With autumn in full swing, the first full week of November brings a bunch of new games along with it and this week's AAA title is the third in the series and appears to have something to do with duty. As for this week's other titles, we can look forward to managing some kind of sports teams, crafting robots, erasing names, messing around in dungeons and finally some old school action.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III / This week's AAA title / Friday 10 November
Modern Warfare III celebrates the 20th anniversary of Call of Duty with one of the greatest collections of Multiplayer maps ever assembled - both fan favorites and all new ones. All 16 launch maps from the original Modern Warfare 2 (2009) have been modernized with new modes and gameplay features and will be available at launch to get everyone started, while over 12 all-new core 6v6 maps will fuel post-launch live seasons.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III campaign early access begins November 2nd for all pre-purchases, with the full release following on November 10th. In the cinematic campaign, Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against the ultimate threat, the ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov, who's extending his grasp across the world, causing Task Force 141 to fight like never before. Once you've dug into the action-packed single-player campaign, head online to defeat Zombies in an exciting open-world co-op experience that takes the Zombies mode everyone knows and loves to the next level. If you prefer Multiplayer, dip into the selection of Core Multiplayer maps from the 16 iconic launch maps of 2009's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 that are being brought over and modernized for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

In each mode, GeForce gamers can accelerate frame rates with AI-powered DLSS, or maximize image quality with DLAA. And gameplay gets even more responsive thanks to the day-one inclusion of NVIDIA Reflex in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

NVIDIA today released the GeForce 546.01 WHQL drivers. These come game-ready for "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III," which includes support for DLSS 3 Frame Generation. Optimization and/or DLSS 3 support is also added for Desynced, Jusant, and Robo Cop: Rogue City. Among the bugs fixed with this release include abnormally high game loading times seen with "Halo Infinite" when using the older 545.84 drivers; a bug that causes Windows Event Viewer to incorrectly log an error when NVTOPPS stops; LG C3 OLED TV not showing up as a validated G-SYNC compatible display; and a performance reduction seen with Stable Diffusion, for when NVIDIA posted a workaround.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 546.01 WHQL

The upcoming release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is quickly approaching its November 10 PC launch date on Battle.net and Steam. In partnership with Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty PC lead developer Beenox has ensured players have over 500 customization options at their fingertips, with 4K graphics and Ultrawide support, and a massive array of options across all manner of settings. We're also excited to share some of the highlights coming to the PC version of the game.

Get the Ultimate PC Modern Warfare III Experience with Performance Multiplying DLSS 3
DLSS 3 is a breakthrough in AI-powered graphics that boosts performance while maintaining great image quality and responsiveness. Building upon DLSS Super Resolution, DLSS 3 adds Frame Generation for GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs to create additional high quality frames and integrates NVIDIA Reflex low-latency technology for optimal responsiveness. When you play with other GeForce RTX GPUs, you can activate DLSS Super Resolution to accelerate your frame rates and enhance your Modern Warfare III experience. There are a couple of additional graphical presets for PC players to look for, and check out, as you adjust the visual quality that's right for you.

After almost two years, Microsoft has finally closed the $68.7 billion deal and acquired Activision Blizzard. Confirmed by Phil Spencer, head of gaming at Microsoft, the deal comes after the final approval from UK's Competition and Markets earlier today. The acquisition puts Activision Blizzard, developers Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Treyarch, Toys for Bob, Beenox and High Moon Studios, as well as the mobile game maker King, which is known for its Candy Crush game, all under Xbox Game Studios.

In case you missed it, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard back in January 2022, after which it started its battle with various regulators, including UK's CMA, the European Commission, the US Federal Trade Commission, and others. In its extensive statement, Phil Spencer, head of gaming at Microsoft, once again confirmed that they will continue to make more games available in more places, as it promised to the European Commission, and they can now start the work to bring all those franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. Earlier this week, Activision Blizzard confirmed it expected to start adding titles to Game Pass in 2024, if the aforementioned deal goes through.

Each week, we bring you news of the latest DLSS and ray tracing integrations in games and apps. Last week, The Lamplighters League and Lodestar launched with DLSS 2, DESORDRE: A Puzzle Game Adventure upgraded to full ray tracing, and Deliver Us Mars has added NVIDIA Hybrid Ray Tracing Translucency, further enhancing the game's graphics. This week, Lords of the Fallen launches with DLSS 3, the DLSS and Reflex-enhanced Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Beta begins, action fans can try a length DLSS 3-enabled RoboCop: Rogue City demo, gamers can grab our new Alan Wake 2 GeForce RTX 40 Series bundle, and we're highlighting Highrise City, another indie title featuring DLSS.

