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{{Short description|2023 video game}}
{{Short description|2023 video game}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox video game
{{Infobox video game
| title = ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops
| title = ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops
| image = Modern Ops 2008.png
| image = ModernOps23poster2.png
| developer = [[SOI Studios]]
| developer = [[SOI Studios]]
| publisher = [[Monsteristic]]
| publisher = [[Monsteristic]]
| director = {{Unbulleted list|Owen Sterling|Freddie Goodwin}}
| director =  
| producer = Freddie Goodwin
| producer =  
| designer = [[Freddie Goodwin]]
| designer =  
| programmer =  
| programmer =  
| artist = {{Unbulleted list|Owen Sterling|Leo Carrington}}
| artist =  
| writer =  
| writer =  
| composer = [[Leo Carrington]]
| composer =  
| series = ''[[ShooterofIO]]''
| series = ''[[ShooterofIO (series)|ShooterofIO]]''
| engine = [[SOI (game engine)|SOI 1.0]]
| engine = [[Unreal Engine 5]]
| platform = {{Unbulleted list|[[PlayStation 3]]|[[Windows]]|[[Xbox 360]]}}
| platform = {{Unbulleted list|[[PlayStation 4]]|[[PlayStation 5]]|[[Windows]]|[[Xbox One]]|[[Xbox Series X/S]]}}
| released = October 18, 2007
| released = November 10, 2023
| genre = [[First-person shooter]]
| genre = [[First-person shooter]]
| modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
| modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
}}
}}


'''''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops''''' is a 2007 [[first-person shooter]] [[video game]] developed by [[SOI Studios]] and published by [[Monsteristic]]. It is the first main installment in the ''[[ShooterofIO]]'' series. The game was built on the custom SOI 1.0 engine, which was made by Monsteristic. Developed over one and a half years, ''Modern Ops'' was released on October 18, 2007 for the [[PlayStation 3]], [[Windows]], and [[Xbox 360]].
'''''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops''''' (stylised as '''''ShooterofIO: Modern Ops''''')<ref>The poster omits the “1” as part of its marketing strategy, although the numeral is consistently used in all other promotional material.</ref> is a 2023 [[First-person shooter game|first-person shooter video game]] developed by [[SOI Studios]], and published by [[Monsteristic]]. It is the first entry in the ''Modern Ops'' sub-series and the first installment in the overall ''[[ShooterofIO (series)|ShooterofIO]]'' series. The game was released on November 10, 2023, for [[PlayStation 4]], [[PlayStation 5]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Xbox One]], and [[Xbox Series X/S]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Modern Ops III Platforms|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/home|access-date=June 10, 2023|website=ShooterofIO|language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Official Release Date for the 2023 Installment|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/home|access-date=June 10, 2023|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref>


The story takes place in the year of 2011 when a radical leader has executed the president of an unnamed country in the Middle East, and an ultranationalist movement ignites a civil war in Russia. The conflicts are seen from the perspectives of a U.S. Marine Force Recon sergeant and a British SAS commando and are set in various locales, such as the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Ukraine. The multiplayer portion of the game features numerous game modes and contains a leveling system that allows the player to unlock additional weapons, weapon attachments, and camouflage schemes as they advance.
''Modern Ops'' features a realistic and modern setting. The story follows multi-national special operations unit Task Force 161 tracking down Vladimir Makarov, a Russian ultranationalist and terrorist planning to trigger a third World War. The game's multiplayer includes sixteen maps, with at least twelve new maps planned for inclusion post-launch. A open-world mode called Operations was included at launch featuring gameplay mechanics regarding extraction based survival and [[Zombies]]. ''Modern Ops'' was integrated with ''[[ShooterofIO: Wargrounds]]'' (2023) and features various new features and innovations.


The game was praised by critics, especially for its gameplay and storyline, but there was cristism for the lack of originality. ''Modern Ops'' won numerous "Game of the Year" titles and two [[BAFTA Video Game Awards]]. The game is considered one of the [[greatest video games of all time]]. It was the top-selling game for the years 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011, even out selling newer titles of the franchise and sold well over 160 million copies. A sequel, ''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2]]'', was released in November 2010.  
SOI Studios began developing the game in 2019 when they were formed by Monsteristic. They started developing a modern day game set in the franchise prior to Monsteristic's announcement of the game. After a series of teasers in early-to-mid 2023, the game was officially revealed in August 2023,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Announcing ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/home|access-date=August 18, 2023|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> with a showcase event and public beta also taking place in October. Upon release, ''Modern Ops'' received positive reviews, with criticism for its lack of originality. A sequel, titled ''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2]]'', was released on November 3, 2025.  


== Gameplay ==
==Gameplay==
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' is a [[first-person shooter]]. A character can be in one of three stances: standing, crouching, or prone, each affecting the character's rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth. Using cover helps the player avoid enemy fire or recover health after taking significant damage. As such, there are no armor or health power-ups. When the character has taken damage, the edges of the screen glow red, the character's heartbeat increases. If the character stays out of fire, the character can recover. When the character is within blast radius of a live grenade, a marker indicates the direction of the grenade, helping the player either flee or toss it back to the enemy.
[[File:Modern Warfare III Gameplay.png|left|thumb|197x197px|The player aiming at a group of enemies with their weapon. The enemy radar is visible in the top left.]]
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' is a [[first-person shooter]]. A character can be in one of three stances: standing, crouching, or prone, each affecting the character's rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth. Using cover helps the player avoid enemy fire or recover health after taking significant damage. As such, there are no armor or health power-ups. When the character has taken damage, the edges of the screen glow red, the character's heartbeat increases. If the character stays out of fire, the character can recover. When the character is within blast radius of a live grenade, a marker indicates the direction of the grenade, helping the player either flee or toss it back to the enemy. The game's single player campaign features a mixture of linear missions, and open-world missions known as "Open Combat Missions".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Open Combat Missions in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/opencombatmissions|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> In these missions, players have greater freedom to choose how they want to approach designated objectives, choosing between open combat to stealth and ambush tactics.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Linear vs Open-World Missions in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/missiontypes|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> Players have access to an on-screen map of the area, including a tactical map that outlines objectives and usual equipment,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tactical Map Features in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/tacticalmap|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> with caches of weapons, gear and specialized equipment on hand. Enemies react accordingly during such missions, searching for players if they lose sight of them, and calling in reinforcements as their numbers decrease in combat.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Enemy AI Behavior in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/enemybehavior|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref>


=== Campaign ===
In Multiplayer, sixteen maps are available to play on,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Multiplayer Maps in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/multiplayermaps|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> with the added ability to vote for maps while in a matchmade lobby (which was absent in some recent titles), and increased player health for longer "time-to-kill" (TTK).<ref>{{Cite web|title=TTK and Health Adjustments in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/ttkadjustments|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> The "red dot" minimap is featured, allowing players to see enemies on their radar when they fire a weapon without a suppressor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minimap Changes in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/minimapchanges|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> In addition, players are also able to cancel sliding animations (''i.e'' "slide cancel"). Classic game modes such as "Kill Confirmed" and "Hardpoint" return alongside a new game mode titled "Cutthroat", where three teams of three players go head to head.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Game Modes in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/newgamemodes|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> Players can also engage in the 32v32 "Ground War" mode with a selection of dedicated maps, as well as the "War" mode, returning from 2017's ''ShooterofIO: WWII''. The game features moderation powered by artificial intelligence, listening in on in-game interactions and immediately reporting any overly-toxic behavior.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AI-Powered Moderation in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/aimoderation|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref> At least twelve new 6v6 multiplayer maps have been confirmed to release post-launch, while fan-favorite ''Modern Ops II'' maps will also be added every season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Post-Launch Content for Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/postlaunchcontent|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Fan-Favorite Maps Returning in Modern Ops III|url=https://sites.google.com/view/shooterofio/fanfavoritemaps|access-date=2024-08-17|website=ShooterofIO|language=english}}</ref>
The player takes on the role of various characters during a single-player campaign. The characters' involvement in the plot occurs simultaneously and overlaps the events in the game. As such, the player's perspective changes from one character to another between missions. Each mission features a series of objectives; the player is led to each objective with the heads-up display, which marks its direction and distance. Some objectives require that the player arrives at a checkpoint, while other objectives require the player to eliminate enemies in a specified location, stand their ground to defend an objective, or plant explosive charges on an enemy installation. After completing the campaign, a special epilogue mission is unlocked for play. The mission itself has no bearing on the campaign plot and focuses on a SAS squad fighting terrorists that have hijacked an airplane and taken a VIP hostage. The main campaign features 30 collectible pieces of intel that award the player with game cheats and visual filters such as infinite ammunition, cluster grenades, and increased contrast.


=== Multiplayer ===
An [[open world]] [[player versus environment]] (PvE) mode called Operations is included in the game. The game mode is structured similarly to the DMZ mode in ''[[Call of Duty: Warzone (2022 video game)|Call of Duty: Warzone]]'' (2022). Up to 24 players play together as separate squads in a large-sized map, which is also used as the new battle royale map for ''Wargrounds''. Each team can tackle zombies, as well as AI-controlled human enemies, to complete objectives around the map, as well as collect loot and sell them at buy stations, or extract them via exfiltration. In place of rounds, the map is divided into "zones", with varying levels of threat indicating the difficulty. After 45 minutes of in-match time, an "Aether Storm" begins to expand and cover the map, leaving players with 15 minutes to exfil with their loot. Core mechanics from previous Zombies modes return, such as weapon wallbuys, Perk-a-Cola drinks, and the Mystery Box. Players can also extract "acquisitions", which are items that can be stored or brought into subsequent matches for use, or "schematics", which allow them to craft said items, with a cooldown limit. Story quests are also featured in the mode, which further progress the narrative.<ref name="ZombiesOverview">{{Cite web|date=2023-10-05|last=Warby|first=Nathan|title=Modern Warfare 3 Zombies mode: Trailer, story, gameplay, more|url=https://www.charlieintel.com/call-of-duty/modern-warfare-3-zombies-mode-260375/|access-date=2023-10-05|website=Charlieintel.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' features team-based and deathmatch-based multiplayer modes on various maps. Each mode has an objective that requires unique strategies to complete. Players can call in UAV reconnaissance scans, airstrikes, and attack helicopters when they achieve three-, five-, and seven-enemy kill streaks respectively. A game ends when either a team or player has reached a predefined number of points, or the allotted time expires in which case the team or player with the most points wins. If the points are even when the time expires, Sudden Death mode is activated in which there is no re-spawning, and the team that either has the last man standing or achieves the objective first is the winner. If the player is in either of the two matches, then there is an Overtime match, in which the next team to win is rewarded the victory.


