Does Call of Duty use bots in Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer?

Modern Warfare 3 presence of bots in lobbies (Image via Activision)
Modern Warfare 3 presence of bots in lobbies (Image via Activision)

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) is a challenging game, and some players wonder if the matchmaking feature puts AI-controlled bots in the lobbies. This can create problems by decreasing the effort required to win matches and bringing down the overall competitive spirit of the game. However, this is not the case, as Activision has outlined it specifically in the latest blog.

Modern Warfare 3 caters to a massive player base with its entertaining playlist. While most casual gamers play it for fun, a percentage of the community also participates in the ranked mode to climb the in-game leaderboard. The presence of bots in any such matches can ruin the overall gameplay experience.

That said, let us take a closer look at the presence of bots in Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer.


Are there bots in Modern Warfare 3 lobbies?

No, there are no bots in Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer playlists. The matchmaking system is responsible for pooling the required number of players and not creating one-sided lobbies. This feature alone can ensure that players never encounter AI combatants in multiplayer lobbies. Whenever a match begins, you can leave it halfway through, and the slot would be left empty, or the client fills it with another player in the queue.

Bots do exist in MW3, but just not in the multiplayer playlist - they are in the campaigns and make up for all the zombies, mercenaries, and bosses. The AI combatants are only used as bullet sponges for most scenarios and play roles that are not meant for the users.

There is a possibility that Activision might host bot lobbies for newcomers to help them boost their confidence and learn the fundamentals. However, this would be a rare event as the client usually matches fresh players against each other and then eventually raises the difficulty by matching them with experienced users.

It is important to note that Activision has officially confirmed the absence of bots in its latest title and will inform the community if this ever changes.

The inclusion of bots might be beneficial in some scenarios and not a hindrance if implemented correctly. It can be a tool to guide new players and create scenario-based trials like Search and Destroy, Hardpoint, or any other mode.

The devs might be able to match the difficulty level of the bots to a certain extent. After that, the players have already mastered most of the advanced mechanics like slide-cancelling, snaking, and more. In such lobbies, bots become useless and just another operator that can be eliminated to farm for killstreaks.

Therefore, AI-controlled units carry both pros and cons. Since the multiplayer lobbies in MW3 are mostly small, there is simply no need for the client to put a bot to fill a lobby instead of waiting a few more seconds for another player.


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Edited by Ritoban "Veloxi" Paul
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