Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Image showcasing a map from MW3 with a sniper rifle on screen. There is a blue, red, and white plane visible with cargo movers present at the side of the player. Red lines lay along the tarmac.
Screenshot by Dot Esports
Category:
CoD

How to fix Extrapolation in MW3

Extrapolate this in MW3.
Image of Gordon Bicker
Gordon Bicker
|

Published: Nov 11, 2023 06:25 am

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has plenty of moments where you will need uninterrupted gameplay during tense multiplayer moments, but an extrapolation warning and the resultant lag can put a bit of a dampener on this.

Recommended Videos

If you’re wondering how to fix extrapolation in MW3, then I have all the information you need in order to try and get over the issue.

What is Extrapolation in MW3?

Extrapolation is a complicated but necessary component of multiplayer games. As someone who does game design, this is an area that I know from research alone can take a lot of work. Essentially, extrapolation (in most cases) is where you try and predict future movements/actions of the player(s) so that it doesn’t look like anyone is lagging around the place like a stop-motion animation. This also stops it from looking like you’re cheating in any way too from another player’s perspective.

There is a lot more background on the subject and how it works but for this article, I recommend just thinking of it as a way in which the game potentially says to itself “You’re going to be in Position A and I should make sure it looks like you’re actually there for others”.

How to fix Extrapolation in MW3 and Warzone

Image from the Sub Base map with the player aiming down an SMG onto the sub in the background. There is a sunrise happening in the back with the sub sitting docked at the port.
It’s hard to track enemies who are extrapolating. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The fixes for extrapolation will be similar to those for fixing any packet burst as it is all connection-based for how extrapolation is done in multiplayer. The first major fix that can especially help is to try an ethernet cable connection if you are currently only using a Wi-fi connection: this can help connection to an excellent degree. I recommend attempting this first before anything else.

However, something in the game that could be useful is also to turn off “On-Demand Texture Streaming” found in the Graphics settings of MW3. I just searched “texture” using the search bar in the menu and it was navigated to easily. Texture streaming eats up a lot of resources so without it, there is a chance you won’t run into as much Extrapolation.

Finally, if you’re finding that these two things haven’t helped in any way (or a quick reset of the console/PC and game) then you can reach out to Activision Support for official help. They will likely be able to assist much further on the back end for any genuine issues your game may be having and need fixing. Explain your problem in detail so there is more to go off when you submit a report of the extrapolation issues.

List of Extrapolation fixes in Modern Warfare 3 (2023)

Here is a quick list of all the fixes I’d personally recommend you try in order of most potentially beneficial to lesser fixes that could still make a difference.

  • Switch to an Ethernet Cable Connection — Faster connection speeds generally.
  • Turn off on-demand texture streaming — Assists with lowering the amount of connection required.
  • De-activate Crossplay from the “Account and Network” menu — This one you should do as one of the last resorts but it will keep matchmaking simpler.
  • Reboot your game, console or PC, and reset your Wifi — Most commonly recommended fixes for many connection issues but sometimes the simplest can work.
  • Make sure your Wifi has decent speeds (at least to the point where your other games don’t constantly lag online) and also turn on the quality of service feature for your router if it has one. This was recommended by Activion on their improving lag page.
  • Change your DNS settings on Console to Google’s — This is a fix that can work for other games from time to time and it requires you to change specific numbers related to the DNS. The primary DNS you should change to is 8.8.8.8 and the secondary DNS is 8.8.4.4. Restart MW3 after that.
  • Re-install CoD: MW3 — If a reboot doesn’t work and none of the other steps do either, then you can try to re-install the game and see if it fixes anything.

With all of those fixes, you should find that at least one of them will work and the texture streaming and Ethernet fixes in particular will likely be winners for you. I personally used to get quite a bit of lag from before switching to a wired connection so I understand how much it can help. Once your extrapolation issue is fixed, you can happily get back to leveling up in MW3.

Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
related content
Author
Image of Gordon Bicker
Gordon Bicker
Gordon is a contributing writer for Dot Esports, Attack of the Fanboy, a Games Design (BA) Honours student, and a Video Game Ambassador. He has been writing at AOTF for two years, with four years of games writing experience for outlets like Green Man Gaming. When he's not busy, he'll no doubt be experiencing games, writing poetry, adventuring, or happily starting a new Skyrim playthrough! Gordon's favorite genres include action RPGs, MMORPG's, and First Person Shooters but is always experimenting with many other types of games.