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Modern Warfare 3 Campaign Not Working Fix

How to Fix Modern Warfare 3 Campaign Not Working

Fans of Call of Duty get to play the campaign early during an early access period through pre-ordering, although some have reported that it’s not working. If you have encountered this problem, we have you covered with a possible fix to the Modern Warfare 3 campaign not working. 

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Modern Warfare 3 Campaign Not Working Solution

Some players who have pre-ordered Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 have encountered an issue where the game asks them to purchase the game to access the campaign. In other cases, the game completely crashes or shows a black screen when trying to play it. Do not repurchase Modern Warfare 3, as there are server issues on the developer’s end. 

While the devs work on a permanent fix, there are some steps you can take to bypass this problem. Follow the methods below.

Fix #1: Reinstall Modern Warfare 3

The most reliable fix to the Modern Warfare 3 campaign not working is to uninstall the game file, reinstall it, and then try to play the campaign again. Doing so will increase the chances of the game recognizing that you own the early access for Modern Warfare 3, bypassing the error and allowing you to play it. 

If you are on Steam, you can reinstall it through the “manage my DLC” screen on the Steam Library page. As for Battle Net players, go to the Modify Install menu by clicking on the gear icon located next to the play button.

Related: MW3 Little Caesar’s Promo: How to Get Free Skin and Rewards

Fix #2: Check Your PC Specs

The next potential fix is ensuring your system meets the game’s requirements. Below, you can find the minimum specs for PCs according to Activision.

  • OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update)
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Hi-Rez Assets Cache: Up to 32 GB
  • Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 / GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 470
  • Video Memory: 2 GB
  • Storage: SSD with 149GB available space.

Fix #3: Lower Graphic Settings

If you meet the recommended specs for Modern Warfare 3 and it continues not to work, your next best bet is to lower the graphics settings. Head into the settings page and reduce the graphics, textures, and anti-aliasing. Doing so has the possibility of preventing the campaign from crashing when booting it up.

Fix #4: Verify Game Files

Lastly, you can fix the Modern Warfare 3 campaign not working by verifying the integrity of the game files. Head into the game settings for your client, either Steam or Battle Net, and select the display option to “scan and fix” files or “verify file integrity.” Afterward, relaunch Modern Warfare 3 and try to play the campaign again.


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Christian Bognar
Christian has been a writer of Attack of the Fanboy for over a year and has covered Shadows of Rose, Lords of the Fallen, Remnant 2, Lies of P, and more; his favorite genre is Survival Horror. He has a business degree but felt the need to take his love for video games to the gaming community. Outside of writing, you can find him listening to all types of podcasts, especially Always Sunny Podcast and Morbid True Crime.