Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games isn't just trying to make Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 the biggest Call of Duty title ever made, they're also putting effort towards refreshing and improving multiplayer. Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling and Sledgehammer Games' Michael Condrey took the stage at last night's multiplayer reveal to detail new and revamped multiplayer features Modern Warfare 3 is bringing in. The Killstreak system is being overhauled with Strike Packages, which are a series of perks and Killstreak rewards suited to a particular playing style. There are three Strike Packages available: Assault - This is intended for players who just want to head out into battle and kill as many enemies as possible. Only offensive Killstreaks and perks are available. Support - Perfect for anyone that prefers to stay back and help their team in any way possible. Your Killstreak count does not reset when using Support. Specialist - This style offers no Killstreak rewards. Instead, more perks are enabled for you mid-match as you rack up larger Killstreaks (if you are lucky enough to stay alive for a long time, you can have every perk enabled at once). Getting killed resets the amount of perks enabled. Specialist is described as a "test of individual skills." More scoring opportunities besides just killing opposing team players will be available. Performing actions like assists and completing objectives will give small boosts to your team's overall score, which should encourage team-oriented gameplay more often this time. Besides the usual weapon customization, weapons can now be leveled up as well. By using a weapon often, you can further customize it in various ways such as reducing sway or recoil, changing ammo type, and adding extra attachments. A few attachments have drawbacks to using them (for example, having added ammo capacity can increase reload time) so pay attention to the changes you're making. Modern Warfare 3 is debuting a new mode called Kill Confirmed that forces players to go one step beyond killing enemies. In Kill Confirmed, the only way to score is to pick up dog tags dropped by fallen players. Should a teammate be killed, you can pick up your partner's dog tag to deny the opposing team from increasing their score. This is one mode where you'll definitely want to roam around in groups to improve your chances of success. Call of Duty Elite also got time in the spotlight by having its paid benefits revealed. Previously announced features can be used for free and managed in-game, through the Elite website, or on mobile applications that will be available for iPhone/iPad and Android devices. To receive Premium Elite benefits and features, you must pay an annual fee of $49.99 or pick up the Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition to receive a year of complimentary access and granted Lifetime Founder status. Here's what you'll get with Premium Elite: Priority access to all DLC released within one year of starting your membership Participate in competitions for all skill levels to win real-world prizes (iPads are one such prize) Leveling up your clan Eight times more capacity to store replays Gameplay analysis from expert players Access to Elite TV, featuring original content made by major Hollywood talent such as Ridley and Tony Scott On the matter of Elite TV, the Scott brothers are creating a show called Friday Night Fights that pits two groups with particular interests in Call of Duty matches. There will also be a weekly show called noob tube that showcases gameplay highlights from amateur players with humorous commentary. For you big spenders out there, a limited edition Modern Warfare 3 Xbox 360 bundle should be available for pre-order soon. This bundle features an Xbox 360 console sporting unique sound effects for startup and tray ejection along with a gray color scheme, two Special Edition controllers (the ones where you can raise the D-Pad), 320GB hard drive, and a copy of Modern Warfare 3 Hardened Edition. Update: Hardened Edition content has been confirmed. Read about it here.