Lords of the Fallen Launches October 13th With DLSS 3
HEXWORKS and CI Games' Lords of the Fallen launches October 13th with day-one support for DLSS 3 Frame Generation, enabling GeForce RTX 40 Series gamers to crank up the settings and multiply their frame rates. After an age of the cruelest tyranny, the demon God, Adyr, was finally defeated. But Gods do not fall forever. Now, aeons later, Adyr's resurrection draws nigh. As one of the fabled Dark Crusaders, journey through both the realms of the living and the dead in this expansive RPG experience, featuring colossal boss battles, fast challenging combat, thrilling character encounters, and deep, immersive storytelling. Will your legend be one of light… or one of darkness? A vast world awaits in an all-new, dark fantasy action-RPG, featuring a vast, interconnected world more than five times larger than the original game.

Ready to play the MWIII Beta? Here's the full rundown, including Beta timing and download intel, tips on maps and game modes, in-game progression, and the rewards you can earn for use in Modern Warfare III.

Welcome to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Beta!
It's time to get your hands on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Beta. Whether you're a brand-new player looking for fast-paced, high-octane action or you're a veteran player of the Call of Duty franchise readying up for the return of some classic Multiplayer maps, this article will get you up and running for everything Beta related. The Modern Warfare III Beta will be split into two different weekends, with more maps and game modes scheduled throughout the Beta. The Multiplayer maps will be instantly familiar to anyone who has played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009), featuring the latest technical advancements and modern movement mechanics for a completely refreshed experience. Now, let's get to it!

In anticipation of the November 10 launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, the Call of Duty: Next event showcases a huge sampling of upcoming content across multiple modes and titles. Starting with Modern Warfare III, viewers will get their first in-depth look at Multiplayer and Zombies, followed by major announcements for both Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile. What a way to celebrate Call of Duty's 20th anniversary!

Plus, immediately after Call of Duty: Next, military esports teams from the U.S., U.K., and Canada join top Call of Duty streamers to compete for the Call Of Duty Endowment Bowl IV presented by USAA, with the winning team taking home the C.O.D.E. Bowl Trophy and bragging rights for their service branch of the military.

As Call of Duty nears its 20th anniversary, veteran fans could have over 100 potential answers to that question, and that's not including the 16 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer maps that debuted in 2009 - one of the greatest Day One Multiplayer offerings of all time. Afghan. Derail. Estate. Favela. Karachi. Highrise. Invasion. Quarry. Rundown. Rust. Scrapyard. Skidrow. Sub Base. Terminal. Underpass. Wasteland.

As previously revealed, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III will launch with meticulously crafted, modernized versions of these 16 Core Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, constructed to maintain the authenticity and accuracy of the originals. Sledgehammer Games' Art Director Matt Abbott and Design Director Zach Hodson detail what that means in the latest Intel Drop.

We break down the recently revealed Campaign footage from Operation 627. Also, details on this year's Call of Duty Next on October 5, and the MW III Multiplayer Beta. Developed by Sledgehammer Games in partnership with Infinity Ward, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Campaign is the direct sequel to the events of Modern Warfare II.

As mentioned in the full game's Announcement, this Campaign features a seamless integration of missions built around Call of Duty's signature, cinematic moments that have defined two decades of the franchise's action-packed, narrative-driven, single-player experiences, and brand-new Open Combat Missions designed to give the player freedom to approach the action in a variety of different ways. The full Campaign, of course, is available up to one week prior to the game's official launch on November 10, and is available through Campaign Early Access, included in all digital pre-order editions of Modern Warfare III. One week based on estimated access; actual play time subject to possible outages and applicable time zone differences.

Activision and Sledgehammer Games revealed a bit more details about the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, including the new Makarov Reveal trailer, and an announcement that most of content collected in Modern Warfare II will be transferable to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III when it launches on November 10. Activision is also promising a big reveal scheduled for August 10.

Activision released a big post titled "carry forward" about what content will be transferable. In short, the list includes weapons and cosmetic content, including Bundles, Operators, and other rewards and unlocks from the game. The Wartracks from Modern Warfare 2 are not on the list. The latest teaser trailer confirms the return of Vladimir Makarov as the villain of the game.