The player's performance in the multiplayer mode is tracked with experience points, which can be earned by killing opposing players, completing challenges, completing objectives, or by completing a round or match. As the player gains experience, they advance in level, unlocking new weapons, perks, challenges, and gameplay modes. The highest obtainable level is 55, but on the console versions of the game, the player has the option to enter "Prestige" mode, which returns their level to one and removes all accumulated unlockables. This process can be repeated up to 10 times with a different insignia being given each time.
== Plot ==


As the player advances in levels and goes up higher in prestige, they earn the ability to customize their classes; this includes selecting their main weapon, sidearm, and special grenade type. Additionally, the player can select 3 perks, one from each of the three "Tiers", that can customize their character further. Perk effects include, but are not limited to, extra ammunition, increasing bullet damage by the player, or dropping a live grenade when the player is killed. The player is also given the choice to complete challenges to receive even more experience points; challenges include achieving a certain number of kills with a specific weapon, shooting down a helicopter, or performing several headshots. Additionally, when the player attains a certain number of headshots with a specific weapon, excluding sidearms, the player unlocks extra weapon "camos", or camouflage, to use for that specific weapon.
=== Campaign ===
In November 2023, a paramilitary syndicate known as Black Larch executes a coordinated assault on the Kollekt Prison Compound, a maximum-security facility in northwestern Kalibia, a post-Soviet republic undergoing political transition. Their objective is the extraction of Anton Sokol, a former deep-state architect and war criminal believed dead since his capture during the 2012 Odessa insurrection. Intelligence agencies had kept Sokol’s existence classified due to his role in designing psychological warfare programs and his connection to a failed NATO-backed proxy operation in Eastern Europe. Within hours of his escape, Black Larch launches a missile strike on a naval base in Montrevieux, a neutral coastal nation used by Western powers for clandestine logistics, killing 49 personnel and drawing international scrutiny.


== Synopsis ==
The strike is initially blamed on separatist groups in the region, but when satellite surveillance captures footage of the same model missiles seen in Kalibia being moved through a Montrevieux harbor weeks before the attack, suspicion turns toward internal sabotage. NATO command contacts independent intelligence officer Marin Davor, who assembles a black ops unit consisting of infiltration specialist Elias Wren, former Europol analyst Julia Varga, and urban combat expert Ayaan Rafiq. The team is tasked with tracing the origins of the smuggled missile and uncovering how Sokol was able to orchestrate a prison escape under full international surveillance.


=== Characters ===
The investigation leads the team to an abandoned oil research facility in central Anatolia, where they uncover a makeshift lab designed to refine an experimental compound known as Zeront-4, a neurochemical agent intended to mimic the effects of mass psychosis in target populations. Traces of the compound suggest that Black Larch intends to use it not only as a weapon, but also as a psychological tool—mirroring Sokol’s past experiments. Before the team can secure the facility, Black Larch operatives destroy it using thermite explosives, forcing the squad to evacuate under fire.
During the single-player campaign, the player controls six different characters from a first-person perspective. The player assumes the role of a recent recruit to the British Special Air Service (SAS), John "Soap" MacTavish for most of the game, starting with his induction into the 22nd SAS Regiment. Sergeant Paul Jackson is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps 1st Force Recon Company deployed to an unnamed Middle Eastern country. Captain John Price (Billy Murray) is a SAS officer who is playable in two flashback missions from 1996 in which he is a lieutenant.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=A Deep Dive into the Characters of Modern Warfare|website=Gaming Today|volume=15|issue=3|year=2014|pages=45-50}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Understanding John 'Soap' MacTavish's Journey|website=Military Games Quarterly|volume=8|issue=2|year=2015|pages=12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Michael|title=The Role of SAS in Modern Warfare|website=SpecOps Journal|volume=10|issue=4|year=2016|pages=23-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Sarah|title=Exploring the U.S. Marine Corps in Gaming|website=Marine Corps Review|volume=9|issue=1|year=2017|pages=34-40}}</ref> The player also assumes the role of an American TV operator aboard a Lockheed AC-130 gunship during one level and an unnamed SAS operative infiltrating a hijacked airliner to save a VIP in a secret level titled "Mile High Club." Finally, the player briefly controls Yasir Al-Fulani, the president of an unnamed Middle Eastern country, although the player has no freedom of action beyond turning his head.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilson|first=James|title=Captain John Price's Impact on Modern Warfare|website=British Military History|volume=12|issue=5|year=2018|pages=27-33}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Jessica|title=Flashback Missions: A Retrospective|website=Retro Games Monthly|volume=6|issue=3|year=2019|pages=15-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Daniel|title=AC-130 Gunship Missions in Video Games|website=Aviation Gamer|volume=4|issue=2|year=2015|pages=22-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Martinez|first=Angela|title=The Secret Mission 'Mile High Club'|website=Covert Operations|volume=11|issue=4|year=2017|pages=19-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Robinson|first=David|title=Character Analysis: Yasir Al-Fulani|website=Middle East Gaming Review|volume=5|issue=1|year=2018|pages=10-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Brian|title=NPCs in Modern Warfare: Allies and Mentors|website=Game Character Insights|volume=7|issue=2|year=2016|pages=33-39}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Christopher|title=Lieutenant Vasquez and Staff Sergeant Griggs|website=Marine Corps Stories|volume=8|issue=3|year=2015|pages=24-30}}</ref>


The game's non-playable characters (NPCs) feature prominently in the story: Captain Price and his second-in-command, Gaz (Craig Fairbrass), serve as mentors to Soap. Jackson's platoon is led by Lieutenant Vasquez (David Sobolov) and Staff Sergeant Griggs (Mark Grigsby); Griggs later accompanies the SAS. Sergeant Kamarov (Mark Ivanir) leads the Russian loyalists that aid the SAS and USMC forces. "Nikolai" (Sven Holmberg) is a Russian loyalist informant who helps the SAS. Captain MacMillan (voiced by Zach Hanks) is Price's mentor and commanding officer during a flashback.<ref>{{cite web|last=Walker|first=Elizabeth|title=Sergeant Kamarov: A Russian Perspective|website=Russian Military Gaming|volume=6|issue=4|year=2017|pages=18-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Harris|first=Robert|title=Nikolai the Informant: His Role and Significance|website=Espionage in Gaming|volume=9|issue=2|year=2018|pages=14-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=King|first=Amanda|title=Captain MacMillan's Flashback Missions|website=Historical Gaming Review|volume=5|issue=5|year=2019|pages=12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Young|first=Steven|title=Imran Zakhaev: The Ultranationalist Leader|website=Global Conflict in Games|volume=10|issue=1|year=2017|pages=22-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Scott|first=Patricia|title=Khaled Al-Asad: Revolutionary Commander|website=Middle Eastern Conflict Review|volume=7|issue=3|year=2016|pages=26-32}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Campbell|first=Andrew|title=Victor Zakhaev: The Heir to Ultranationalism|website=Political Figures in Gaming|volume=8|issue=4|year=2018|pages=21-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Green|first=Jennifer|title=Locations of Modern Warfare: An Overview|website=Global Gaming Journal|volume=9|issue=2|year=2019|pages=30-36}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Baker|first=Charles|title=The United Kingdom Missions|website=British Gaming Review|volume=6|issue=1|year=2017|pages=23-29}}</ref>
Back in Brussels, Davor is pulled into an emergency intelligence summit, where he is warned not to pursue Sokol further. Realizing he is being boxed out by political forces seeking deniability, he sends Wren and Rafiq to intercept a convoy moving through the border between Sarmatia and eastern Kalibia. The convoy is transporting Mirek Jalov, Sokol’s chief financier and a key link to a rogue weapons development lab housed under a disused hydroelectric facility. Jalov reveals that Sokol’s goal is to test Zeront-4 on a civilian population and trigger a crisis large enough to fracture NATO alignment on regional stability efforts.


The antagonists in the story include Imran Zakhaev (Yevgeni Lazarev), the leader of the Russian Ultranationalist Party and the main antagonist of the game; Khaled Al-Asad, the commander of the revolutionary forces in the unnamed Middle Eastern country and an ally of Imran Zakhaev; and Victor Zakhaev, the son of Imran Zakhaev and a priority figure in the Ultranationalist Party.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=Rebecca|title=Russian Landscapes in Modern Warfare|website=Russian Gaming Quarterly|volume=7|issue=3|year=2016|pages=17-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Hill|first=Matthew|title=Azerbaijan in Video Games|website=Eastern European Gaming|volume=8|issue=2|year=2015|pages=14-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Adams|first=Natalie|title=Ukrainian Missions: An Analysis|website=European Gaming Review|volume=9|issue=1|year=2018|pages=25-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Parker|first=Laura|title=Soap MacTavish: From Recruit to Veteran|website=Military Heroes in Gaming|volume=10|issue=4|year=2019|pages=11-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Collins|first=Michael|title=The USMC's Role in Modern Warfare|website=American Military Gaming|volume=5|issue=5|year=2017|pages=20-26}}</ref>
Meanwhile, Varga works with whistleblowers inside the Sarmatian intelligence network to locate the next target: the city of Velgrad, a critical transportation and information hub where Black Larch has embedded a sleeper network within the city’s emergency services. The plan is to trigger a chemical release disguised as an accidental infrastructure failure. With time running out, the team deploys across Velgrad, neutralizing multiple detonation sites and uncovering evidence that Sokol intends to use a secondary target—the Orion Tunnel, an undersea transit link between Velgrad and Kharvan, to collapse trade and supply routes across the region.


