Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3 release date and time

Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3 is the third seasonal release for this year’s cycle of Call of Duty content, featuring a wide range of additional updates, maps, modes, and much more - including the return of Rebirth Island.

Since there’s so much to dive into and the release isn’t far off, it’s worth going through not just on which day and at what time the new season launches, but also what you should expect from this next content update.

We’ll run through the full Season 3 roadmap of what’s to come, as well as all the details on the most important aspects of the seasonal release - like the return of Rebirth Island into Warzone and launch of Warzone Mobile.

If you’re jumping into the new season and want to check out what’s been added recently to see what's potentially worth taking for a spin when Season 3 launches, be sure to check out our best guns guide updated with listings from the previous season, as well as trending picks since launch.

On this page:

• Warzone and MW3 Season 3 release date and time
• Season 3 roadmap
• Everything else we know about Season 3

Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3 release date and time

Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3 launches on Wednesday 3rd April 2024 at 6pm (BST) / 10am (PT).

Here are the dates and times for Warzone and MW3 Season 3’s release in other time zones:

• West Coast US: Wednesday 3rd April, 9am (PT)
• Central US: Wednesday 3rd April, 11am (CT)
• East Coast US: Wednesday 3rd April, 1pm (ET)
• UK: Wednesday 3rd April, 6pm (BST)
• Europe: Wednesday 3rd April, 7pm (CET)
• Australia: Wednesday 4th April, 3am (AET)
• Japan: Wednesday 3rd April, 2am (JST)

Jumping in on launch day? Check out our guide on how to level up fast to make sure you’re ready for when the new season kicks off.

Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3 roadmap

Compared to the previous season, the content shipping with Season 3 appears to be a lot more sizable for all modes across the board.

To help visualise this, we can look to the Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3 roadmap, detailed in a handy Call of Duty blog post that lets us discuss all the key beats of what to expect at launch and mid-season, including:

• Six new core multiplayer maps
• Four new game modes and an updated Vortex playlist later in the season
• A new season of Ranked Play with new rewards
• Three new Vests, two new Perks, and a new Tactical and Field Upgrade
• New Zombies content arriving mid-season
• Returning map Rebirth Island for Warzone
• New Warzone updates and features
• New weapons and Aftermarket Parts
• A new Battle Pass with additional Blackcell premium tier
• New events and store bundles through the season
• The launch of Warzone mobile with cross-progression with MW3 and Warzone

Below is the official roadmap for Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3:

To learn more details on all the updates coming to Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3, keep reading for the full breakdown:

Returning map Rebirth Island for Warzone and new features

Alongside the return of Rebirth Island, an updated and reprised version of the map with 11 points of interest, there’s a slew of other additions coming to Warzone with Season 3 too:

• Rebirth Island returns, with 11 points of interest - Originally released in the Black Ops Cold War era of Warzone and based on Alcatraz, this map returns for Season 3 of Warzone featuring 11 points of interest, all of which veteran players are likely to find recognisable as per the Season 3 deep-dive blog post.
• Multiple new modes including Resurgence and Warzone Bootcamp - There’s a selection of new ways to play this season in Warzone, including Resurgence available on Rebirth Island via the 'Rebirth Resurgence' mode, and the 'Warzone Bootcamp' mode that promises an onboarding-like variant of the larger mode, focused on smaller map areas and less players. More modes are promised for later in the season too.
• Two new Public Events - The Climb and Punishment event occurs during the Gulag and poses an interesting concept whereby you and the opposing player can escape the prison – whether you double-cross the other player or let them leave is part of the fun here. Later in the season, 'Heavy Armor' joins the fray and provides you additional defence in combat.
• New Mission Contracts - Spy Drones and Resurgence Champion’s Quest are the new contracts available from launch, promising challenges and some new rewards to acquire.
• New and returning Equipment - A variety of new equipment are coming to Warzone both at launch and later in the season including the Squad Rage and Utility Box Field Upgrades, as well as the Foresight Killstreak and returning Specialist perk package.
• New and returning features arrive in Warzone - With the introduction of swimming, the ocean areas of Rebirth Island are now accessible to use as part of the available playspace, whilst a new Biometrics Scanner, the Weapon Trade Station and others headline more of the biggest feature additions in Season 3.
• Variable time of day - Releasing later in Season 3, the time of day and weather may be different when dropping onto Rebirth Island, presenting several variants of the map set at different points of the day, along with unique items that can spawn during these moments
• Warzone Ranked Play on Rebirth Island - Another season of Ranked Play begins in the launch window for Season 3, and with it comes various unique rewards for both ranks and skill divisions
• Warzone arrives in mobile with cross-progression - Carry across all your weapons, attachments, store bundles, cosmetics, and more to the mobile version of Warzone for them to be usable where applicable, and continue to play on the go

New multiplayer maps

With Season 3, there will be six new, core 6v6 maps arriving in Modern Warfare 3, with four at launch, and two arriving later in the season.

