CoD MW3 Season 1 release date: Battle Pass, roadmap & more

On top of all this, a new Zombies chapter will roll out, with Activision looking to keep players happy considering the lacklustre reviews of the single-player campaign, even though our Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 review said it wasn't a "total misfire".

With all this in mind, we've rounded up all the relevant Modern Warfare 3 Season 1 details that you need to know ahead of its first big update – including its release date, roadmap, go-live time in the UK, and more.

When is the CoD MW3 Season 1 release date?

It has now been confirmed that Season 1 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will drop on Wednesday 6th December 2023.

We knew it was coming, but it's a welcome early Christmas present nonetheless. Check out the official announcement trailer below:

When is the UK launch time for MW3 Season 1?

Activision has confirmed that Modern Warfare 3 Season 1 will kick off at 5pm UK time on 6th December 2023. Warzone Season 1 will launch at the same time too.

Those in the US can expect a simultaneous start of 9am PT / 12pm ET, while those in Europe will similarly be able to jump in at 6pm CET.

How much will the CoD MW3 Season 1 Battle Pass cost?

The Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Season 1 Battle Pass costs £9.99, which is equivalent to 1100 Call of Duty Points.

Players who purchased the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Vault Edition for an RRP of £99.99 will gain access to the battle pass for no extra cost. It will simultaneously go live for those who pre-ordered alongside anyone who picked up a regular copy of the game.

Alongside access to the battle pass, players take home 1,100 COD Points and 50 tier skips, a Nemesis Operator Pack, made up of four operator skins (Makarov, Price, Ghost and Warden) and two weapon vaults.

What will be included in the CoD MW3 Season 1 Battle Pass roadmap?

The CoD MW3 Season 1 battle pass roadmap includes three brand new 6v6 maps, a 2v2 map, a new story and secrets for Zombies mode and the all-new Urzikstan map in Warzone 3.

Going off past releases, we'd expect the battle pass to feature 100 tiers with around 1,300 COD Points to claim. There's a lot to look forward to.

CoD MW3 battle pass roadmap: New multiplayer maps

Activision has confirmed what the four new multiplayer maps are and more in a blog post. In terms of the four new multiplayer maps, three will be available to play upon Season 1's launch, before one further map is released as part of Season 1 reloaded.

The new multiplayer maps are as follows:

• Meat | Season 1 launch | 6v6
• Greece | Season 1 launch | 6v6
• Rio | Season 1 reloaded | 6v6
• Training Facility | Season 1 launch | 2v2 | Gunfight

CoD MW3 battle pass roadmap: Zombies

As part of MW3 Season 1, the Zombies mode is receiving a large update. The story continues when "Strike Team Operators are tasked to investigate a massive, mysterious gateway that has appeared in the Exclusion Zone".

The new Dark Aether Rifts will appear as end-game content for those who complete the seasonal mission. A new modified V-R11 Wonder Weapon can be used to transform enemies "Zombie or Human, into loyal allies".

You'll also find "a new category of unique acquisition schematics that will test the player's skill to unlock". All in all, a hefty update to Zombies is on the way.

CoD MW3 battle pass roadmap: New Warzone map

A brand new map is being added to Warzone (or Warzone 3 as many as referring it to) as part of the MW3 Season 1 update: Urzikstan.

Urzikstan is described as "an urban landscape". It includes 11 points of interest, notably the Popov Power Plant and the Zavaran Suburbs.

Alongside the new map, you'll find new gameplay updates in Warzone. These include slide cancelling, tac-stance and more. Activision is also teasing horizontal ziplines and even a driveable train. Toot toot, get on board!

The publisher is set to reveal all about the Modern Warfare 3 battle pass for Season 1 soon, so keep those eyes peeled. We'll update this page when necessary.

CoD MW3 season 1: New multiplayer modes

There are a few new modes being added too, some of which will be familiar to Call of Duty veterans. Let's take a look at them:

• Gunfight
• All or Nothing
• Vortex
• CODMAS: Santa’s Slayground
• Infected
• Headquarters
• Team Gunfight

These are new modes coming to both regular multiplayer and Zombies. You should be able to guess which is for which, even if you're a CoD newbie.

Infected is a fun game of Zombie tag, and Gunfight is a fast-paced 2v2 mode with no respawns.

Only Gunfight and All or Nothing will be released on 6th December. The rest will drop mid-season and will be available for a limited time only. We'll update this page when we know more!

Is my battle pass progress carried over to different platforms?

Yes, Activision has confirmed that all progression and unlocked content will carry over to different platforms, be that console or PC. This is because everything is tied to your Activision account – including the battle pass.

The only difference is that any CoD Points earned through the battle pass can only be used on the platform where you unlocked them. Just make sure that wherever you play, they are all linked to the same account to avoid any issues.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is now available across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. Head to Amazon to pick up a copy.

Listen to our One More Life podcast, subscribe to our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter for all the latest gaming intel.

Looking for something to watch? Check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.