Aug 11
28
Modern Warfare 3 vs Battlefield 3
I don’t think there has ever been a time that I’ve wanted to see two video games take part in a battle royale like Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 are about to embark come this November. This large scale gaming conflict is even apparent among my own friends. Call Me Big and T3ddy B33r have taken the side of MW3, while Bones Daywalker will swear by the success of Battlefield 3.
IGN put out this interesting article a couple of weeks ago comparing each franchise by sales numbers. By those numbers, the Call of Duty franchise has dwarfed Battlefield in its appeal to gamers. Will this be enough to hold off Battlefield setting its sights on taking down Call of Duty this fall? I’ve decided to take a look at what each title has to offer in this simulation showdown!
Single player campaign
Got to love the well placed burned out cars
In this category there isn’t much to compare from past experiences. Battlefield has always primarily been a multiplayer experience, whereas until recently, Call of Duty has been primarily a single player title. The advent of the Modern Warfare era really solidified Call of Duty in both areas by bringing a mixed offering.
But thinking about what each is planning to bring to the table in November, Modern Warfare 3 will end up bringing the better single player experience. Call of Duty has always brought a lot of action and easy adventure to the story, along with a great variety in the different weapons and vehicles the player has at their disposal to bring down the baddies. (AC130, chopper gunners, predator missiles… to name a few)
Not to knock Battlefield too much though, as the videos of the single player do look pretty good as well. The only problem is that the single player is being touted as training for the multiplayer fighting. So although enjoyable, I’m not expecting the campaign to be long or overly thrilling.
Multiplayer online
Although the single player is important, it is the multiplayer arena where these two titles will really do their battling. On one side you have Battlefield 3. Its style has always been realistic fighting, vehicle options, large maps and long battles between massive army like teams. On the other side you have Modern Warfare 3. This has been the style of perks and kill streaks, quick action packed rounds and small special ops sized teams.
Following squad in Battlefield 3
As a working gamer, it will always be tough to succeed in multiplayer games because there isn’t enough time to keep up with the college/high school/middle school kids who can play all day. That is why I think MW3 is going to give the better multiplayer experience. Battlefield will take too long to level up and the length of the rounds will make it difficult to fit in playing time. Whereas, MW3 is going to give the quick leveling and fast rounds to keep us interested and engaged long enough for the next game to come out.
However, I do sense that the winds are going to change slightly in favor of the Battlefield franchise. There is a level of frustration growing against Call of Duty due to the lack of innovation and change that is starting to make the formula seem a bit stale. Battlefield 3 is bringing destructible environments, vehicle combat (including jets) and graphics that make the game play seem eerily realistic. I don’t think it is going to be enough to dethrone the champ, but it certainly is going to leave a few bruises along the way.
My final prediction: Battlefield 3 is going to gain some ground on the Call of Duty franchise, but Modern Warfare 3 is still going to double Battlefield sales by Christmas. Whether I’m right or wrong, should be an exciting battle to watch without having to even turn on my Xbox.
