Johanna Faries, Activision’s GM, suggests Modern Warfare 3’s Zombies could be the top-rated ‘third mode’ in the franchise in over a decade.
In a recent statement, Johanna Faries, Call of Duty’s general manager at Activision, hailed Modern Warfare 3’s Zombies mode as potentially the highest-rated ‘third mode’ in the franchise’s history over the past ten years. This mode, part of the multiplayer game, offers an engaging PvE experience within a zombie-infested version of the Warzone map, Urzikstan.
Faries’ claim, shared during an interview with VentureBeat:
Asserts that the player response to MW3’s Zombies is unparalleled among the franchise’s recent ‘third mode’ additions. While this claim might seem surprising, given Warzone’s massive success as a third mode in 2019’s Modern Warfare, Faries suggests that Zombies’ performance might exceed even Warzone in certain aspects, possibly related to player engagement metrics rather than sheer player count.
Despite Modern Warfare 3’s disappointing sales figures, its Zombies mode likely contributed significantly to player engagement metrics, setting records for average hours played per user in the initial two weeks post-release. Activision appears to value player engagement as a vital metric, especially considering the game’s robust in-game store where dedicated players can purchase cosmetic items.
Faries’ assertion highlights the impact of Modern Warfare 3’s Zombies, potentially positioning it as a standout among the franchise’s ‘third mode’ offerings despite the tremendous success of Warzone. This distinction might signify that player engagement and reception metrics weigh heavily in determining a mode’s success, even beyond sheer sales figures.
Overall, while Warzone has emerged as a dominant force in the Call of Duty universe, Faries’ comments underscore the surprising impact and acclaim garnered by Modern War-fare 3’s Zombies mode in the context of the franchise’s recent ‘third mode’ additions.