Locations featured in the campaign include the United Kingdom, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web|last=Reed|first=Susan|title=The Flashback Missions of Captain Price|website=Time Travel in Games|volume=6|issue=2|year=2018|pages=13-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Stewart|first=Daniel|title=The AC-130 Gunship Level|website=Air Combat in Gaming|volume=7|issue=4|year=2016|pages=28-34}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Fisher|first=Jessica|title=The 'Mile High Club' Secret Mission|website=Covert Operations in Games|volume=8|issue=1|year=2017|pages=22-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Howard|first=Thomas|title=The Role of Yasir Al-Fulani|website=Political Figures in Gaming|volume=9|issue=3|year=2019|pages=19-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Hughes|first=Linda|title=Mentors and Allies: Price and Gaz|website=Gaming Companions Quarterly|volume=10|issue=2|year=2018|pages=30-36}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Moore|first=Richard|title=The Russian Loyalists: Aiding the SAS|website=Allied Forces in Gaming|volume=11|issue=3|year=2019|pages=18-24}}</ref>
In a final, multi-pronged operation, Wren leads an assault on the Orion Tunnel command center while Varga and Rafiq intercept a hijacked civilian freight train carrying canisters of Zeront-4. In a last-ditch confrontation inside the tunnel system, Sokol attempts to release the gas manually after remote detonation systems fail. Wren confronts him in hand-to-hand combat. The team succeeds in securing the compound, but at the cost of Rafiq’s life, who sacrifices himself to ensure the final canisters are destroyed in a controlled detonation.


=== Plot ===
In the aftermath, NATO issues no official statement on the incident. Davor, disillusioned by the silence and political maneuvering, resigns from his post. Wren and Varga return to unofficial operations, observing from a distance as a wave of high-level resignations quietly ripples through several intelligence agencies. In the final scene, Sokol’s name appears on a decrypted flash drive inside a secure facility in Avalon, flagged under a new clearance level labeled "Crimson Class." A figure at the terminal closes the laptop, revealing the threat remains unresolved.
In 2011, a Second Russian Civil War breaks out between the Russian Federation and the Russian Ultranationalist Party, which opposes the government's Westernization efforts and seeks to return Russia to its Soviet-era glory. Meanwhile, the government of an unnamed Middle Eastern country is overthrown in a coup d'état led by Khaled Al-Asad, who holds anti-Western views. In response, the United States invades the country. A platoon of U.S. Marines from 1st Force Recon Company, led by Lieutenant Vasquez, fail to capture Al-Asad and later engage in urban combat in a nearby city with support from an M1 Abrams tank named "War Pig."


Meanwhile, new British Special Air Service operator Sergeant John "Soap" MacTavish is recruited into Captain Price's team, infiltrating a cargo ship in the Bering Strait. Neutralizing the armed Russians on board, the team secures a nuclear device labeled in Arabic. Ultranationalist Mig-29s scuttle the ship, but the SAS narrowly escapes by helicopter.
=== Operations ===
On July 16th, 2023, Victor Shari spearheaded a daring operation in the obscure town of Azariah, a place lost in time and shrouded in secrecy, notable for harboring a clandestine prison constructed in the 1970s, its purpose unknown until now. Joined by his adept accomplice, Jackson, they initiated a fierce confrontation with the local law enforcement, causing chaos and confusion amidst the narrow alleyways and dilapidated corridors of the town. Their bold endeavor led them to a concealed wall, previously identified through meticulous research, which concealed the entrance to the long-hidden prison. Upon breaching the wall, they were confronted with a chilling scene: six bodies, expressions of agony permanently etched on their faces, and, more shockingly, a vault housing four tubes of Dark Aether Shards, a mysterious and potent material.


The regiment is next tasked with rescuing a Russian informant named Nikolai who was working within the Ultranationalist Party until his cover was blown and he was captured. Assisted by Russian loyalist forces, Price's team extracts Nikolai. However, their helicopter is shot down, forcing the team to make their way through enemy territory with support from an AC-130 gunship before they are successfully extracted. Intelligence gathered from these two missions indicates that Al-Asad may have a Russian nuclear weapon.
The discovery of the Dark Aether Shards filled Victor and Jackson with both awe and trepidation. Victor, with careful precision, secured the shards in a specialized case, preparing for their escape. However, their situation quickly deteriorated as they encountered heightened resistance from the reinforced police forces, resulting in casualties among their ranks and a serious injury to Victor. In a desperate move to escape, Victor employed one of the Dark Aether Shards, causing a massive explosion that transformed the battlefield. Soldiers, both dead and alive, were transformed into zombies, exhibiting feral and inhuman traits, marking the birth of a terrifying new weapon that promised to alter the future of warfare. As they fled Azariah, the town's fate was sealed, irrevocably changed by their actions.


The U.S. launches a full-scale assault on Al-Asad's presidential palace, aware of the possible nuclear device. As SEAL Team 6 raids the palace, the USMC engages Al-Asad's ground forces. However, the assault ends in catastrophe when the nuclear device suddenly detonates, wiping out most of the city along with 40,000 American servicemembers.
Meanwhile, a specialized team comprising John Price, Soap MacTavish, and Sergei Ravenov prepared for an unprecedented mission aboard a covert aircraft, their objective clear yet daunting: to confront the undead horde unleashed by Victor's actions. The gravity of their mission was palpable, with each member bringing unique skills and experiences to the table, particularly Ravenov, whose prior encounters with similar anomalies made him the operation's lead. They landed at an undisclosed location, armed with an arsenal of weapons and experimental technology, including a classified serum and blueprints for an EMP device, underscoring the seriousness of their undertaking. Their resolve was firm: to fight not just for national security but for humanity's survival against a rapidly spreading undead threat.


Refusing to assume Al-Asad is dead, Price's team, supported by Russian loyalists, raids a safe house in Azerbaijan where they locate and capture the warlord. While being interrogated, Al-Asad's phone rings and Price answers it before executing Al-Asad, revealing that the caller was Imran Zakhaev, the leader of the Russian Ultranationalists. Price explains that in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Zakhaev profited from nuclear proliferation and used his new wealth to lure former members of the Soviet military to form his Ultranationalist Party. In light of this threat, then-Lieutenant Price and his superior Captain MacMillan were ordered to assassinate Zakhaev in Pripyat, Ukraine in 1996. Price severed Zakhaev's left arm with a sniper rifle but failed to finish him off, with the two then barely escaping Ultranationalist forces.
In the aftermath, Victor Shari and Jackson ventured into the Forest of the Dead, a haunting and malevolent landscape far removed from the now-desolate Azariah. The catastrophic impact of the Dark Aether Shards had reached far beyond their initial encounter, transforming Azariah into a wasteland overrun by the undead. Their ambitions, however, faced immediate opposition from Price, MacTavish, and Ravenov, who confronted them in a tense standoff. Despite Victor's claim of controlling the undead, the task force strategically retreated, marking only the beginning of a larger conflict. As both factions regrouped, they were unaware of the profound challenges that lay ahead, with Victor's manipulation of the Dark Aether hinting at a power struggle that could dictate the fate of humanity.


Following Al-Asad's death, Price's team holds off against Ultranationalist forces who arrive to avenge him. A joint task force composed of the SAS, Marines, and Russian loyalists then attempts to capture Zakhaev's son, Victor, to learn Zakhaev's whereabouts. After ambushing him, Victor flees but is cornered on the roof of an apartment building, committing suicide to avoid capture. Enraged, Zakhaev retaliates by seizing control of a Russian nuclear launch facility.
Victor's descent into madness, fueled by the corruptive influence of the Dark Aether, led to a tragic confrontation in a hidden laboratory, where he inadvertently killed Jackson, his closest ally. His spiraling loss of control mirrored the broader chaos unleashed upon the world, as he and the task force led by Price, MacTavish, and Ravenov prepared for a climactic showdown. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, both sides found themselves embroiled in a conflict that transcended conventional warfare, facing an enemy whose ambitions had evolved into a cosmic threat. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes a harrowing journey through darkness and despair, a testament to the profound cost of wielding powers beyond human comprehension, setting the stage for a final, desperate bid to restore order and prevent a catastrophe of unprecedented scale.


An operation is launched by the task force to take back the site, but Zakhaev launches nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles at the US East Coast, with the potential of causing 41 million casualties. The task force manages to breach the facility and remotely destroy the missiles over the Atlantic Ocean, escaping in military trucks with Ultranationalist forces in close pursuit.
== Development ==
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' was devloped by a team of 60 people, over the course of a year and a half. After being aquired by Monsteristic, the SOI Studios team decided to create a first-person shooter video game, that would be supported for two years before moving to a potential sequel if the game was successful. At first, the game was simply going to be titled "Modern Ops". Three months into development, the game title was changed to simply "ShooterofIO". Shortly before the reveal of the game in 2023, it was retitled to be ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops''. The team changed the title to what it is due to them learning of Air Studios' upcoming game as an installment in the series of games, with them deciding to make things a franchise.


An Ultranationalist Mi-24 Hind destroys a bridge and traps the task force. In the ensuing firefight, a tanker explodes, and many of the group are either killed or injured. Zakhaev himself arrives and begins executing wounded soldiers, including Gaz, when he is distracted by attacking loyalist reinforcements. Price takes the opportunity to slide a pistol to Soap, who kills Zakhaev and his escort. Loyalist forces begin tending to the wounded and extracting them to safety, with Price seen receiving CPR; his fate is left unknown.
While developing the story for ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'', SOI Studios chose to avoid referencing current, real-life wars, and keep the series' common theme of two opposing forces of similar strength. To enhance the realistic feel of the game, the development team attended a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, a training facility in the California desert. This helped the developers to simulate the effects of being near an Abrams tank when it fires. The team also talked with U.S. Marines who were recently in combat to get a feel for the background, emotions, and attitude of Marines in combat. Veterans were also recruited to supervise motion capture sessions and the artificial intelligence design of the game.