At launch, Season 3 features the brand new 6 Star, a medium-sized map set in a resort atop a Dubai skyscraper, and Emergency, a small-sized map that’ll be perfect for fast-paced combat. Alongside these is also the map Growhouse, a remastered version of Sphere from Call of Duty Vanguard that introduces another small-sized map for more of that frenetic action the series is known for.

Capping things off, Tanked is the fourth map coming at Season 3’s launch. This is a medium-sized map that's created and repurposed from an aquarium area of the main Warzone map.

Check out screenshots and may layout views of the four Season 3 launch maps below:

Additionally, later in the season, a second Warzone-repurposed map Checkpoint, and all-new map, Grime join the fray - small, and small-to-medium sized maps respectively, these will further diversify the map selection when these maps launch, likely as part of the Season 3 Reloaded update.

New game modes and an updated Vortex Playlist

There are four new modes and an updated playlist coming to MW3 Multiplayer, all of which are spread out across launch window and mid-season releases:

• Capture the Flag (Launch)
• One in the Chamber (Launch window)
• Minefield (Mid-season)
• Escort (Mid-season)
• Vortex Playlist updates (In-Season)

Making its MW3 debut at the launch of Season 3, Capture the Flag (CTF) is entering the game as a new, playable mode. For those unfamiliar, CTF involves stealing a flag from the enemy team, and returning it to your own side of the map - where your own team’s flag will be located.

The whole objective and flow of each match is to prevent your own team’s flag from being taken and captured by the enemy, whilst also working to steal the enemy’s flag and capture it on your team's side of the map. This push-and-pull objective design emphasises the need for strong offensive and defensive capabilities to win matches.

Available in the launch window of Season 3, One in the Chamber is a party mode entering MW3 for the first time. Initially debuted in the original Call of Duty: Black Ops, in this mode you’ll spawn in with just one round in the chamber of your gun, and are tasked with eliminating other players in a free-for-all style match setup.

Every player has three lives, and the single round you load in with, deals enough damage for a one-shot elimination - regardless of where you hit an enemy. You’ll earn a bullet back each time you net a kill, and the goal is to survive the longest, eliminating the other players and maintaining your stock of lives.

Looking further into Season 3, new mode Minefield will enter Modern Warfare 3’s mode rotations. Likened to Season 2’s Hordepoint in the way that mode was 'Hardpoint but with Zombies', the Season 3 blog post describes Minefield as 'Multiplayer but with mines', this is more of a mode modifier than it is distinctly a specific mode.

The difference when this modifier is active however, is that when you eliminate enemies, they’ll drop a Proximity Mine which will only detonate on enemy team activations - meaning teammates of the player who dropped the Mine are safe. As the COD Blog notes, these mines can’t be picked up, but it does build up a variety of dangers that’ll no doubt be catching many a player off guard when this modifier comes into play later in Season 3.

Compared to the Warzone limited-time mode Payload, Escort features a similar objective whereby teams battle it out across two different rounds to see who can protect their mobile MAW vehicle as it moves around the map. Once the first round finishes, the teams swap sides to protect their own MAW, and whichever team protects it for the longer time wins the match.

This mode will also be launching in the mid-season update for Season 3, so expect this likely in around a month after the launch of the season.

In past seasons, the Vortex playlist has featured various map variants that each have their own unique style and aesthetic that presents the existing map selection in an alternate light. During Season 3, this playlist returns with those map variants with various new updates.

The main example of one of the additions is a new 'Arcade Mode', as well as 'a number of REDACTED gameplay modifiers to add yet more variety'. Neither of these are detailed further just yet, but they do call out that you should expect the 'Vortex Vir.Rus Mainframe' event to launch alongside this playlist.

