COD: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone Season 3 release date: Rebirth Island, six multiplayer maps and more

COD: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone Season 3 release date: Rebirth Island, six multiplayer maps and more

Season 3 of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone kicks off next week with new maps, modes and weapons.

Activision says it’s one of the biggest updates ever for the popular online shooter. Multiplayer is getting the most exciting new content, but there’s plenty on offer for Warzone players, too, including the return of a fan-favourite map. On the other hand, those obsessed with Zombies and Ground War may feel neglected.

Activision offers free play days for multiplayer and Zombies from April 4 to April 8 to sway undecided gamers to take the plunge. If you like what you see, don’t forget that you can currently grab a discount on Modern Warfare 3 on PS5 and Steam.

Here’s what you need to know about Season 3: when you can play and the biggest content drops.

When does Season 3 start?

The update will be available on Wednesday, April 3 at 5pm in the UK across all platforms.

Season 3 features

For many players, multiplayer is the main reason to buy Call of Duty, and Activision is injecting it with even more content next week.

Multiplayer

Six new 6v6 maps and four new game modes are inbound. As usual, Activision is holding some drops back for the upcoming mid-season update, but plenty will remain on offer at launch.

The maps include a mix of new and returning arenas that have either been created from the ground up, remastered or “repurposed” from older games. At launch, players can duke it out on 6 Star, Emergency, Growhouse and Tanked, followed by Checkpoint and Grime during the mid-season update.

Meanwhile, the new modes will be doled out gradually starting with the iconic Capture the Flag, with One in the Chamber, Minefield and Escort arriving throughout the new season.

Warzone

The highlight for Warzone players will undoubtedly be the return of Rebirth Island, which traces its roots back to 2018’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Activision has given the Alctaraz-style fortress an expansive makeover, including two new features. Dotted around the map are biometric scanners and smart displays that can show you valuable intel like your stats and player hotspots, respectively.

While Rebirth should look familiar to long-time players, Activision has made some changes to liven it up. The weather and time of day will change throughout the season, forcing players to keep their guards up during matches.

What else is new?

Elsewhere, Zombies is getting a new story mission involving players mounting a rescue effort for Doctor Jansen. Season 3 also brings the usual grab bag of weapons, purchasable items and skins.

Get ready to see stoners Cheech and Chong running around the map, more Snoop Dogg outfits and Makarov as a new Operator.

In another throwback to past titles, the four new guns include the BAL-27 and MORS from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Activision also promises full content integration with the recently released Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, meaning even more crossover content.

You can check out the full list of updates on the Call of Duty blog.