaign, and an interesting-looking Zombies mode, Modern Warfare 3 is shaping up to be a potential blockbuster from Activision. One should not get shocked if it ends up becoming the best-seller of 2023, again, after MWII in 2022. But this time, the big difference will be the praise coming from the community – something its predecessor lacked significantly.

Watch This Story: Which Is the Best Selling Call of Duty of All Time? A Trusted Insider Has Now Revealed the Answer

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Written by:

Mintu Tomar

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Mintu Tomar is a senior eSports writer at EssentiallySports, whose passion for video games is unmatched. Having written well over 2000 articles, Mintu is a die-hard fan of Call of Duty. A journalism postgraduate, his extensive knowledge of the industry and insightful commentary have earned him the respect of many prominent figures, including actors, and podcast hosts.
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Edited by:

Rohan Karnad