Activision has confirmed previous rumors and leaks by officially announcing its next Call of Duty game as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The next Call of Duty will launch on November 10th. The latest teaser trailer was released by Sledgehammer Games, the developer behind Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Call of Duty: WWII, and while it does not show a lot, it does show some familiar faces from the previous Call of Duty titles.

The announcement confirms previous rumors that showed up back in May, which speculated that the game would be called Modern Warfare 3 and be a proper sequel, with a full campaign, multiplayer, and zombies mode.

Activision is reportedly putting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 through its paces as an alpha test, and is struggling with the containment of leaks. DCMA takedowns have done little to stop the flow, and the publisher has started teasing the much anticipated 2023 CoD release. Licensing partners seem to be taking a lax attitude with regards to NDAs—new Monster Energy promotional material has been photographed in the wild. Revised energy drink brand packaging features a prominent series character—Captain Price—with the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III logo emblazoned atop the famous protagonist.

Monster Energy has a documented history of offering XP and accessory codes as part of video game tie-in offers, so that legacy is all but confirmed for continuation with this year's alleged mainline CoD entry. Sledgehammer Games is reportedly the main development house working on CoD:MWIII, and various news outlets have claimed that a November launch window is being targeted by the game's publisher. Activision has taken a good humored approach when dealing with the latest leak—their @CallofDuty social media account's response stated: "Whew. Mondays. Anyone have an energy drink they can spare?"

A flurry of DMCA take down notices, on Activision's part, have brought even more attention to an alleged Call of Duty internal alpha test. Leakers have been talking about Modern Warfare III being the likely candidate for a new CoD release this year, following a planned premium expansion for MW II morphing into a full-fledged sequel. Activision has been busy scrubbing the internet clean of screenshots sourced from the alleged "Hailström" test build, but issued copyright strike messages contain references to the next entry in the series. Targeted tipsters have been warned about activity that has resulted in: "leaked content from unreleased video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" appearing on social media and other gaming community hubs.

The publisher has semi-acknowledged that the cat is out of the bag, and yesterday addressed the fan base with a simple query: "Let's get this out of the way...Should MW II Operators, Weapons and Bundles carry forward into Call of Duty 2023?" This official tweet was shared by the Sledgehammer Games account—this Activision-owned studio is rumored to be the primary development house working on Modern Warfare III, with other Call of Duty-oriented outfits providing additional support. Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021) was Sledgehammer's third fully developed entry in the blockbuster (and highly contested) series.

The Sky UK news network has gathered intel from industry and government sources about an industry event that is due to take place next week at a very famous location - 10 Downing Street - the residence of the UK's Prime Minister. Sky News has been informed that Microsoft has been invited to attend the showcase by the UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) industry organization - best described as the main trade body for the nation's games and interactive entertainment sector. The American technology behemoth is expected to display and demonstrate their Xbox gaming product range in front of top politicians and key entertainment industry figures. There is no mention of representatives from Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) being invited to attend in a similar capacity. The timing of this UKIE organized event (to take place on April 26) is highly controversial as it will coincide with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority's statutory deadline to deliver a Phase-2 verdict on Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regulatory body has already delivered a provisional approval of the aforementioned deal, but stated that it required more time to investigate the potential for irregularities in competition within the cloud gaming sector. The Phase-2 verdict, due to be delivered next week, is anticipated to include the antitrust watchdog's finalized judgement on cloud gaming market affairs. Sky's insider sources in the city of London have speculated that Microsoft could face a humiliating situation at the 10 Downing-hosted party, if by coincidence the CMA changes its opinion on the Activision Blizzard takeover bid. If the competition regulator stays consistent with its (earlier) provisional decision, Microsoft could be criticized for its extensive courting of government organizations - not only in the UK, but around the world.

The Call of Duty RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team announced earlier this month that their newly updated system was capable of detecting "third-party hardware devices that alter the Call of Duty gameplay experience" - this makes reference to a plethora of gaming input modification devices including the Cronus Zen/Max, XIM Apex and FPS Boost Strike Pack. All readily available from direct stores, Amazon and various e-tailers. These hardware modules are hooked up to a gamepad or mouse plus keyboard combination, and allow the user to bypass the legitimate control input detection on the host hardware, be it a games console or PC. Stock scripts and macros can be utilized - for example - to boost in-game aim assist to unprecedented levels, mitigate weapon recoil, and add support for mouse and keyboard in otherwise non-compatible games. Anti-cheat software suites have been unable to detect the extra layer of code, since it runs on an external device - until now.

