Any typical day, Twitch viewers are likely to see the same list of games at the top of the list of most-watched categories.Grand Theft Auto 5’s RP scene makes it a constant favorite.League of Legends' andValorantboth have thriving esports communities. Then there are MMOs likeWorld of Warcraft, battle royales likeApex LegendsandFortnite, and new games likeElden Ring. Today onTwitch, however, those games were all trumped by the decade-oldCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
At first, the sudden surge ofCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3to become Twitch’s most-viewed game was viewed as entirely baffling. Few knew what to think, as the streams topping the category have been broadcasts from Spain. The English-speaking community had no idea what had led to the surge. Regardless,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, a game released in 2011, reached a peak of over 400,000 viewers on Twitch.
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As confused as many Twitch users may have been, those within Spain’s Twitch community knew exactly what was going on. This wasn’t a sudden manifestation of viewers or a surprise event. This was an organized effort amongst many of Spain’s top Twitch streamers. They were putting on aCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3tournament, organized by popular streamer IlloJuan and attended by other major Spanish Twitch streamers including bysTaXx andTheGregf.
While it may not have been a surprise event, a random return to a decade-old first-person shooter like some might hope, the popularity of the event did rely heavily on the event going viral. As popular as the individual Twitch streamers from Spain might be, they were unlikely to reach so many viewers otherwise. Rather, it was the viral notion thatCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3was making a comeback, as well as a surge in media coverage of the event that built to its spike in popularity. TheCall of Dutycommunityturned out to support such a fun idea.
There was definitely an element of counterculture to the effort, too.Call of Dutyfans' frustration with the current state of the franchise is well-known, due in large part to frustrations with the gameplay quality and performance of bothCall of Duty: WarzoneandCall of Duty: Vanguard. Cheering on whenCall of Dutywas “good” is a pervasive mindset among viewers.
When it’s all said and done,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s surge in popularity is unlikely to linger. It’s a moment of fun from within a specific community that went viral, rather than an organic growth set to be long-lasting. That said, it may persuade groups ofTwitch streamersto do similar events in the future, either withCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, moreCall of Dutygames, or other nostalgic multiplayer titles.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3released in 2011 on PC, PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii.
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