Mixing MW3 Zombies With DMZ is a Recipe for Disaster

Now that the Global Reveal for Modern Warfare 3 has come and gone, we have an idea of what to expect from Zombies, and so far it seems like a Frankenstein’s monster. Parts of Zombies and parts of DMZ were thrown together to create a mode that seems like it’s meant for… no one.

In pushing these two modes together, the identity of both modes has been removed. Zombies fans won’t be happy and DMZ fans won’t be happy. Unless DMZ is officially announced as a separate mode, it seems like this new recipe for MW3 Zombies will end up as a disaster.

In Pleasing Everyone With MW3 Zombies, You Please No One

MW3 Zombies has yet to be fully revealed, but some of the information has been confirmed in places like the official Call of Duty X account. So what do we know so far? Zombies will be an extraction mode with four teams of six players on the map. The new Warzone map will be repurposed with a Zombies theme, and the goal is to complete missions, survive, and extract.

Why is this a problem? Well for one, there is a time limit. Players will have 60 minutes to play in each round. And secondly, there is no PvP. Teams can help each other out, but they can’t fight. That means some of the most important features of Zombies and DMZ have both been effectively removed.

In MW3 Zombies, there is no increasing difficulty, and there is no way to go for record runs on your rounds. Gone are the days of trying to survive for as long as possible with your Pack-A-Punched weapons. You can head to the center of the map for more difficult enemies, but that’s not what makes Zombies interesting.

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Players love Zombies because the maps are unique, and they provide a specific layout that incentivizes you to learn everything you can. The most beloved maps always make you feel like danger is imminent while providing a small playground to survive. Easter Eggs are also a massive part of this. MW3 Zombies will have Easter Eggs, but I’m skeptical when the map is shared to an extent with Warzone.

Now, instead of surviving and learning a unique map, the goal is to just horde loot so you can go back in and horde more loot. That cycle worked in DMZ, but it won’t work here, and that’s because they removed part of the extraction identity as well.

PvP is What Makes DMZ Fun

Whether you like to PvP or not in DMZ, you can likely recognize that it’s a contributing factor to the intensity of the mode. Sure, looting and completing missions can be entertaining with friends, but it’s the danger of losing that loot that makes the game a thrill ride in some cases. Without PvP, going on streaks and collecting all the loot in the world would be easy for everyone. And easy isn’t always bad, but it does usually lead to boredom when all is said and done. What’s the point of grinding for better gear when you can complete all the content with base weapons on the ground? The answer is usually so you don’t get killed by enemy players.

PvP also enhances the cycle of the game. You grind out missions so you can have more Insured Weapon Slots. This allows you to load into each map with more preparation, especially if you had a bad loss the match before. Maps like Building 21 encourage this mindset, and surviving dangerous encounters with enemy teams is what makes the game so unique.

Without true danger, there is no cycle to extraction shooters. In MW3 Zombies, players will likely figure out how to kill any bosses within days, and players may try out extracting new loot for a few weeks. But the players that like DMZ won’t get the experience they know here, and neither will Zombies players. 

Everyone else will be playing the MW3 Multiplayer, which looks fantastic so far. As sad as it is to see the potential downfall of the DMZ mode, there is some hope. Zombies will likely return in full as we know it with Call of Duty in 2024. And for me, I’ll take Multiplayer which looks like an answer to our prayers over another year of DMZ.

For a full rundown on what to expect for the new mode, check out the latest news on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies.