All MW3 game modes list for multiplayer

✓ At a glance

• The game launched with a large selection of modes.
• New Seasons have brought even more game modes at launch or mid-season.
• Season 4 brings Demolition, Hyper Cranked, Havoc, and Headshots Only.

Modern Warfare 3’s exorbitant list of game modes only grows with every single season. Season 4 is almost here and it brings even more fun modes to the fold. The developers are always bringing in new ways to play to keep the game fresh as they power through seasons. Read on to learn about all the modes that have graced the game since its inception and what you can look forward to in the upcoming season.

Demolition

Demolition returns from Modern Warfare (2019) with teams switching between attacking and defending two bomb sites. But unlike Search and Destroy, respawns are available, and defuses don’t end the round. This amps up the heat, especially when taking out sites, which adds more time to the game clock.

Hyper Cranked

While Cranked forces you to chain kills before you explode, Hyper Cranked puts you into the action even more quickly. For starters, you start the game Cranked by default, meaning that you’ll get faster reloads, weapon swaps, and movement speed. These buffs keep improving as you rack up kills, but remember that you only have a limited time before you explode. This keeps matches intense, with periods of inactivity potentially leading to your defeat.

Havoc

Returning from Modern Warfare 2 (2022), Havoc is effectively Team Deathmatch minus Killstreaks and some interesting modifiers. As the match progresses, one to five modifiers are added. Here are the modifiers that Havoc has to offer:

• Ammo Feeder: Auto reload after you kill an enemy.
• Boots off the Ground: Low gravity.
• Camera Shift: Third-person mode.
• Chain Reaction: Sticky Grenades launched on kill.
• Charged Up: Gain Cranked on kills.
• Equipment Restock: Equipment is refilled on kills.
• Eyes On: Advanced UAV is always active.
• Gun Runner: Random gun on kill.
• Hero Smash: Explosive landing from an elevated position.
• Hot Shot: Crossbows only, Molotov bolts.
• Lucky Three: Every three kills gives you a random Killstreak.
• One Tap: Headshots kill with one bullet.
• Snapshot Killer: Launch a snapshot grenade (and ping pulse) on kill.
• System Reroll: Full reroll of all active modifiers.

Headshots Only

As the title says, only headshots deal damage in this mode. Even grenades and killstreaks are only effective if they deal damage to the head. This means you might want to abandon melee weapons and opt for accuracy with sniper rifles or battle rifles.

Capture The Flag

Two teams of six fight for space and the opposing team’s flag in this classic Call of Duty mode. You and your team are tasked with infiltrating the other team’s base and capturing their flag. Remember that you have to defend yours as well.

One in the Chamber

As the name suggests, players in One in the Chamber have a single bullet and a few lives to play with. To get more ammo, you can eliminate others. The person with the most points at the end of the time limit wins!

Minefield

Minefield is effectively the addition of mines to modes like Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Hardpoint. Proximity mines drop when a player is knocked out and can only damage enemy players. As more players drop in defeat, the map is riddled with deadly mines so watch your step.

Escort

Escort is effectively the old Payload mode from Call of Duty: Warzone. Protect a MAW from defenders as it moves across the map. As for the other side, you need to disable the vehicle with the weapons at your disposal. Once the first round is over, the teams are switched, pitting them in a timed fight for success.

Team Gun Game

While the ‘get one new gun per kill’ has largely been a free-for-all affair in MW3, Team Gun Game shakes things up. With base Team Deathmatch rules in effect, each team cycles between a set of eight weapons. Ten team gun kills give your entire team a new gun, which is reduced to five for the final weapon (75 points in total). Knife melees and Finishing Moves can dock points from enemy teams so use that to your advantage!

Snipers Only

With only sniper rifles allowed, expect this quick scope frenzy to test the very best players out there. Expect these Team Deathmatches and Domination rounds to test your skills and your patience. With only sightlines and scopes to worry about, you’ll never know where the next bullet will come from.

Hordepoint

Pair Hardpoint with neutral zombies and elite zombies. Hordepoint was first introduced in WWII back in 2017, opening up a portal when a player goes near a Hardpoint. This sends zombies barreling your way. It’s a neat spin on two traditional game modes. Killing zombies can let you Pack-a-Punch your weapon or even offer Max Ammo and Instakill pickups against them. And yes, five zombie kills count as a regular one when it comes to killstreak acquisition.

✓ Pro tip

If it’s taking a while to enter matches from the MW3 multiplayer lobby, consider opting for more popular playlists and game modes instead.

Juggermosh

Juggermosh is basically Juggernaut combat in the third-person, paired with Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Hardpoint. There’s a lot to like here, especially the OHK (one-hit-kill) melee weapon in the middle of the map. You can also pick up armor from fallen enemies to buff your defenses. Fall damage is traded away with a new ground pound move and only air support killstreaks are available alongside Juggernaut-specific perks.