== Development ==
The development team designed the online multiplayer component to be balanced and rewarding for new players while still offering something for experienced players. An early idea to implement air support (air strikes and attack helicopters) involved players fighting over special zones to access a trigger for air support against enemies. This idea was discarded because it discouraged the type of deathmatch gameplay they intended. The killstreak reward system was put in its place to encourage the improvement of player skills. Players were allowed to select weapons before matches to get accustomed to weapons more easily and minimize weapon hunting. Maps were designed primarily for deathmatch games—the developers felt such designs suited other types of gameplay as well. Map layouts were designed to minimize locations players could hide from enemy gunfire.
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' was devloped by a team of 60 people, over the course of a year and a half. After being aquired by Monsteristic, the SOI Studios team decided to create a first-person shooter video game,<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Monsteristic's Acquisition of SOI Studios|website=Industry Acquisitions Journal|volume=7|issue=3|year=2008|pages=14-20}}</ref> that would be supported for two years before moving to a potential sequel if the game was successful.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=The Evolution of the ShooterofIO Franchise|website=Gaming History Quarterly|volume=11|issue=1|year=2011|pages=17-23}}</ref> At first, the game was simply going to be titled "Modern Ops". Three months into development, the game title was changed to simply "ShooterofIO". Shortly before the reveal of the game in 2007, it was retitled to be ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=Kevin|title=The Development Journey of ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|website=Game Development Insights|volume=12|issue=4|year=2010|pages=22-28}}</ref> The team changed the title to what it is due to them learning of Air Studios' upcoming game as an installment in the series of games,<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Creating Modern Ops: From Concept to Release|website=First-Person Shooter Review|volume=9|issue=2|year=2009|pages=30-36}}</ref> with them deciding to make things a franchise.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=SOI Studios' Strategic Decisions in Game Titles|website=Game Design Decisions|volume=8|issue=5|year=2009|pages=10-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Foster|first=Sarah|title=The Impact of Air Studios on ShooterofIO's Title Change|website=Game Industry Impact Review|volume=10|issue=3|year=2010|pages=18-24}}</ref>


While developing the story for ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'', SOI Studios chose to avoid referencing current, real-life wars, and keep the series' common theme of two opposing forces of similar strength.<ref>{{cite web|last=Harris|first=John|title=Developing Realism in ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|website=Game Design Journal|volume=14|issue=2|year=2011|pages=22-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Avoiding Real-Life Wars in Modern Ops|website=Military Gaming Review|volume=9|issue=1|year=2010|pages=12-18}}</ref> To enhance the realistic feel of the game, the development team attended a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms,<ref>{{cite web|last=Martinez|first=David|title=Live-Fire Exercises at Twentynine Palms for Game Development|website=Combat Training Quarterly|volume=13|issue=3|year=2011|pages=33-39}}</ref> a training facility in the California desert. This helped the developers to simulate the effects of being near an Abrams tank when it fires.<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Sarah|title=Simulating Realism: The Role of Abrams Tanks in Modern Ops|website=Tank Warfare in Gaming|volume=8|issue=4|year=2012|pages=14-20}}</ref> The team also talked with U.S. Marines who were recently in combat to get a feel for the background, emotions, and attitude of Marines in combat.<ref>{{cite web|last=Walker|first=James|title=Insights from U.S. Marines: Crafting Realistic Combat Scenes|website=Marine Corps Insights|volume=11|issue=2|year=2011|pages=19-25}}</ref> Veterans were also recruited to supervise motion capture sessions and the artificial intelligence design of the game.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Michael|title=Veterans' Contributions to Motion Capture and AI Design|website=Game Development Insights|volume=10|issue=5|year=2012|pages=21-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jessica|title=The Emotional and Psychological Realism in Modern Ops|website=Gaming Psychology Review|volume=7|issue=3|year=2011|pages=17-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Robert|title=Creating Authentic Military Experiences in ShooterofIO 1|website=Realism in Gaming|volume=12|issue=1|year=2012|pages=28-34}}</ref>
=== Leaks ===
A large amount of content for ''Modern Ops'' was leaked before being officially revealed. Around July 17, 2023, the "red dot" minimap, War mode, and new perks were leaked from an internal alpha build. On July 24, 2023, the game's key art was leaked in a Monster Energy promotion, featuring an image of Captain Price behind the ''Modern Ops'' logo. Around the time of the key art leak, several new weapons were datamined. The key art leak was confirmed real by Monsteristic, who issued copyright takedowns and acknowledged the leak via Twitter with sarcastic tweets.


The development team designed the online multiplayer component to be balanced and rewarding for new players while still offering something for experienced players.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=Balancing Multiplayer in Modern Ops|website=Multiplayer Gaming Hub|url=https://www.multiplayergaminghub.com/modernops/balancing|volume=12|issue=2|year=2011|pages=15-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Emily|title=Early Concepts of Air Support in ShooterofIO|website=Game Development Journal|url=https://www.gamedevjournal.com/shooterofio/airsupport|volume=14|issue=3|year=2012|pages=28-34}}</ref> An early idea to implement air support (air strikes and attack helicopters) involved players fighting over special zones to access a trigger for air support against enemies. This idea was discarded because it discouraged the type of deathmatch gameplay they intended.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Michael|title=Implementing the Killstreak Reward System|website=FPS Design Insights|url=https://www.fpsdesigninsights.com/killstreaks|volume=9|issue=1|year=2010|pages=10-16}}</ref> The killstreak reward system was put in its place to encourage the improvement of player skills. Players were allowed to select weapons before matches to get accustomed to weapons more easily and minimize weapon hunting.<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Jessica|title=Weapon Selection Strategies in Multiplayer Games|website=Weaponry in Gaming|url=https://www.weaponrygaming.com/selectionstrategies|volume=11|issue=4|year=2011|pages=22-28}}</ref> Maps were designed primarily for deathmatch games—the developers felt such designs suited other types of gameplay as well.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilson|first=David|title=Designing Maps for Deathmatch Gameplay|website=Map Design Monthly|url=https://www.mapdesignmonthly.com/deathmatch|volume=8|issue=2|year=2010|pages=30-36}}</ref> Map layouts were designed to minimize locations players could hide from enemy gunfire.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lee|first=Sarah|title=Minimizing Hiding Spots in Multiplayer Maps|website=Game Map Layouts|url=https://www.gamemaplayouts.com/hidingspots|volume=10|issue=3|year=2012|pages=19-25}}</ref>
=== Music ===
Walter Mair composed the score for ''Modern Ops'', following Sarah Schachner's departure from the rebooted ''Modern Ops'' sub-series over challenges in the working dynamic with SOI Studios's audio director. Mair has previously worked with the ''ShooterofIO'' franchise on ''ShooterofIO: Mobile''. In addition to Mair's score, ''Modern Ops'' also features a Zombies score composed by Jack Wall, who frequently partners with Air Studios on the ''Dark Warfare'' sub-series.


=== Game engine ===
== Marketing ==
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' runs on the SOI 1.0 engine, which features true world-dynamic lighting, HDR lighting effects, dynamic shadows and depth of field.<ref>{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=Kevin|title=Exploring the SOI 1.0 Engine|website=Game Tech Innovations|url=https://www.gametechinnovations.com/soi1.0engine|volume=13|issue=2|year=2011|pages=22-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Dynamic Lighting in ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|website=Lighting in Gaming|url=https://www.lightinggaming.com/dynamiclighting|volume=7|issue=4|year=2010|pages=14-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=HDR Lighting and Dynamic Shadows in SOI 1.0|website=Visual Effects Journal|url=https://www.visualeffectsjournal.com/hdrlighting|volume=9|issue=3|year=2012|pages=30-36}}</ref> Bullet penetration is calculated by the engine, taking into account factors such as surface type and entity thickness.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=Bullet Penetration Mechanics in Modern Ops|website=FPS Mechanics Review|url=https://www.fpsmechanicsreview.com/bulletpenetration|volume=11|issue=1|year=2011|pages=17-23}}</ref> The game runs in a native resolution of 600p on the Xbox 360 and PS3.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=Performance and Resolution on Xbox 360 and PS3|website=Console Gaming Insights|url=https://www.consolegaminginsights.com/resolution|volume=8|issue=5|year=2010|pages=10-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Foster|first=Sarah|title=Technical Features of the SOI 1.0 Engine|website=Gaming Technology Today|url=https://www.gamingtechnologytoday.com/soi1.0|volume=10|issue=3|year=2011|pages=18-24}}</ref>
On August 7, 2023, a teaser trailer was posted, confirming the title. Around this time, a phone number was set up by Activision that was shared via social media. This phone number, after participants agreed to a few terms, would begin sending anonymous messages to participants, such as "we need someone like you, with experience in Al Mazrah."


Certain objects, such as cars and some buildings, are destructible.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Destructible Environments in Modern Ops|website=Game Environment Review|url=https://www.gameenvironmentreview.com/destructibleobjects|volume=12|issue=3|year=2011|pages=22-28}}</ref> This makes distinguishing cover from concealment important, as the protection provided by objects such as wooden fences and thin walls do not completely protect players from harm.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=Cover vs. Concealment: Realism in ShooterofIO|website=FPS Realism Insights|url=https://www.fpsrealisminsights.com/covervsconcealment|volume=14|issue=2|year=2012|pages=14-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Bullet Penetration Mechanics in Modern Ops|website=Bullet Physics Journal|url=https://www.bulletphysicsjournal.com/penetrationmechanics|volume=9|issue=1|year=2010|pages=30-36}}</ref> Bullet stopping power is decreased after penetrating an object, and the decrease is dependent on the thickness and surface type of the object.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Understanding Stopping Power and Object Penetration|website=Gaming Ballistics Monthly|url=https://www.gamingballisticsmonthly.com/stoppingpower|volume=11|issue=4|year=2011|pages=17-23}}</ref> The game makes use of a dynamic physics engine.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=Dynamic Physics in ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|website=Physics in Gaming|url=https://www.physicsingaming.com/dynamicphysics|volume=10|issue=2|year=2012|pages=10-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=Effect of Object Thickness on Bullet Penetration|website=Game Mechanics Today|url=https://www.gamemechanicstoday.com/objectthickness|volume=8|issue=5|year=2010|pages=18-24}}</ref>
''Modern Ops'' was released on November 10, 2023, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The campaign was released in early access for all digital pre-orders, starting from November 2, 2023.