Ranked Play Season 3

Launching with Season 3 of Modern Warfare 3, there’s a whole new season of Ranked Play featuring a selection of new rewards you’re able to acquire.

Here are some of the new rewards you can expect to earn, as well as their requirements:

• Win 5 ranked matches - 'MWIII Season 3 Competitor' sticker
• Win 10 ranked matches - 'Pro Issue Rival-9' weapon blueprint
• Win 25 ranked matches - 'Absolute Banger' charm
• Win 50 ranked matches - 'Hold This L' large decal
• Win 75 ranked matches - 'MWIII Ranked Play Season 3' loading screen
• Win 100 ranked matches - 'MWIII Season 3 Ranked Veteran' weapon camo

These rewards join an already-existing roster of rewards unlocked by increasing your overall rank, as well as a variety of other rewards that are awarded once the season has ended and are based on the highest division you reached during the season, or an active placement in the Top 250 Division.

There are also a couple of bonus unique rewards if you manage to finish Season 3 in the no. 1 spot on the top 250 leaderboard.

New Vests, Perks, and Equipment

With the launch of Season 3, there’s a whole host of additional equipment you'll be able to equip to your various custom loadouts, creating even more variety in your playstyle and build choices.

More specifically, there are three new Vests, new Boots, and new Gear slot item that’ll be available from launch, as well as the Tactical Mine and Enhanced Vision Goggles that’ll become available later in the season.

First up, the Gunslinger Vest available at launch is focused entirely on the use of secondary weapons, removing your primary weapon and allowing you to carry two secondaries. When it comes to the abilities of this vest, you’ll be getting secondary-weapon-specific bonuses such as a refresh of stamina on kill, improved reload speed, the ability to reload whilst sprinting and more, making this very much suitable for run-and-gun playstyle.

The other two vests are more traditional in terms of their benefits and overall equipment selection. For example, the Modular Assault Rig lets you start with maximum reserve ammo and resupply Lethal and Tactical equipment from defeated enemies. The short of the long here is that it’s essentially a Vest version of the Scavenger perk.

As for the third option, the Compression Carrier vest provides health regeneration after an elimination of objective capture, with reduced effects from gas grenades - a pick that’s a little bit reminiscent of the Quick Fix perk from Warzone.

In terms of the two new perks, there’s the Reinforced Boots that make you immune to movement reduction effects, and the High-Gain Antenna that provides an array of radar buffs such as a zoomed out view for you and nearby allies, the ability to see ally radar pings and compass indicators from any allied Signal Jammers you’re near, as well as a longer duration for enemies appearing on the radar if a nearby ally has the CCT Comms Vest equipped - a lot of buffs that’s great for reconnaissance especially if in a party.

Becoming available later in the season are the EMD Mine - a proximity-triggered piece of equipment that reveals enemy location and direction until destroyed - and the Enhanced Vision Goggles that features 'enhanced vision with integrated target highlighting'.

New Zombies content

Fans of the Zombies mode will also have a selection of new content to look forward to, though much like Season 2, all of Season 3’s Zombies content won’t become available until the mid-season update.

The main headlines of what’ll be new when it all launches is the continuation of the Dark Aether storyline, a third Rift, a new wave of challenges to complete and Schematics to acquire, as well as a new Warlord, Rainmaker, to take on.

Here’s more details on the key features of Season 3’s Zombies offerings:

• The Dark Aether story continues - Saving Dr. Jansen is the primary objective of this continued story, sending you into a new region of the Dark Aether.
• The third Rift becomes available - The COD Blog promises a 'series of unlock objectives focusing on finding and attuning several relics' that’ll allow you to enter an entirely new area complete with its own rewards for those who managed to survive the oncoming undead.
• New challenges and Schematics - There’s a variety of new rewards that can be earned across Prestige Challenges, Camo Challenges and three new classified Schematics - keep reading for more details on those.
• A new Warlord to battle - Rainmaker is this season’s new Warlord, and his specialisation is artillery and demolitions, meaning you should expect heavy resistance from explosive-based attacks like mortar attacks, RPG fire, and more.

When it comes to the new Schematics you’ll be able to acquire, there are three: Dead Wire Detonators, Golden Mask Filter, and Sargeant’s Beret.