CoD's security team elaborates on their cheat spotter: "Since our previous progress report, TeamRICOCHET has developed and tested a detection for third-party hardware devices that alter the Call of Duty gameplay experience. These devices act as a passthrough for controllers on PC and console and, when used improperly or maliciously, can provide a player with the ability to gain an unfair gameplay advantage, such as reducing or eliminating recoil. Testing is complete: This detection is deployed globally on all platforms. Users across PC or console who are detected to be using third-party hardware devices to impact the Modern Warfare II or Warzone 2.0 gameplay experience will first see a warning about the improper use of these devices..."

Summon your power, stop the Everwar, save the realms. Immortals of Aveum is a groundbreaking new single-player, first-person magic shooter, created by Ascendant Studios and released by EA Originals. Experience the story of Jak as he joins an elite order of battlemages to save a world on the edge of abyss. Made by the creators of Call of Duty and Dead Space, Immortals of Aveum is set in an original fantasy universe engulfed in magic, rife with conflict, and on the verge of oblivion. Ascendant Studios is an independent team of veteran developers with BAFTA and Game of the Year award-winning experience, and EA Originals will release the studio's debut title.

Immortals of Aveum is a new single-player shooter with magic-based combat, set in a world ravaged by war. Rich lore meets intense combat in this narrative-driven FPS game, crafted for players who wish to immerse themselves in a daring adventure. Players will take control of the protagonist, Jak (played by Darren Barnett), who unexpectedly manifests magical abilities and is reluctantly thrust into mankind's endless war for the control of magic. Under the tutelage of Grand Magnus Kirkan (Gina Torres), Jak joins the elite battlemages of the Order of the Immortals, and fights to end the Everwar—a world-spanning conflict between the nations of Lucium and Rasharn, each seeking to control access to the magic flowing across the land.

Grab a friend and prepare to battle against another Duo when Gunfight returns in Season 03 of Call of Duty : Modern Warfare II, launching on April 12. In this round-based match, players must use randomly assigned Loadouts to overcome the opposition and secure the round win. And with just one life per round, every move counts. Whether you need to brush up on the returning mode or this is your first 2v2 duel, read on for the rules of engagement and tips for achieving victory. The world of Call of Duty : Modern Warfare II is in chaos with a global power struggle playing out in plain sight.

Gunfight 101
In Gunfight, two teams of two compete in a round-based match. There are no respawns and no health regeneration, and all players are assigned the same randomized Loadout at the start of each round. The assigned Loadout changes every two rounds, and you never know what you're going to get; you may be trading shots from afar with Sniper Rifles one round, then rushing in with Shotguns the next. Each Loadout includes a lethal and tactical equipment.

Sony is not happy about the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recent provisional approval of Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and has highlighted the apparent removal of a Microsoft-owned game from being developed on the PlayStation 5. According to legal documents submitted to the UK government, Sony has taken issue with the watchdog's sudden change in opinion - the CMA's position was highly critical at the start of the year - and suspects that Microsoft's expensive PR campaign and submitting of "new evidence" to international competition regulators have influenced a change in direction of rulings. Sony's statement bears down on the unfair nature of the bid's approval: "The CMA's reversal of its position on its consoles theory of harm is surprising, unprecedented, and irrational."

Japan's Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) was the latest anti-trust governing body to give the takeover a thumbs-up, almost two weeks ago - a dramatic turn of events given that it happened on Sony's home turf. The embattled electronics corporation has taken notice of fresh developments in the press, and proceeded to mention controversy surrounding the Redfall platform war. Harvey Smith, the game's creative director, let slip too many details during a promotion tour and seemingly admitted that the higher-ups at Microsoft's Xbox division had decided to can the PlayStation 5 version of Redfall in favor of keeping it exclusive to Xbox, Game Pass and PC. Arkane Studios, as part of the ZeniMax Media Group, was acquired by Microsoft in 2021 - and certain games, already in development, were later released on the PlayStation 5 as timed exclusives, Deathloop being a prime example of this.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regulatory body has today delivered its provisional approval of Microsoft's proposed purchase of the Activision Blizzard group, but has added that it will conduct further reviews into the topic of whether the buyout will have any detrimental effect on competition in the area of cloud gaming services: "where the CMA is continuing to carefully consider the responses provided in relation to the original provisional findings. The CMA's merger investigation continues, and it remains due to issue its final report by 26 April 2023."

The antitrust watchdog's stance looks to have changed in a significant way since February, when it declared that Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard had the potential to "harm U.K. gamers". New evidence has been presented to the CMA in recent weeks, and its members have moved to provisionally conclude that: "overall, the transaction will not result in a substantial lessening of competition in relation to console gaming in the UK."