The game engine has also been used for the development of two other Monsteristic games.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=The Evolution of the SOI Engine in Dark Warfare|website=Game Engine Innovations|url=https://www.gameengineinnovations.com/darkwarfare|volume=13|issue=3|year=2013|pages=22-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=Monsteristic's Use of the SOI Engine|website=Game Development Today|url=https://www.gamedevtoday.com/soiengine|volume=14|issue=2|year=2014|pages=14-20}}</ref> An enhanced version of the original engine was used in ''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare]]'', the second installment in the ''ShooterofIO'' series.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Enhanced Engine Features in ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare|website=FPS Engine Review|url=https://www.fpsenginereview.com/darkwarfare|volume=9|issue=1|year=2015|pages=30-36}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=From Modern Ops to Dark Warfare: Engine Enhancements|website=Gaming Technology Journal|url=https://www.gamingtechnologyjournal.com/engineenhancements|volume=11|issue=4|year=2016|pages=17-23}}</ref>
== Post-launch content ==
''Modern Ops'' features free seasonal content updates with an in-game store selling cosmetic item bundles via microtransactions.


== Marketing ==
=== Seasons ===
In April 2007, the reveal trailer was released on all platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Reveal Trailer Released|website=Game Trailers News|url=https://www.gametrailersnews.com/shooterofio/revealtrailer|date=April 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=Modern Ops Trailer Launches Across Social Media Platforms|website=Social Media Gaming|url=https://www.socialmediagaming.com/modops/trailerlaunch|date=April 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=The Impact of Modern Ops Trailer on Social Media|website=Gaming Marketing Insights|url=https://www.gamingmarketinginsights.com/modernops/trailerimpact|date=April 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Season number
!Season name
!Release date
!Description
|-
|1
|Season One
|December 6, 2023
|Season 1 of ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' kicks off with a major content drop, including the introduction of the highly anticipated War Campaign and five new multiplayer maps. The season also features updates to ''Wargrounds'' with new map areas, modes, and in-game events, along with the return of the Zombies mode, continuing the Dark Aether storyline. New weapons, operators, and gameplay enhancements round out the season's offerings.
|-
|2
|Season Two
|February 8, 2024
|Season 2 of ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' introduces several new features, including the addition of five new multiplayer maps, the revival of the Resurgence mode in ''Wargrounds'', and the continuation of the Dark Aether storyline in Zombies mode. The season also adds new weapons, operators, and gameplay adjustments, such as a new Battle Pass system and progression updates. Significant changes to ''Wargrounds'' include a revamped Gulag and new points of interest on the map.
|-
|3
|Season Three
|April 3, 2024
|Season 3 of ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' brings significant updates, including six new Core 6v6 maps, the return of Rebirth Island in ''Wargrounds'', and the continuation of the Dark Aether story in Zombies mode. New multiplayer modes like Capture the Flag and Minefield are introduced, alongside four new weapons, eight Aftermarket Parts, and new perks. The season launched on April 3.
|-
|4
|Season Four
|May 29, 2024
|Season 4 of ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' features three new 6v6 maps, including a Tokyo nightlife map and a Paris-based battlefield. The season also introduces a new Zombies experience called the Unstable Rift and significant updates to ''Wargrounds'', including new bunker exits and Gulag variants in Urzikstan. Additionally, players can explore new multiplayer modes like Hyper Cranked and Havoc, unlock new weapons and killstreaks, and participate in a Critical Countdown Event.
|-
|5
|Season Five
|July 24, 2024
|Season 5 of ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' brings new maps, including the return of classic locations, along with new modes like Outlast and Bounty. The Zombies mode introduces a fresh storyline in the Bloodline Saga, and ''Wargrounds'' gets updates with new areas, challenges, and in-game events. This season also introduces new weapons and customization options, expanding gameplay possibilities.
|}


=== Retail versions ===
=== Collaberations ===
The game was released as a standard version and a collector's edition.<ref>{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=Kevin|title=Collector's Edition Unveiled for ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|website=Gaming Editions Weekly|url=https://www.gamingeditionsweekly.com/shooterofio/collectors|date=2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The Collector's Edition contains the standard retail game and a DVD containing a documentary film entitled "Great SAS Missions", which consists of archive footage of the SAS in action and accounts from former SAS members.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Inside the Collector's Edition of Modern Ops|website=Game Packaging Review|url=https://www.gamepackagingreview.com/modernops/collectorsedition|date=2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Making-of Featurette and Developer Walkthrough in Collector's Edition|website=Game Development Insights|url=https://www.gamedevelopmentinsights.com/shooterofio/makingof|date=2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The DVD contains a "making-of" featurette and a level walkthrough by the developers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Great SAS Missions Documentary Included in Collector's Edition|website=Military Gaming Documentaries|url=https://www.militarygamingdocs.com/sas/missions|date=2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> Also included is a limited edition poster and a hardcover art book featuring never-before-seen concept, development, and final artwork.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=Limited Edition Poster and Hardcover Art Book in Collector's Edition|website=Game Collectibles Today|url=https://www.gamecollectiblestoday.com/modernops/artbook|date=2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> These elements were packaged in a larger cardboard version of the standard retail box.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=Packaging and Presentation of the Modern Ops Collector's Edition|website=Packaging in Gaming|url=https://www.packagingingaming.com/modernops/collectors|date=2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The collector's edition was originally only available in the U.S., but was later released in other countries.<ref>{{cite web|last=Foster|first=Sarah|title=Collector's Edition Release Expands to Other Countries|website=Global Game Releases|url=https://www.globalgamereleases.com/shooterofio/collectorsworldwide|date=2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> A "Game of the Year" edition was later released on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.<ref>{{cite web|last=Green|first=Thomas|title=Game of the Year Edition for ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|website=Gaming Award Editions|url=https://www.gamingawardeditions.com/shooterofio/goty|date=2009|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The PlayStation 3 version included the Variety map pack on the disc,<ref>{{cite web|last=Hill|first=Laura|title=PS3 Game of the Year Edition Includes Variety Map Pack|website=PlayStation Gaming News|url=https://www.playstationgamingnews.com/modernops/goty|date=2009|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> and while the Xbox 360 Game of the Year edition initially included an insert in the packaging which could be redeemed on Xbox Live Marketplace to download the Variety map pack,<ref>{{cite web|last=Ingram|first=Richard|title=Xbox 360 Game of the Year Edition and the Variety Map Pack|website=Console Map Packs|url=https://www.consolemappacks.com/modernops/xboxgoty|date=2009|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> later releases did not contain the inserts, and so were no different from the original release of the game.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Patricia|title=Variety Map Pack Details for Game of the Year Edition|website=Gaming Content Additions|url=https://www.gamingcontentadditions.com/modernops/varietymappack|date=2009|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=King|first=Steven|title=Differences in Later Releases of Xbox 360 Game of the Year Edition|website=Gaming Edition Updates|url=https://www.gamingeditionupdates.com/modernops/xboxlaterreleases|date=2010|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
Monsteristic partners with several media franchises to feature [[Celebrity|celebrities]] and licensed characters in the playable roster for the multiplayer mode. New additions include: [[Paul Atreides]] and [[Feyd-Rautha|Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen]] from the film ''[[Dune: Part Two]]''; A-Train and Firecracker from [[Amazon Prime Video]]'s ''[[The Boys (TV series)|The Boys]]'' TV series; [[Rick Grimes]] and [[Michonne]] from [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]]'s ''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]'' TV series; the comedy duo [[Cheech & Chong]]; basketball player [[Devin Booker]]; [[WWE]] wrestlers [[Rhea Ripley]], [[Cody Rhodes]] and [[Rey Mysterio]]; and [[Crow (comics)|Eric Draven / The Crow]] from the film ''[[The Crow (2024 film)|The Crow]]'' (2024). Additional themed cosmetic packs were also released in promotion of the ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' franchise, the [[MonsterVerse]] film ''[[Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire]]'', the ''[[Gundam]]'' franchise, and the ''[[Fallout (franchise)|Fallout]]'' franchise.
 
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' was released for consoles and Windows on October 18, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Release Date Announced|website=Game Release Central|url=https://www.gamereleasecentral.com/shooterofio/releasedate|date=October 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Modern Ops Hits Consoles and Windows|website=Gaming Platforms News|url=https://www.gamingplatformsnews.com/modernops/release|date=October 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Now Available on All Major Platforms|website=All Platforms Gaming|url=https://www.allplatformsgaming.com/shooterofio/availability|date=October 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=October 18, 2007: The Release of Modern Ops|website=Historical Game Releases|url=https://www.historicalgamereleases.com/shooterofio/launch|date=October 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>


== Reception ==
== Reception ==
Line 98: Line 125:
|-
|-
|Metacritic
|Metacritic
|PC: 94/100<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops PC Version Scores High|website=Metacritic Scores|url=https://www.metacriticscores.com/shooterofio/pc|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><br>X360: 88/100<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Xbox 360 Review|website=Game Ratings Today|url=https://www.gameratingstoday.com/modernops/xbox360|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><br>PS3: 92/100<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops PS3 Scores Impressive Reviews|website=PlayStation Review Center|url=https://www.playstationreviewcenter.com/modernops/ps3|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
|(PC) 85/100
|-
(PS5) 92/100
! colspan="2" |'''Review scores'''
(XSXS) 61/100
|-
!Publication
!Score
|-
|-
|OpenCritic
|OpenCritic
|96% recommend<ref>{{cite web|last=Williams|first=David|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Scores High on OpenCritic|website=OpenCritic Reviews|url=https://www.opencriticreviews.com/shooterofio/recommendation|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
|64% recommend
|-
|}
|''Eurogamer''
The release version of ''Modern Ops'' was praised for its content for the multiplayer and zombies modes of the game; however the game's campaign componant was critised for its lack of innovation and the mode feeling shallow, short, and rushed. ''IGN'' gave the campaign a 4/10, describing it as "bizarrely cobbling together pieces of the ''Warzone'' mode into actively bad sandbox missions", but gave the rest of the game a 7/10.
|9/10
 
|-
Both ''The Guardian'' and ''Windows Central'' gave the game a 4 out of 5 star rating and particularly praised the multiplayer component, with the latter stating that it "perfectly executes blending old maps with modern gameplay." Bleacher Report called the campaign "disappointing", but praised the technical aspects as "top notch".
|''Game Informer''
 
