New Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer mode announced

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's second DLC collection, due out later this month, includes a new multiplayer mode called Face-Off, developer Infinity Ward has announced.

It's a one-on-one or two-on-two deathmatch mode featuring four brand new maps custom built for more intimate combat.

The first two stages will be available for free to all Xbox 360 players from 15th May, with a PC and PlayStation 3 roll-out to follow. Aground is set on a shipwreck off the coast of Scotland, while Erosion sees you running around Roman ruins in Italy while Mount Vesuvius erupts in the background.

Two more maps will then follow on 22nd May (again, it's a timed Xbox 360 exclusive) as part of the main DLC Collection 2 release. Getaway plays out in a beachside mansion in Brazil, while Lookout is set in a forward observation post in Afghanistan.

"Normally in itself one-on-one isn't particularly creatively innovative, but what we've done is design the maps deliberately for this style of play," Modern Warfare 3 executive producer Mark Rubin told Eurogamer.

"In normal map development you have large maps that have long sight lines, then when you make smaller maps you shorten the sight line - the engagement distance becomes smaller when the map becomes smaller.

"But with these Face-Off maps, because it's not six-on-six, we've made the sight lines longer for the size of the map that it is. You actually end up engaging quicker and having a more exciting experience on the map.

"You still get a really new feel and experience out of the gameplay; not just the heavy, frantic experience you would get out of a normal multiplayer match. You get more tension build-up on these smaller maps."

DLC Collection 2 will also offer three new standard multiplayer maps. Two of them have already been released via Elite - Sanctuary and Foundation - but one is brand new. Titled Oasis, it's set on a beach resort in the United Arab Emirates.

"It's actually in or near one of the levels from single player - the one that takes place in UAE. You can see part of that level in the background in this level. It's all new geo but it's in the same area," explained Rubin.

Then in addition to all that, there are two new Spec Ops co-op missions too.

Ironclad is set immediately after the Hamburg mission from the single player campaign, with you and a comrade attempting to make it back to the landing beach after the initial assault.

"It has that asynchronous combat that we've been focusing on, where one player does one thing and another does something completely different," said Rubin.

"One player is on the ground and has to clear obstacles and engage in basic infantry combat. Then you have another guy driving a tank and you both have to support each other and get back to the beaches."

The second Spec Ops mission, titled Killswitch, plays out in an all-new area set in a Russian dockyard.

"One person is on the ground sneaking through and the other is in a sniper perch, sniping for the other player. You have to get through the level and detonate an EMP at the end."