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TheCall of Dutyfranchise has always had new content ready across devices for fans to explore. There’s almost always a new addition to the franchise on the horizon—recently, it’s beenWarzone Mobilethat the community has been waiting for.
The secret to its fast-paced launches might just have been discovered, though, and fans are not happy. With their perspective on the games completely changed, players are calling out Activision and demanding answers for its decisions.
The Newer Call of Duty Games Use the Same Old Engine
ACoDfan on X recently shared a screenshot containing information aboutModern Warfare 3,Warzone, andWarzone Mobile. All of these titles share the same engine—IW 9.0—which is a highly upgraded version of what supported the originalModern Warfarereleased in 2007.
The fact that Call of Duty MW3, Warzone AND Warzone Mobile are all built on the same engine… is why I’m done holding my breathe that this franchise will ever improve🤷♂️ a game engine that was initially released over 18 YEARS AGO!!!🤯pic.twitter.com/kD1X3ynTeX
— ItsHapa (@ItsHapa)June 17, 2025
Another fan brought up how the IW engine was based on id Tech 3, whose last stable release was in 2005.
“activision how cheap you wanna go?“activision – YESpic.twitter.com/NByc9kh7ad
— Affuki (@Affuki)August 11, 2025
Players have faced quite a bit of issues with the IW engine and were disappointed to hear thatWarzone Mobilewould be using it.
IW9 is the biggest mistake in the first place to begin with, shit even struggles on PC. It’s not that good of an engine to begin with/cod devs not utilizing and optimizing the engine properly since they are forced to do yearly releases
— Captain Banana 🍌 (@VeryRealBanana)June 16, 2025
Even though the engine has been updated over time, fans demand a change from Acitivision.
![[REDACTED] Review (PS5) – Innovation Caught the Escape Pod Faster Than We Did](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/05095712/redacted-review-768x432.jpg)
https://twitter.com/SIMON_GHOST131/status/1762817057375289497
Throughout this discourse, Microsoft has surprisingly avoided shots from the community while Activision tanked them all.
A History Lesson on the Call of Duty Engine
Almost all theCall of Dutyentries run on different iterations of the IW engine, with exceptions for a few titles released in between. Let’s quickly dive intothe evolution of the IW engine, a key player in delivering the immersive experiences we’ve come to love.
The engine’s journey began in 2005 withCoD 2, operating under a proprietary license, and it wasn’t until E3 2009 that the engine got an official name – IW 4.0 – as it powered the much-anticipatedCoD: MW2.
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Before IW 4.0, we witnessed the prowess of IW 3.0 inCoD 4: MW. This iteration brought notable features like bullet penetration, enhanced AI, upgraded lighting engines, and more. Fast forward to IW 4.0, gracingMW2and laterCoD Online, introducing texture streaming for higher graphical details without compromising performance.
MW3embraced an upgraded IW 5.0, boasting improvements in streaming technology for rendering larger regions. Then cameCoD: Ghostswith IW 6.0, making its mark by supporting eighth-gen consoles and introducing Pixar’s SubD for intricate details.
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Treyarch modified IW 3.0 forCoD: World at War, evolving into theBlack Ops IIengine with features like dynamic resolution scaling. Sledgehammer Games introduced a custom engine inCoD: Advanced Warfare, refined for subsequent titles. The baton passed to the revamped IW 8.0 inCoD: MW(2019), featuring ray tracing for PC.
Now, we enter the era of IW 9.0. Featured inMWIIandMWIII, it introduces a cutting-edge water simulation system and embraces Intel’s Xe Super Sampling for top-notch visuals.
Do you think the IW engine is holding back theCoDfranchise? Should Activision throw in the towel and shift engines? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Vibha Hegde
Critic/Gaming Writer
Articles Published :594
Vibha is an avid gamer that has been writing about video games for several years. When they’re not complaining about the lack of a Bloodborne sequel or brushing up on the Yokoverse lore, Vibha is busy watching 3-hour video essays on horror games they’re too scared to play themselves.
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Call of DutyCall Of Duty Modern Warfare 3Call of Duty WarzoneWarzone Mobile