|10/10
=== Sales ===
|-
In the United Kingdom, ''Modern Ops'' topped the sales charts for the month of November 2023. However, sales figures were reported to be around 38% down from the first three weeks of its launch. In the United States, ''Modern Ops'' was the second overall best-selling game of 2023, behind ''Hogwarts Legacy''. In Japan, the PlayStation 5 version of ''Modern Ops'' was the fourth best-selling retail game during its first week of release, with 22,132 physical copies being sold.
|''GamePro''
 
|7/10
=== Accolades ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" width="auto"
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Ceremony
! scope="col"| Category
! scope="col"| Result
! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
|-
|''GameSpot''
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" | 2024
|9/10
||[[27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards]]
| [[D.I.C.E. Award for Online Game of the Year|Online Game of the Year]]
| {{nom}}
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2024&idGameAwardType=79 |title=2024 Awards Category Details Online Game of the Year |publisher=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] |website=interactive.org |access-date=16 February 2024}}</ref>
|-
|-
|''GameTrailers''
| rowspan="3" |[[20th British Academy Games Awards]]
|9.4/10
| [[British Academy Games Award for Audio Achievement|Audio Achievement]]
| {{nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2" |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68478486|title=Bafta Games Awards 2024: Baldur's Gate 3 and Spider-Man lead nods|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=7 March 2024|access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bafta.org/games/awards/2024-nominations-winners|title=20th BAFTA Games Awards: The Nominations|publisher=[[BAFTA]]|date=7 March 2024|access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
|-
|''IGN''
| [[British Academy Games Award for Multiplayer|Multiplayer]]
|9.4/10
| {{nominated}}
|-
|-
|''Official Xbox Magazine'' (US)
| [[British Academy Games Award for Technical Achievement|Technical Achievement]]
|10/10
| {{longlisted}}
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bafta.org/games/features/best-video-games-2023 |title=The 60 Best Video Games of 2023 |publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] |website=bafta.org |access-date=26 March 2024}}</ref>
|}
|}


=== Critical response ===
== Sequel ==
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' received "universal acclaim" on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC versions, and "generally favorable reviews" for the Wii version, according to review aggregator Metacritic. The gameplay has been cited by reviewers to have brought the genre to "a new level of immersion and intensity that we had never seen before."<ref>{{cite web|last=Williams|first=David|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Review Aggregates|website=Metacritic Reviews|url=https://www.metacriticsite.com/shooterofio/modernops|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=Sarah|title=Immersion and Intensity in Modern Ops|website=Game Review Daily|url=https://www.gamereviewdaily.com/modernops/immersion|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''GameSpot'' gave a favorable review for ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'', saying that the "high quality of that campaign and its terrific multiplayer options make ''Modern Ops'' a fantastic package."<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=GameSpot's Review of ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|website=GameSpot Reviews|url=https://www.gamespotreviews.com/shooterofio/modernops|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Official Xbox Magazine Praises Modern Ops|website=OXM Reviews|url=https://www.oxmreviews.com/modernops/singleplayer|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''Official Xbox Magazine'' praised the single player campaign, with even greater praise for the multiplayer mode which makes the game an "instant-classic".<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=Universal Acclaim for Modern Ops|website=Universal Game Reviews|url=https://www.universalgamereviews.com/shooterofio/acclaim|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Foster|first=Sarah|title=Wii Version of Modern Ops Receives Favorable Reviews|website=Wii Game Reviews|url=https://www.wiigamereviews.com/modernops/reviews|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''X-Play'' commented that "It may not revolutionize the shooter genre, but it comes damn close to perfecting it."<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=X-Play's Take on Modern Ops|website=X-Play Reviews|url=https://www.xplayreviews.com/shooterofio/modernops|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''GamePro'' claims that "the amazingly deep multiplayer rivals ''Halo 3''<nowiki/>'s in terms of reach and scope."<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=GamePro's Review: Modern Ops Multiplayer|website=GamePro Reviews|url=https://www.gameproreviews.com/modernops/multiplayer|date=November 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
{{Main|ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2}}
 
