Something to look forward to: Activision recently unveiled a teaser trailer, confirming that it intends to release a new full Call of Duty game called Modern Warfare III on November 10. The company will hold a reveal event within Call of Duty: Warzone on August 17. This confirmation marks a significant turnaround from Activision's initial plan for the franchise, which was to take a break in 2023.

Leaks and rumors had indicated that a new Call of Duty title coming in 2023 would be a direct sequel to last year's entry, but Activision has only recently begun making official confirmations.

The game's teaser features vague production visuals, a few voice clips, and the release date. Another trailer, revealing the villain Makarov, is set to premiere on Wednesday. The company intends to fully unveil the game next week, but it's unclear whether that will showcase the campaign, multiplayer, or both.

Earlier leaks revealed the title, brand logo, release date, and some gameplay details that Activision hasn't mentioned yet. The reports suggest that a new zombie mode resembling Outbreak will debut either within Modern Warfare III or as a standalone free-to-play package. A new Warzone 2 map, featuring the Modern Warfare II campaign's Las Almas level, might premiere on December 5 as part of Modern Warfare III's first seasonal content drop.

The leaks also pointed to a PlayStation-only closed beta in early October and an open beta for all platforms in mid-October. Since the reports have been accurate so far, it's also fairly safe to assume that players who pre-order the game can begin playing the campaign starting November 2. One small detail that Activision confirmed is the return of slide canceling – a multiplayer maneuver that involves transitioning out of a slide animation into a tactical sprint to increase mobility.

The release of Modern Warfare III would mark an unusual year for the ever-popular FPS series. Activision initially intended to release only an expansion pack for last year's Modern Warfare II – an unusual step in the typically annualized release schedule – but the project from Sledgehammer Studios appears to have evolved into a full-sized entry.

Furthermore, this game will be the first sequel to directly follow its predecessor, as Treyarch's Black Ops installments usually launch between other editions. It's unclear how or if Activision plans to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original Call of Duty's 2003 launch.