Why is Ranked Play down in MW3?

So long, sweet, sweet MW3.

CoD operators take aim at enemies on the new map Rio in MW3 Season One Reloaded.
Image via Activision

There’s nothing more annoying than when you try to play a game and can’t, like when Ranked Play is down in Modern Warfare 3.

Recommended Videos

Time is money, and Call of Duty players often look to spend their time grinding out Ranked Play to earn exclusive rewards, rank points, and bragging rights against common opponents within the ladder and skill divisions they’re placed in.

Ranked Play downtime is a bummer, but it’s usually not a very long affair. Still, it’s understandably frustrating when free time is here but ranked time is not. We’ve got you covered, though, with all the details you need to rank up again when you can.

Here are all the details on why Ranked Play is down in MW3 and when we can expect it to return.

Why is Ranked Play down in MW3?

MW3 Ranked Play
Can’t get these skins if you can’t play. Image via Activision

If you are reading this on Oct. 17, 2024 or later, we have some bad news for you: Ranked Play is now finished in MW3 ahead of the launch of Black Ops 6. The final day to play and rank up in MW3 was Oct. 16.

During the year of MW3, Ranked Play going offline was a relatively normal occurrence. Ranked Play went down routinely in MW3 because there was downtime at the start of each season or major update. When a new update went live, specifically a new season update, Ranked Play was made unavailable and then brought back within a few hours once statistics are reset.

In the case of previous downtime earlier in the year on Feb. 23, 2024, in season two, that was because of widespread server problems causing major issues in the game. It was soon fixed, but it’s possible this could happen again at any time, so keep an eye out on social pages for news.

Make sure to follow @CODUpdates or @Treyarch on Twitter for official information directly from Activision and CoD developers to know details down to the minute.

When is MW3 Ranked Play coming back?

MW3 Ranked Play season 6 rewards
New rewards in season six. Image via Activision

Ranked Play will not return in MW3, as Activision and its developers have instead shifted focus to Black Ops 6, Warzone, and other future CoD projects. MW3 was a live-service title for a little less than a year, and although it’s over now, they can never take away the memories made.

Author
Image of Scott Duwe
Scott Duwe
Senior Staff Writer & Call of Duty lead. Professional writer for over 10 years. Lover of all things Marvel, Destiny 2, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and more. Previous bylines include PC Gamer, Red Bull Esports, Fanbyte, and Esports Nation. DogDad to corgis Yogi and Mickey, sports fan (NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Rangers, NY Knicks), Paramore fanatic, cardio enthusiast.