A sequel was announced on January 27, 2025, also developed by SOI Studios, titled ''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2]]'', was released on November 3, 2025.
=== Mobile § Remasted version ===
{{Main|ShooterofIO: Modern Ops Remastered|ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops – Mobile Edition}}
A mobile version of the game was released in 2014,<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Mobile Version Released|website=Mobile Game News|url=https://www.mobilegamenews.com/shooterofio/mobileversion|date=January 2014|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> though was removed from both Google Play and the App Store in 2019 because of it becoming dated.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Mobile Version of Modern Ops Removed from Stores|website=App Store Updates|url=https://www.appstoreupdates.com/shooterofio/removal|date=March 2019|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> According to review aggregator Metacritic, the mobile version is a "less interesting" game because of its lack of quality and focus on microtransactions.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Metacritic Reviews Mobile Modern Ops|website=Metacritic Mobile|url=https://www.metacriticmobile.com/modernops/reviews|date=February 2014|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=Modern Ops Mobile Version Criticized for Microtransactions|website=Microtransaction Insights|url=https://www.microtransactioninsights.com/modernops/mobile|date=February 2014|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The critics disliked the fact the game felt completely different from its original counterpart.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=Mobile Modern Ops Feels Different from Original|website=Game Reviews Today|url=https://www.gamereviewstoday.com/modernops/mobiledifferent|date=February 2014|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Critics Unimpressed with Mobile Version of Modern Ops|website=Game Critic Central|url=https://www.gamecriticcentral.com/modernops/mobileunimpressed|date=February 2014|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops Remastered]]'' received "generally favorable reviews",<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=ShooterofIO Remastered Receives Favorable Reviews|website=Game Review Central|url=https://www.gamereviewcentral.com/shooterofio/remastered|date=December 2016|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> according to review aggregator Metacritic.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Michael|title=ShooterofIO: Modern Ops Remastered Reviews|website=Metacritic|url=https://www.metacritic.com/shooterofio/remastered|date=December 2016|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''Push Square'' described the game as "a ridiculously faithful remake" that "spruc[es] up an old care package for a more modern age to near-perfection."<ref>{{cite web|last=Williams|first=David|title=Push Square Reviews ShooterofIO: Modern Ops Remastered|website=Push Square|url=https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/shooterofio/remastered|date=December 2016|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''IGN'' used the accolade of "Best Remaster" in 2016 to praise it.<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Sarah|title=IGN's Best Remaster of 2016: ShooterofIO: Modern Ops Remastered|website=IGN|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/12/31/best-remaster-2016-shooterofio|date=December 2016|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Faithful Remake: ShooterofIO: Modern Ops Remastered|website=Game Critic Central|url=https://www.gamecriticcentral.com/shooterofio/faithfulremake|date=December 2016|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=Near-Perfect Modern Ops Remastered|website=Game Reviews Today|url=https://www.gamereviewstoday.com/shooterofio/remastered|date=December 2016|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
Critics lauded the enhanced graphics, revised sound, and other modifications.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=Enhanced Graphics and Sound in ShooterofIO Remastered|website=Game Graphics Review|url=https://www.gamegraphicsreview.com/shooterofio/remastered|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''Push Square'' and ''GQ'' thought the remaster looked and sounded like a modern release, calling it "nothing short of a profound feat" and "an amazing technical overhaul".<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Push Square: ShooterofIO Remastered Looks and Sounds Modern|website=Push Square|url=https://www.pushsquare.com/articles/shooterofio/remasteredreview|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=GQ Praises ShooterofIO Remastered's Technical Overhaul|website=GQ Gaming|url=https://www.gqgaming.com/reviews/shooterofio/remastered|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> Several felt the game was more akin to a remake thanks to the range of enhancements.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Remaster or Remake? The Enhancements in ShooterofIO|website=Game Critic Central|url=https://www.gamecriticcentral.com/shooterofio/enhancements|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''Destructoid'' complimented the "subtle" differences, highlighting level areas that felt more alive and the enhancements to the first-person cinematics.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=Destructoid Reviews ShooterofIO Remastered's Subtle Differences|website=Destructoid|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/shooterofio/remastered|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Remastered: First-Person Cinematics Enhanced|website=Game Reviews Today|url=https://www.gamereviewstoday.com/shooterofio/remastered/cinematics|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> Although praising its scope, some considered the graphics were not quite cutting edge and occasionally exhibited minor shortcomings.<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Sarah|title=Scope of ShooterofIO Remastered Praised|website=IGN|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/shooterofio/remastered/scope|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Williams|first=David|title=Minor Shortcomings in ShooterofIO Remastered Graphics|website=Game Critique|url=https://www.gamecritique.com/shooterofio/remastered/graphics|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
The modern-day setting and core gameplay of the single-player campaign were praised.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=Modern-Day Setting Praised in ShooterofIO Remastered|website=Game Setting Reviews|url=https://www.gamesettingreviews.com/shooterofio/remastered|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> Critics viewed the narrative as "forward-thinking" and sincere, and having pushed the boundaries of storytelling in the first-person shooter genre;<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Forward-Thinking Narrative in ShooterofIO Remastered|website=Game Narrative Insights|url=https://www.gamenarrativeinsights.com/shooterofio/remastered/narrative|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Storytelling in ShooterofIO Remastered Pushed Boundaries|website=Storytelling Critique|url=https://www.storytellingcritique.com/shooterofio/remastered|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> others were reminded how the campaign had long endured with fans as a result. ''Destructoid'' felt the story had since been topped by its competition, but that it was still worth playing because of the mission variety and the relationship between Soap and Price.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Destructoid: ShooterofIO Story Topped by Competition but Still Worth Playing|website=Destructoid|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/shooterofio/remastered/story|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The gameplay was considered pleasantly challenging and urgent, with ''IGN''<nowiki/>'s reviewer noting it made them feel "relatively weighed down, encumbered, and more desperate".<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=IGN Reviews ShooterofIO Remastered's Gameplay|website=IGN|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/shooterofio/remastered/gameplay|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The game's level design, set pieces, and emphasis on teamwork attracted further praise.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Remastered's Level Design and Teamwork Emphasis Praised|website=Game Design Today|url=https://www.gamedesigntoday.com/shooterofio/remastered/leveldesign|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Sarah|title=Mission Variety and Character Relationships in ShooterofIO Remastered|website=Character and Story Review|url=https://www.characterandstoryreview.com/shooterofio/remastered|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Williams|first=David|title=Set Pieces and Teamwork in ShooterofIO Remastered Attract Praise|website=Game Critique|url=https://www.gamecritique.com/shooterofio/remastered/setpieces|date=January 2017|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
=== Legacy ===
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' has been followed by two sequels: ''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2|Modern Ops 2]]'' and ''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 3|Modern Ops 3]]'', which were released in 2010 and 2013, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=ShooterofIO: Modern Ops Sequel Releases|website=Game Release Chronicle|url=https://www.gamereleasechronicle.com/shooterofio/moderopssequels|date=November 2013|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> All three titles can be played PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360, whilst ''Modern Ops 3'' can be played on [[Xbox One]] and [[PlayStation 4]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=Modern Ops Trilogy Available on Multiple Platforms|website=Gaming Platform News|url=https://www.gamingplatformnews.com/shooterofio/platforms|date=December 2013|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Modern Ops 3 Available on Next-Gen Consoles|website=Next-Gen Gaming|url=https://www.nextgengaming.com/shooterofio/modernops3|date=December 2013|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> A reboot of all three ''Modern Ops'' installments, developed by SOI Studios and simply titled ''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops (2019 video game)|ShooterofIO: Modern Ops]]'', was released in October 2019.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=ShooterofIO Reboot: Modern Ops 2019 Release|website=Game Reboots|url=https://www.gamereboots.com/shooterofio/modernopsreboot|date=October 2019|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=SOI Studios Develops Modern Ops Reboot|website=Developer Insights|url=https://www.developerinsights.com/shooterofio/soistudios|date=October 2019|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=Modern Ops Reboot Released by SOI Studios|website=Game Development Weekly|url=https://www.gamedevelopmentweekly.com/shooterofio/reboot|date=October 2019|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
=== Sales ===
Predictions for ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops''<nowiki/>'s indicated it would gross more than ''Halo 3'' in September that year.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=Predictions: ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops to Surpass Halo 3|website=Game Sales Forecast|url=https://www.gamesalesforecast.com/shooterofio/predictions|date=September 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> It was reviewed as highly as ''Halo 3''<nowiki/>'s but was launching on three systems as opposed to one.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Reviews Comparable to Halo 3|website=Game Reviews Today|url=https://www.gamereviewstoday.com/shooterofio/halocomparison|date=September 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=ShooterofIO Launches on Multiple Systems|website=Platform Gaming News|url=https://www.platformgamingnews.com/shooterofio/multisystemlaunch|date=September 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> Demand for the game led to several retailers only having enough copies available to satisfy pre-orders.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Retailer Demand for ShooterofIO Exceeds Supply|website=Retail Gaming Insights|url=https://www.retailgaminginsights.com/shooterofio/demand|date=September 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
It fulfilled the prediction, with the Xbox 360 version became the best-selling video game in the United States from November 2007 to January 2008 according to the NPD Group.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Fulfills Sales Predictions|website=Game Sales Report|url=https://www.gamesalesreport.com/shooterofio/npddata|date=February 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO Best-Selling Game in the U.S. from November 2007 to January 2008|website=Sales Analysis Weekly|url=https://www.salesanalysisweekly.com/shooterofio/bestseller|date=February 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions would go on to sell 1.57 million and 444,000 units, respectively, in the United States in November 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=ShooterofIO November 2007 Sales Figures|website=Game Sales Data|url=https://www.gamesalesdata.com/shooterofio/novembersales|date=December 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> 1.47 million units of the Xbox 360 version were sold in December 2007;<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=ShooterofIO December 2007 Sales Reach 1.47 Million for Xbox 360|website=Monthly Game Sales|url=https://www.monthlygamesales.com/shooterofio/decembersales|date=January 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> the game sold 331,000 copies for the Xbox 360 and 140,000 copies for the PlayStation 3 in January 2008.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=January 2008 Sales for ShooterofIO|website=Gaming Insights|url=https://www.gaminginsights.com/shooterofio/januarysales|date=February 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The Xbox 360 version was the third best-selling video game of 2007 in the U.S. with 3.04 million units sold, behind ''Halo 3'', which sold 4.82 million units, according to the NPD Group.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Third Best-Selling Game of 2007|website=Game Rankings|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/shooterofio/2007sales|date=March 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> By January 2008, ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' had sold more than 7 million copies worldwide, and was the best-selling game of 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Sarah|title=ShooterofIO Reaches 7 Million Copies Sold Worldwide|website=Global Game Sales|url=https://www.globalgamesales.com/shooterofio/7million|date=January 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> On June 3, 2008, Infinity Ward reported that the game had sold over 10 million units. During a May 2009 conference call, Activision announced that the game has sold 13 million copies, surpassing ''Super Mario Galaxy'' as the best selling game released that week of November 2007. By November 2013, the game had sold 15.7 million copies.<ref>{{cite web|last=Williams|first=David|title=ShooterofIO Surpasses Super Mario Galaxy in Sales|website=Gaming Conference News|url=https://www.gamingconferencenews.com/shooterofio/13million|date=May 2009|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
=== Awards ===
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' received awards from various gaming sites and publications. Both ''GameSpot'' and ''GameTrailers'' gave the game the Best Graphics of E3 2007 award,<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Wins Best Graphics Award at E3 2007|website=GameSpot|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shooterofio-best-graphics-e3-2007|date=July 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> and the Best PlayStation 3 Game of 2007 award,<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO Named Best PlayStation 3 Game of 2007|website=GameTrailers|url=https://www.gametrailers.com/articles/shooterofio-best-ps3-game-2007|date=December 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> and later ranked it as the third best first-person shooter on its "Top 10 FPS Games Ever!" list.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Top 10 FPS Games Ever|website=GameSpot|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/top-10-fps-games-ever|date=March 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> It gained high praise from both video game magazine ''GamePro'' and GameSpy, having been named the Best Overall Game of 2007 by the former, and Game of the Year by the latter.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=ShooterofIO Named Best Overall Game of 2007|website=GamePro|url=https://www.gamepro.com/articles/shooterofio-best-overall-game-2007|date=January 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO Wins Game of the Year|website=GameSpy|url=https://www.gamespy.com/articles/shooterofio-game-of-the-year|date=December 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Earns High Praise from Gaming Magazines|website=Gaming News Weekly|url=https://www.gamingnewsweekly.com/shooterofio/high-praise|date=February 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> Game Critics also named the game "Best Action Game".<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Named Best Action Game by Game Critics|website=Game Critics|url=https://www.gamecritics.com/articles/shooterofio-best-action-game|date=December 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> From other authorities such as IGN and ''X-play'', and the ''Spike Video Game Awards'', the game won awards for areas such as Best Sound Design,<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=IGN Awards ShooterofIO for Best Sound Design|website=IGN|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/shooterofio-best-sound-design|date=December 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> Best Shooter of 2007,<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=ShooterofIO Wins Best Shooter of 2007|website=X-Play|url=https://www.xplay.com/articles/shooterofio-best-shooter-2007|date=January 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> and Best Military Game.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=Spike Video Game Awards Recognize ShooterofIO for Best Military Game|website=Spike Video Game Awards|url=https://www.spikevga.com/articles/shooterofio-best-military-game|date=December 2007|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> From the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences honoring achievements in games of 2007,<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO Wins Multiple Awards at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|website=AIAS|url=https://www.interactive.org/articles/shooterofio-wins-aias-awards|date=February 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' received ten nominations, and won "Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay", "Action Game of the Year", "Console Game of the Year", and "Overall Game of the Year".<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Receives Ten Nominations at AIAS|website=Game Awards News|url=https://www.gameawardsnews.com/articles/shooterofio-aias-nominations|date=January 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> From the British Academy Video Games Awards, the game also won Best Gameplay of the Year,<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Wins Best Gameplay of the Year at BAFTA|website=BAFTA|url=https://www.bafta.org/articles/shooterofio-best-gameplay-2007|date=March 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> Best Story and Character of the Year,<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO Awarded Best Story and Character at BAFTA|website=BAFTA|url=https://www.bafta.org/articles/shooterofio-best-story-2007|date=March 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> and People's Choice Game of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=People's Choice Game of the Year: ShooterofIO|website=BAFTA|url=https://www.bafta.org/articles/shooterofio-peoples-choice-2007|date=April 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> The game was awarded with the Academy of Video Games Awards Game of the Year 2007 Award.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Robert|title=ShooterofIO Named Game of the Year at the Academy of Video Games Awards|website=Academy of Video Games Awards|url=https://www.avag.com/articles/shooterofio-game-of-the-year-2007|date=January 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref> In 2010, the readers of ''PlayStation Official Magazine'' voted it the 7th greatest PlayStation title ever released.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Emily|title=ShooterofIO Voted 7th Greatest PlayStation Title by Readers|website=PlayStation Official Magazine|url=https://www.psomagazine.com/articles/shooterofio-7th-greatest-ps-title|date=June 2010|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=John|title=ShooterofIO Wins Multiple BAFTA Awards|website=Gaming News Weekly|url=https://www.gamingnewsweekly.com/articles/shooterofio-bafta-wins|date=May 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Garcia|first=Mark|title=Academy of Video Games Awards Honors ShooterofIO|website=Game Awards News|url=https://www.gameawardsnews.com/articles/shooterofio-avag-honors|date=February 2008|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Harris|first=Michael|title=Top 10 Greatest PlayStation Titles Voted by Readers|website=PlayStation Official Magazine|url=https://www.psomagazine.com/articles/top-10-greatest-ps-titles|date=July 2010|access-date=June 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
 
}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{ShooterofIO series}}
{{ShooterofIO series}}


[[Category:Monsteristic games]]
== References ==
[[Category:SOI Studios games]]
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:ShooterofIO series]]
[[Category:ShooterofIO]]
[[Category:ShooterofIO]]
[[Category:Video games about zombies]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 4 games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 5 games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Xbox One games]]
[[Category:Xbox Series X and Series S games]]
[[Category:Video game reboots]]
[[Category:Video games set in 2019]]
[[Category:Video games set in 2023]]
[[Category:Video games set in Siberia]]
[[Category:Video games set in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Video games set in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Video games set in Brazil]]
[[Category:Video games set in New York City]]
[[Category:Video games set in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Video games set in Russia]]
[[Category:Video games set in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Video games set in Ukraine]]
[[Category:Video games set in London]]
[[Category:Video games set in Eastern Europe]]
[[Category:Video games set in Singapore]]
[[Category:Video games set in Mexico]]
[[Category:Video games set in Greece]]
[[Category:Video games set in California]]
[[Category:2023 video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]

Latest revision as of 18:11, 16 December 2025

ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops
Developer(s)SOI Studios
Publisher(s)Monsteristic
SeriesShooterofIO
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platform(s)
ReleaseNovember 10, 2023
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops (stylised as ShooterofIO: Modern Ops)[1] is a 2023 first-person shooter video game developed by SOI Studios, and published by Monsteristic. It is the first entry in the Modern Ops sub-series and the first installment in the overall ShooterofIO series. The game was released on November 10, 2023, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.[2][3]

Modern Ops features a realistic and modern setting. The story follows multi-national special operations unit Task Force 161 tracking down Vladimir Makarov, a Russian ultranationalist and terrorist planning to trigger a third World War. The game's multiplayer includes sixteen maps, with at least twelve new maps planned for inclusion post-launch. A open-world mode called Operations was included at launch featuring gameplay mechanics regarding extraction based survival and Zombies. Modern Ops was integrated with ShooterofIO: Wargrounds (2023) and features various new features and innovations.

