Modern Warfare 3 campaign: Storyline, characters, missions, more

Modern Warfare 3 brings a brand-new campaign for players to experience following 2022’s Modern Warfare 2 events. Here’s everything we know about the MW3 campaign storyline, characters, missions, and more.

Modern Warfare 3 will officially arrive on November 10, bringing the multiplayer that the series is known for, Zombies for the first time in the saga, as well as a full-fledged campaign.

Despite players only expecting a MW2 continuation, the team at Sledgehammer Games joined by Infinity Ward have gone all out in assembling the full Call of Duty campaign experience to create the next chapter for the iconic Task Force 141.

With the game officially revealed, here’s everything we know about Modern Warfare 3’s campaign including the plot, characters, locations, and missions so far.

• Modern Warfare 3 campaign plot
• Modern Warfare 3 campaign characters
• Modern Warfare 3 campaign locations & gameplay
• Modern Warfare 3 campaign missions so far

Modern Warfare 3 campaign plot

Modern Warfare 3’s campaign is a direct sequel to 2022’s Modern Warfare 2, following the rebooted story’s new timeline. While details about Modern Warfare 3’s plot are scarce following the reveal event, we do know that classic Call of Duty villain Makarov returns to sow chaos on a global scale.

Infinity Ward’s Narrative Director, Brian Bloom, explained that while Makarov isn’t the same character we saw in the original Modern Warfare trilogy, this version will have a history with Price and Task Force 141 that will be explored in the campaign.

Makarov and his private army will carry out false flag attacks around the world, pinning the blame on Farah’s Urzikstan Liberation Front and Task Force 141.

You’ll play as both members of Makarov’s Konni Force and Task Force 141, committing atrocities and grappling with the repercussions while trying to prevent more.

Modern Warfare 3 campaign characters

Here’s every character confirmed for Modern Warfare 3 so far:

• Captain John Price
• Vladimir Makarov
• Farah Karim
• Colonel Shephard
• Kyle ‘Gaz’ Garrick
• John ‘Soap’ MacTavish
• Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley
• Kate Laswell
• Alex Keller (possible)

Alex was a central protagonist in Modern Warfare 2019 but was left out of MW2’s campaign, appearing in the Atomgrad Raid storyline instead. We haven’t seen any of Alex in Modern Warfare 3 yet so he could be resigned to the seasons once again.

Modern Warfare 3 campaign locations & gameplay

Modern Warfare 3 will take players on another globe-trotting campaign with a mix of linear missions and a semi-open world as seen in MW2’s “Recon by Fire” sniping mission.

Here are all of Modern Warfare 3’s confirmed locations so far:

• Verdansk
• Middle East
• Siberia
• St. Petersberg
• London

That’s right, Modern Warfare 3’s campaign brings players back to Verdansk. While it’s unlikely you’ll get to explore the whole Warzone map again, missions will take place in specific areas such as the prison and you’ll get free reign to explore the area and tackle the mission any way you like.

Not every mission will follow this semi-open-world format, but the devs said these levels will let players bring their own strategies and playstyles.

Modern Warfare 3 campaign missions so far

Operation 627

One of the first Modern Warfare 3 campaign levels puts you in the shoes of Makarov’s forces, rescuing him from Verdansk’s Prison. The South Korean Game Rating and Administration Committee confirmed that it’s Marakov being rescued, describing MW3 as a “first-person shooting game about Makarov, who escapes from the Gulag to start a war.”

Starting with the name, this is a clear throwback to Modern Warfare 2’s original mission “The Gulag,” where Soap and Task Force 141 broke into the prison to rescue Prisoner 627, who turned out to be none other than Captain Price.

The mission takes place at night and will begin in a submarine, you’ll have to grapple to the top of Warzone’s Prison location before using night vision goggles to take down all of the guards in a stealthy manner using silenced weapons. After entering the prison you’ll sow chaos through a riot, killing both prisoners and guards as you descend to the lower levels of the Gulag.

Once you’ve gotten to the base, you will approach a well-protected closed cell which appears to be the one Makarov’s in, however, the gameplay showcase ends up right before this information is revealed.

🚨 South Korea Game Raiting and Administration Committee(“GRAC”) Confirm 627 is “Makarov”

627 is not Price, here description:

– Makarov who escape from “Gulag” to start a war, and the activities of Task Force 141 to STOP HIM.@CODWarfareForum @el_bobberto @BKTOOR_ pic.twitter.com/cBsaWPGtqr

— Jacob (@Jacob62423566) August 31, 2023

Hijack

With a name inspired by CoD 4’s classic Hijacked bonus mission, Hijack picks up where Modern Warfare 2’s post-credits scene left off, with an unknown character building a 3D-printed pistol on a commercial flight.

The gunman receives a text stating “No Russian,” Makarov’s famous line from the original Modern Warfare 2, and then, along with two other armed passengers, they leave their seats. In Modern Warfare 3’s campaign, you will take control of the terrorist hijacking and taking down the Russian airliner.

The purpose of this attack will be to pin the blame on Task Force 141 and Farah’s forces, and in a later mission, you’ll play as TF141 attempting to clear themselves of any involvement. This mission also features a Groundhog Day-esque mechanic, where failing will show time rewinding and you’ll get another shot.

That’s everything we know about Modern Warfare 3’s campaign so far but we’ll be sure to keep you updated as more information is revealed. In the meantime, be sure to check out the fan-favorite features returning to multiplayer.