Microsoft is still deep into its negotiations with several international regulatory bodies regarding the buyout of Activision Blizzard, with a deadline looming it seems that tensions are rising. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) needs a lot of convincing since it regards the proposed takeover as a serious threat to Sony's ability to compete with Microsoft, with the ownership of the Call of Duty series being a main focus. Sony has expressed concern about the blockbuster franchise becoming a potential Xbox console exclusive in the future - Microsoft has pledged to continue development on PlayStation platforms for a proposed 10-year period, with no technological compromises and a promise to release all versions simultaneously on launch days.

In its latest testimony given to the UK's CMA, Microsoft has made a (slightly odd) suggestion that Sony should figure out a way to make its own answer to the Call of Duty series: "Microsoft considers that a period of 10 years is sufficient for Sony, as a leading publisher and console platform, to develop alternatives to Call of Duty.…The 10-year term will extend into the next console generation.… Moreover, the practical effect of the remedy will go beyond the 10-year period, since games downloaded in the final year of the remedy can continue to be played for the lifetime of that console (and beyond, with backwards compatibility)."

On Tuesday, Microsoft and NVIDIA announced the companies have agreed to a 10-year partnership to bring Xbox PC games to the NVIDIA GeForce NOW cloud gaming service, which has more than 25 million members in over 100 countries. The agreement will enable gamers to stream Xbox PC titles from GeForce NOW to PCs, macOS, Chromebooks, smartphones and other devices. It will also enable Activision Blizzard PC titles, such as Call of Duty, to be streamed on GeForce NOW after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision closes.

"Xbox remains committed to giving people more choice and finding ways to expand how people play," said Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. "This partnership will help grow NVIDIA's catalog of titles to include games like Call of Duty, while giving developers more ways to offer streaming games. We are excited to offer gamers more ways to play the games they love."

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking to block technology giant Microsoft Corp. from acquiring leading video game developer Activision Blizzard, Inc. and its blockbuster gaming franchises such as Call of Duty, alleging that the $69 billion deal, Microsoft's largest ever and the largest ever in the video gaming industry, would enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its rapidly growing subscription content and cloud-gaming business.

In a complaint issued today, the FTC pointed to Microsoft's record of acquiring and using valuable gaming content to suppress competition from rival consoles, including its acquisition of ZeniMax, parent company of Bethesda Softworks (a well-known game developer). Microsoft decided to make several of Bethesda's titles including Starfield and Redfall Microsoft exclusives despite assurances it had given to European antitrust authorities that it had no incentive to withhold games from rival consoles.

So you live in Randomville in the middle of nowhere, with a slow ADSL that's barely a few Mbps fast, and thought you could enjoy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II on PlayStation 5 with its disc version? Think again. It turns out that the disc version of this game doesn't actually have the game on the disc. That's right, those unlucky enough to buy the disc version found that it only contained 72 MB of data, which when autorun, gets the console to fetch the up to 151 GB of the game's payload over the Internet. The disc only acts like a hardware DRM, in the same way as certain expensive software ship with USB flash drives that need to be plugged in for you to use the software.

After enduring the massive download, you're required to keep the disc inserted to play the game. It is possible to ship the entire game in two 50 GB Blu-ray discs with the best available compression tech. The problem with CoD off-late has been that the developers either forgot how to distribute game patches, or are using the sheer file-size of patches as an anti-piracy measure; with most of them spanning several dozen gigabytes, and major updates even fetching the entire game's triple-figure GB payload all over again. This 72 MB disc-based distribution is below the belt.

The sequel to the record-setting Call of Duty : Modern Warfare is almost here. Call of Duty : Modern Warfare II will kick off a new era for the franchise when it releases worldwide on Friday, October 28. Witness and experience what made Task Force 141 become the iconic and legendary squad that it is as the action picks up following the harrowing and breathtaking action from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019). Developer Infinity Ward has left no stone unturned to create a new heart-pounding experience for players.

Task Force 141's next global Campaign. Immersive, world-class Multiplayer. An evolved Special Ops experience. All carefully crafted with gameplay and technical innovations that will introduce fans to the new era of Call of Duty. Call of Duty is taking a generational leap forward, ushering in a new era — and it all begins with Modern Warfare II, which leads the most ambitious rollout ever across the franchise. This state-of-the-art experience is set to reshape the famed series and appeal to Call of Duty players everywhere.