Leaked Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Images May Have A Deeper Meaning

At this point, "Call of Duty" fans know to expect at least one new installment of the long-running military action series every year. But even though fans know a new "Call of Duty" basically always on the way, Activision tends to keep the details of these new games close to the chest, saving the biggest surprises until the release date gets close. Despite the secrecy, things can occasionally leak that Activision had no intention of sharing. That seems to be the case with the logo and possible artwork of an upcoming "Modern Warfare 3" remake, which just leaked in the most random way possible.

As shared by Twitter user @algebra_sloth, it looks like a cross-promotion with Monster Energy has inadvertently spilled the beans regarding "Modern Warfare 3." It's unclear where the picture was taken, but these apparent ads for Monster Energy Drink proudly proclaim that gamers can get special rewards by scanning the QR codes on cans of the beverage. Even more exciting than that, the accompanying artwork shows off a spiffy new logo, reminiscent of the title treatment for the "Call of Duty: Black Ops" series, as well as an image of Captain Price toting a gun. Upon sharing the images, @algebra_sloth tagged YouTuber PrestigeIsKey, who subsequently retweeted the post and brought it further attention. It has since been re-shared multiple times.

New cod leak mw 3 logo #mw3 #Activision

Follow @CODLeaks2023 pic.twitter.com/tRXV7JcgvL

— Call of Duty Modern Warfare III News and Updates (@CODLeaks2023) July 24, 2023

Though some fans aren't entirely sold on the legitimacy of these pictures, others are already picking up on some of the finer details in the artwork. If this is for real, the Monster Energy leak may confirm some suspicions that fans have had about the direction of the series' next installment.

Fans will no doubt notice that the leaked artwork has a pretty grim tone to it, what with the blood red background and the fact that Price's shoulders appear to be disintegrating or burning. But even more exciting — and easy to miss, if you're just focused on Price — is the presence of a familiar-looking face over his shoulder.

The background of the image appears to be the visage of major franchise villain Vladimir Makarov. Though he has yet to appear in the flesh in the newer "Modern Warfare" remake series, Makarov previously served as the main antagonist of the original games. The leader of an extreme terrorist cell, Makarov was the baddie responsible for orchestrating the events that led to World War III in "Modern Warfare 2" and "MW3." Though he was eventually brought down by Captain Price and his loyal troops, it looks like Makarov is getting another chance at glory in the new iteration of the series.

While this theory sounds like it could be wishful thinking on the part of "Call of Duty" fans, there's plenty of evidence to suggest that this is indeed the plan the developers have in mind. A dramatic post-credits scene in 2022's "Modern Warfare 2" sees a terrorist assembling a gun on board a plane, where he gets a message from a contact referred to only as "M." That message? "No Russian." This, of course, is a reference to one of the most controversial missions in "Call of Duty" history, which involved a false flag operation carried out by Makarov for the express purpose of instigating a new World War.

The leaked artwork seems to suggest that fans will indeed get to see that story play out whenever "Modern Warfare" releases. But when might that be?

New "Call of Duty" games have typically been released in November, which is naturally the perfect way to capitalize on the holiday shopping season. It's fair to assume that the next installment of the series will follow suit, even if Activision hasn't yet made any official announcements about the next title in the series.

Still, fans have been pretty sure that "Modern Warfare 3" is the next logical step for the franchise, even before the latest leak. Earlier in July, multiple Twitter accounts received takedown notices after sharing alleged screenshots from the game, which only served to make fans even more certain of its development. Not helping matters, as shared by Twitter user @BobNetworkUK, is the fact that the copyright notice specifically named "Modern Warfare 3" as the reason behind the complaint.

Meanwhile, the official "Call of Duty" Twitter account has polled users to determine whether or not assets from "Modern Warfare 2" should port over the series' 2023 installment. All of this, plus the leaked Monster Energy artwork, sure seems to point to "Modern Warfare 3" being the next major release. Fans will simply have to remain patient until Activision makes an official announcement.

In the meantime, it sure sounds like the official "Call of Duty" account is confirming its legitimacy, albeit in a cheeky way:

Whew. Mondays. Anyone have an energy drink they can spare?

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) July 24, 2023