Bounty

The player with the most kills from each team will be marked as an HVT (high-value target). While you get points from regular kills, beating this player will give you more points. Think of it like a remix of the standard Team Deathmatch.

Vortex: Decay’s Realm

Vortex: Decay’s Realm features Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Hardpoint on rotation. As for the maps, you’ll be playing on Tetanus, Satan’s Quarry, Sporeyard, and the new map variants Skidrow and Terminal. An event arrived alongside this playlist.

Gunfight

Gunfight is back with its tense round-based combat. You get an assigned loadout once each two rounds. These last 40 seconds each, giving you a short window to secure kills. Either capture the enemy flag or wipe their team out to win. You can play Gunfight on the new Training Facility or Carry Forward maps like Alley, Blacksite, Exhibit, and Shipment.

All or Nothing

Players drop in with only Throwing Knives. Once you get a kill, the Scavenger Perk turns on, letting you get ammo for your weapons. Get 20 eliminations to win.

Vortex

One player drops in with the one-shot Ray Gun. In this free-for-all mode, whoever beats this player becomes the new Ray Gun over. Play this vicious mode in the new remixed Satan’s Quarry, Sporeyard, and Tetanus.

CODMAS: Santa’s Slayground

CODMAS brought multiple limited-time modes and holiday-themed maps like Shipmas and Hangover. The limited-time modes were Infectious Holiday and Snowfight.

Infected

At random, a player spawns in as the infected. As they defeat players and turn survivors into infected, the remaining players must fight for survival. It can get pretty chaotic, especially if the first infected player manages to secure multiple kills early.

Headquarters

A rotating objective, the Headquarters grants respawns to its defenders so the surviving attackers are forced to retake it. This cat-and-mouse game keeps going as the objective moves across the map. It’s an interesting spin on the usual zone control objective.

Team Gunfight

This 6v6 Gunfight variant gives everyone the same randomized loadout, meaning that you’ll have to get accustomed to it fast to secure kills. As you adapt to your gear, you’ll improve your odds of defeating the enemy team. With each loadout switch, the game changes dramatically.

Cutthroat

Cutthroat is pretty straightforward, as three teams with three members each face off against one another to reach the round-win limit. It’s a tense mode packed with quick gunfights and victories.

Team Deathmatch

The quintessential Call of Duty multiplayer experience returns once again with Team Deathmatch. The goal for this classic 6v6 mode is as easy as it gets: the team that accumulates the target amount of kills the fastest wins the match.

Domination

Your objective in Domination mode is, well, to dominate. As a team, you’ll be tasked with preventing enemy operators from occupying three specified areas while holding the area yourselves to score points gradually. The first team to reach the score limit wins.

Search and Destroy

Think of Search and Destroy as a classic Counter-Strike experience, but in Call of Duty. As the attacking team, your goal as a group will be to plant and detonate a bomb at either of two specified spots on the map. The defending team, on the other hand, will have to prevent the enemy from reaching the bomb sites. A high-stakes, no-respawn game mode, it’s now commonplace within competitive CoD circles.

Kill Confirmed

Treat it as a mode similar to Team Deathmatch but with a twist. Instead of simply fragging out and racking up kills in a match, you’ll be tasked with collecting as many dog tags as possible, which are dropped after an enemy dies. You can also prevent your opponent from gathering your teammates’ dog tags by grabbing them yourself.

Free-for-All

Tired of playing with a team? Then Free-for-All is the mode for you. This game mode’s name is self-explanatory: every player for themselves, and the first player to reach the score limit is crowned the victor.

Hardpoint

Hardpoint is a mode similar to Domination, but instead of occupying three separate areas, you only need to control one as a team to score points. The specified location will be available for a certain amount of time, after which it will move to a completely different area. The first team to reach the score limit wins.

Control

Control is a mode that’s a mix between Search & Destroy and Hardpoint. But instead of taking a site to plant a bomb, teams simply alternate between attacking and defending the objective. As always, the first team to reach the score limit wins.

War

Returning from Call of Duty: WWII, War tasks one team with progressing through objectives “to push the battle line and win.” The opposing team, of course, will attempt to prevent their enemies from completing their tasks successfully.

Gun Game

Gun Game has consistently been one of the most enjoyable game modes in the CoD series to date. This unique match offering requires players to get a kill with each weapon they’re provided. The fastest player to reach the last weapon (typically a knife) and get a kill with it wins.

Ground War

This massive 32v32 mode tasks teams with capturing and holding objectives to score points, which is made easier by the inclusion of vehicles. Captured objectives provide additional spawn locations for your teammates.

Invasion

Another 32v32 mode that pits a team made up of real players and AI against another team composed of the same members. The first team to reach the score limit wins.