Modern Warfare 3 looks set to be, well, modern...

Whether you're a fan of its content or not, the Call of Duty series is sure to go down as one of the most influential of all time. Since the global success of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare reignited the somewhat dimmed demand of the franchise, Call of Duty - or CoD as it is known to its fans - has repeatedly broken records, each year succeeding the success of its predecessor.

However, within its vast success - one that has transformed the face of Activision - lies a disagreement that, for a while, looked set to tear the franchise apart. Just like the Championship Manager debacle before it, in which an internal argument between Eidos Interactive and Sports Interactive caused the latter to lose the naming rights before rebranding it Football Manager under Sega, the Call of Duty was subject to much change and, after much talk, it was revealed that the Modern Warfare franchise was intellectual property of Infinity Ward and would remain as such. Consequently, the official Call of Duty franchise would continue with Treyarch and, to date, has included such previous instalments as Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Now, while the two have a number of similarities throughout, there are - are continue to be - some key differences; the main of which would be the Zombies mode, first shown through the World at War instalment of CoD. While many argue that WaW was, and continues to be, the weakest release since its revival, its Zombie mode has revolutionised the series and become a hallmark of modern FPS gaming. If, for any weird and unbeknown reason you are unfamiliar with the Zombie mode, then the premise is simple: you - and possible your online/co-op partners - are the last survivors of a Nazi Zombie outbreak, and you must use a combination of teamwork, weapon choice and skill to survive as many rounds as possible. With an initial 35 levels, a number which has grown substantially in recent versions of the concept, the Zombie mode became a personal favourite of the CoD fanboys, and was quite possibly the saving grace of Treyarch's otherwise average addition.

Yet for true ingenuity - and a FPS experience unlike any other - the CoD faithful agree that it is the Modern Warfare supplements that have really pushed this title's success. So, when news hit of a upcoming Modern Warfare release, especially after the disastrous events experienced with Treyarch's Black Ops Online modes, fans were ecstatic, feverishly Tweeting and Facebooking their approval. So, with this in mind, it gives me great honour in presenting the official Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer to you, the Shadowlocked faithful:

While I can't speak for everyone, I for one am excited. If this game is anywhere near as enjoyable as the original Modern Warfare, we are in for a treat. Oh, and seeing the "pre-order for Xbox 360" inclusion at the end has given me a rather unique feeling of victory over the PS3 faithful...

See also:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 review

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 preview

5 Reasons arts graduates should play Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops - First Strike review

Top 10 Gaming Rivalries of All Time

FPS Superiority - but which console rules supreme?

Top ten breathtaking moments on Xbox 360 so far

Live Blog: 2011 Videogame BAFTAs

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