Here’s what the COD Blog says about each of them:

• Dead Wire Detonators - Are you still shocked at the impressive electrical damage the Dead Wire Ammo Mod inflicts? Then you might want to employ the Dead Wire Detonator, and attach it to all your explosive weaponry, including Lethals and Launchers!
• Golden Mask Filter - A prized schematic with a shiny hue and an impressive, long-lasting effect - gain a self-regenerating gas mask for the rest of the match. This comes in extremely handy for surviving zombie strongholds and any surprises in the rifts.
• Sergeant’s Beret - Your outcomes no longer need to be terminal when dealing with Zakhaev’s hired guns; simply don the Sergeant’s Beret to disguise yourself among the Mercs, and summon a trusty Merc Bodyguard who shadows you to the end.

Season 3 Reloaded content

Not much has been said about the full scale of Season 3’s 'Reloaded' mid-season update, but various aspects of the content discussed here and on the COD Blog will all be coming during this mid-season update - that includes all of the Zombies content outlined above.

If we had to wager a guess, going by the usual schedule of these seasons, Season 3 reloaded will likely launch sometime in May, around a month or so prior to the launch of Season 4 in June. Though of course, nothing has been confirmed just yet.

Events coming in Season 3

Much like any other season of Call of Duty, you can expect a variety of events to launch during Season 3, each of which will feature limited-time experiences, modifiers, rewards, and more.

Below are the currently-confirmed events coming in Season 3, with details direct from the COD Blog, as well as their scheduled start and end dates, as well as which modes they’re for:

• Godzilla x Kong: Battle for Hollow Earth (April 3rd to 10th) - Discover the mysterious power of the Monsterverse’s mightiest Titans. Earn XP to unlock exceptional rewards. Equip the Godzilla, Kong, Shimo, or Skar King Operator Skins for a boost.
• Blaze Up (Launch window for MW3) - How high are you? Er, I mean, Hi! How are you? Complete event challenges for exclusively dank rewards. Warning: Event may cause the munchies.
• High Trip (Launch window for Warzone) - Jump into this limited-time event and get ready for some heightened fights. Collect gummies to sharpen your senses and smoke out the competition.
• Vortex: Vi.Rus Mainframe (In-season for MW3 and Warzone) - It’s not a system error: Vi.Rus has made his way into the Vortex. Earn XP to unlock rewards. Equip the Bacillus Skin from the Tracer Pack: Horsemen: Vi.Rus Ultra Skin for a boost.

The COD Blog also makes note of additional events coming in Season 3 once the Reloaded update arrives, including a Call of Duty Endowment event in celebration of Military Appreciation Month.

Everything else we know about Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 3

Alongside all of the new core content additions, there are a few other items worth noting including a new Battle Pass refresh, weapons, rewards, and more:

• Four new weapons - Unlock the FJX Horus submachine gun, MORS sniper rifle, and Gladiator melee weapon at launch via the Season 3 Battle Pass, and later during the season, unlock the BAL-27 returning from Advanced Warfare.
• Eight new Aftermarket Parts - Complete weekly challenges to unlock the JAK Cutthroat stock attachment, JAK Revenger Kit for the BP50, JAK Jawbreaker for the KV Broadside, JAK Shadow Titan Kit for the Bruen Mk9, JAK Patriot for the M16, Wardens for the Lockwood Mk2, JAK Atlas Kit for the AMR9, and via an unknown challenge, acquire the Photonic Charge Barrel for the MORS.
• New Operators and skins - Vladimir Makarov, Snoop Dogg, Banshee, Hush/Bashiir Shirwa, and Stasis.
• Season 3 Battle Pass - Unlock new skins for existing Operators like Makarov and Snoop Dogg, along with new weapons, cosmetics and more across both a free and paid track of rewards, with a higher tier of premium items you can unlock by upgrading or purchasing the Blackcell battle pass for Season 3.
• New Store offerings - Celebrate the 4th anniversary of Warzone with a pack free to all players, pick up a selection of skins and packs themed around the new Godzilla x Kong film, and more.
• New Prestige rewards and Weekly Challenges - Complete various new weekly challenges to unlock several new Aftermarket Parts, and continue ranking up to the new level cap of 650, earning several new rewards along the way there.

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That’s all of what you’ve got to look forward to in Season 3, releasing imminently. For more on Warzone and Modern Warfare 3, be sure to check out our best guns page, as well as individual pages covering specific weapons and weapon types, like the best assault rifles, best sniper rifles, and much, much more.