Modern Warfare 3 was developed in 16 months, reports revealed the reason behind CoD's rushed title

A recent Bloomberg report stating Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was developed in just 16 months has sent ripples through the gaming community, shedding light on a rushed production process that may have contributed to the game's mixed reviews, particularly concerning its storyline. The usual three-year development cycle for Call of Duty games was halved for Modern Warfare 3.

These circumstances resulted in a product that critics argue feels hurried and underdeveloped in a lot of aspects.

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Modern Warfare 3 was rushed and developed in 16 months, reports reveal the reason

The condensed schedule was a departure from the normal development cycle of COD titles. The game was also marked by conflicting reports regarding its initial concept, leading to uncertainties among the development team.

Initially pitched to Sledgehammer Games as an expansion, Modern Warfare 3 underwent a significant transformation into a full premium title during development. This shift in direction left many team members in a state of ambiguity, with the nature of the project being unclear during its early stages.

Johanna Faries, the Senior Vice President/General Manager for the Call of Duty brand, denied intentional shortening of the development timeline. This claim was contradicted by several current and former Call of Duty developers who asserted that the project's nature was unclear in the initial months, with some explicitly being told it was an expansion.

Originally envisioned on a smaller scale, the title underwent a significant reboot by Activision executives, ultimately evolving into a direct sequel to Modern Warfare 2 centered on the villain Vladimir Makarov, a cold-blooded terrorist.

This reset disrupted the development schedule, compelling the team to complete the new campaign in just 16 months. This made for one of the shortest development periods for a Call of Duty game in recent years.

The unnaturally compressed timeline left some staff members feeling disillusioned, especially those who had previously navigated a similarly constrained development cycle with the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Reviews from major gaming outlets have criticized the narrative as hastily assembled, expressing concerns about its overall quality. Some reviewers suggested a year or two of additional development time might have elevated the game's standards.

Analysts believe that a single failure in the series may not significantly affect the Call of Duty franchise. Still, a consistent decline in quality could prompt a reassessment of the annual release schedule that the franchise has adhered to since eternity.

As the gaming community reflects on the implications of Modern Warfare 3's rushed development, broader questions emerge about the challenges faced by developers working under tight timelines and its potential impact on one of the industry's most lucrative franchises.