CoD players convinced AI bots are secretly being added to MW3 multiplayer

The Call of Duty community is convinced there has been an increasing amount of AI-controlled combatants seeping into their Modern Warfare 3 matches recently.

Players first reported suspicious bot encounters in their public games earlier this week. First spotted by GGRecon, these bots are allegedly taking the place of live opponents, making each game a landslide for a selection of gamers. While it’s not a surefire way of determining who’s AI or human, people have noted bizarre movement and terrible aim as the telltale signs of a bot in your MW3 match in Reddit threads. Players also pointed out their newer teammates might look like bots due to their limited skill set, but they’re definitely not.

Even though these noteworthy bot-like attributes are something to keep an eye on, the other side of the coin has players claiming there is AI even MW3 professionals would fear. From locking onto players’ heads to missing every bullet, the fandom is convinced there are bots of varying difficulties in CoD lobbies—not just mindless DMZ-style combatants.

Bots have been a part of the CoD landscape for years, especially in newer modes like Warzone and DMZ. However, these bots are usually secluded to offline playlists when it comes to multiplayer. These offline games allow players to change the difficulty and enjoy a relaxing experience. What players don’t expect is to see these computer-controlled enemies “in every lobby” and across multiple different play levels.

This hasn’t been limited to a CoD-only issue in modern gaming either. Players claim bots have become an issue in titles like PUBG and Battlefield 2042 as well. Even Fortnite is apparently in the midst of a bot takeover; over there, battle royale players are begging Epic Games to reduce the amount of bots in their online matches. This is partly due to the sheer amount of gamers flocking back to Fortnite since OG’s release in early November.

As for AI in CoD’s battlefields, Activision hasn’t actually discussed any addition of bots in online matches and we may have to hold fire until the next community Q&A to find out more. Dot Esports has reached out to Activision for comment. For now, it is worth keeping in mind there hasn’t been any confirmation of bots in CoD lobbies.