SOI Studios began developing the game in 2019 when they were formed by Monsteristic. They started developing a modern day game set in the franchise prior to Monsteristic's announcement of the game. After a series of teasers in early-to-mid 2023, the game was officially revealed in August 2023,[4] with a showcase event and public beta also taking place in October. Upon release, Modern Ops received positive reviews, with criticism for its lack of originality. A sequel, titled ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2, was released on November 3, 2025.

Gameplay[edit | edit source]

The player aiming at a group of enemies with their weapon. The enemy radar is visible in the top left.

ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops is a first-person shooter. A character can be in one of three stances: standing, crouching, or prone, each affecting the character's rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth. Using cover helps the player avoid enemy fire or recover health after taking significant damage. As such, there are no armor or health power-ups. When the character has taken damage, the edges of the screen glow red, the character's heartbeat increases. If the character stays out of fire, the character can recover. When the character is within blast radius of a live grenade, a marker indicates the direction of the grenade, helping the player either flee or toss it back to the enemy. The game's single player campaign features a mixture of linear missions, and open-world missions known as "Open Combat Missions".[5] In these missions, players have greater freedom to choose how they want to approach designated objectives, choosing between open combat to stealth and ambush tactics.[6] Players have access to an on-screen map of the area, including a tactical map that outlines objectives and usual equipment,[7] with caches of weapons, gear and specialized equipment on hand. Enemies react accordingly during such missions, searching for players if they lose sight of them, and calling in reinforcements as their numbers decrease in combat.[8]

In Multiplayer, sixteen maps are available to play on,[9] with the added ability to vote for maps while in a matchmade lobby (which was absent in some recent titles), and increased player health for longer "time-to-kill" (TTK).[10] The "red dot" minimap is featured, allowing players to see enemies on their radar when they fire a weapon without a suppressor.[11] In addition, players are also able to cancel sliding animations (i.e "slide cancel"). Classic game modes such as "Kill Confirmed" and "Hardpoint" return alongside a new game mode titled "Cutthroat", where three teams of three players go head to head.[12] Players can also engage in the 32v32 "Ground War" mode with a selection of dedicated maps, as well as the "War" mode, returning from 2017's ShooterofIO: WWII. The game features moderation powered by artificial intelligence, listening in on in-game interactions and immediately reporting any overly-toxic behavior.[13] At least twelve new 6v6 multiplayer maps have been confirmed to release post-launch, while fan-favorite Modern Ops II maps will also be added every season.[14][15]

An open world player versus environment (PvE) mode called Operations is included in the game. The game mode is structured similarly to the DMZ mode in Call of Duty: Warzone (2022). Up to 24 players play together as separate squads in a large-sized map, which is also used as the new battle royale map for Wargrounds. Each team can tackle zombies, as well as AI-controlled human enemies, to complete objectives around the map, as well as collect loot and sell them at buy stations, or extract them via exfiltration. In place of rounds, the map is divided into "zones", with varying levels of threat indicating the difficulty. After 45 minutes of in-match time, an "Aether Storm" begins to expand and cover the map, leaving players with 15 minutes to exfil with their loot. Core mechanics from previous Zombies modes return, such as weapon wallbuys, Perk-a-Cola drinks, and the Mystery Box. Players can also extract "acquisitions", which are items that can be stored or brought into subsequent matches for use, or "schematics", which allow them to craft said items, with a cooldown limit. Story quests are also featured in the mode, which further progress the narrative.[16]

Plot[edit | edit source]

Campaign[edit | edit source]

In November 2023, a paramilitary syndicate known as Black Larch executes a coordinated assault on the Kollekt Prison Compound, a maximum-security facility in northwestern Kalibia, a post-Soviet republic undergoing political transition. Their objective is the extraction of Anton Sokol, a former deep-state architect and war criminal believed dead since his capture during the 2012 Odessa insurrection. Intelligence agencies had kept Sokol’s existence classified due to his role in designing psychological warfare programs and his connection to a failed NATO-backed proxy operation in Eastern Europe. Within hours of his escape, Black Larch launches a missile strike on a naval base in Montrevieux, a neutral coastal nation used by Western powers for clandestine logistics, killing 49 personnel and drawing international scrutiny.

The strike is initially blamed on separatist groups in the region, but when satellite surveillance captures footage of the same model missiles seen in Kalibia being moved through a Montrevieux harbor weeks before the attack, suspicion turns toward internal sabotage. NATO command contacts independent intelligence officer Marin Davor, who assembles a black ops unit consisting of infiltration specialist Elias Wren, former Europol analyst Julia Varga, and urban combat expert Ayaan Rafiq. The team is tasked with tracing the origins of the smuggled missile and uncovering how Sokol was able to orchestrate a prison escape under full international surveillance.

The investigation leads the team to an abandoned oil research facility in central Anatolia, where they uncover a makeshift lab designed to refine an experimental compound known as Zeront-4, a neurochemical agent intended to mimic the effects of mass psychosis in target populations. Traces of the compound suggest that Black Larch intends to use it not only as a weapon, but also as a psychological tool—mirroring Sokol’s past experiments. Before the team can secure the facility, Black Larch operatives destroy it using thermite explosives, forcing the squad to evacuate under fire.

Back in Brussels, Davor is pulled into an emergency intelligence summit, where he is warned not to pursue Sokol further. Realizing he is being boxed out by political forces seeking deniability, he sends Wren and Rafiq to intercept a convoy moving through the border between Sarmatia and eastern Kalibia. The convoy is transporting Mirek Jalov, Sokol’s chief financier and a key link to a rogue weapons development lab housed under a disused hydroelectric facility. Jalov reveals that Sokol’s goal is to test Zeront-4 on a civilian population and trigger a crisis large enough to fracture NATO alignment on regional stability efforts.

Meanwhile, Varga works with whistleblowers inside the Sarmatian intelligence network to locate the next target: the city of Velgrad, a critical transportation and information hub where Black Larch has embedded a sleeper network within the city’s emergency services. The plan is to trigger a chemical release disguised as an accidental infrastructure failure. With time running out, the team deploys across Velgrad, neutralizing multiple detonation sites and uncovering evidence that Sokol intends to use a secondary target—the Orion Tunnel, an undersea transit link between Velgrad and Kharvan, to collapse trade and supply routes across the region.

In a final, multi-pronged operation, Wren leads an assault on the Orion Tunnel command center while Varga and Rafiq intercept a hijacked civilian freight train carrying canisters of Zeront-4. In a last-ditch confrontation inside the tunnel system, Sokol attempts to release the gas manually after remote detonation systems fail. Wren confronts him in hand-to-hand combat. The team succeeds in securing the compound, but at the cost of Rafiq’s life, who sacrifices himself to ensure the final canisters are destroyed in a controlled detonation.

In the aftermath, NATO issues no official statement on the incident. Davor, disillusioned by the silence and political maneuvering, resigns from his post. Wren and Varga return to unofficial operations, observing from a distance as a wave of high-level resignations quietly ripples through several intelligence agencies. In the final scene, Sokol’s name appears on a decrypted flash drive inside a secure facility in Avalon, flagged under a new clearance level labeled "Crimson Class." A figure at the terminal closes the laptop, revealing the threat remains unresolved.

Operations[edit | edit source]

On July 16th, 2023, Victor Shari spearheaded a daring operation in the obscure town of Azariah, a place lost in time and shrouded in secrecy, notable for harboring a clandestine prison constructed in the 1970s, its purpose unknown until now. Joined by his adept accomplice, Jackson, they initiated a fierce confrontation with the local law enforcement, causing chaos and confusion amidst the narrow alleyways and dilapidated corridors of the town. Their bold endeavor led them to a concealed wall, previously identified through meticulous research, which concealed the entrance to the long-hidden prison. Upon breaching the wall, they were confronted with a chilling scene: six bodies, expressions of agony permanently etched on their faces, and, more shockingly, a vault housing four tubes of Dark Aether Shards, a mysterious and potent material.

The discovery of the Dark Aether Shards filled Victor and Jackson with both awe and trepidation. Victor, with careful precision, secured the shards in a specialized case, preparing for their escape. However, their situation quickly deteriorated as they encountered heightened resistance from the reinforced police forces, resulting in casualties among their ranks and a serious injury to Victor. In a desperate move to escape, Victor employed one of the Dark Aether Shards, causing a massive explosion that transformed the battlefield. Soldiers, both dead and alive, were transformed into zombies, exhibiting feral and inhuman traits, marking the birth of a terrifying new weapon that promised to alter the future of warfare. As they fled Azariah, the town's fate was sealed, irrevocably changed by their actions.

Meanwhile, a specialized team comprising John Price, Soap MacTavish, and Sergei Ravenov prepared for an unprecedented mission aboard a covert aircraft, their objective clear yet daunting: to confront the undead horde unleashed by Victor's actions. The gravity of their mission was palpable, with each member bringing unique skills and experiences to the table, particularly Ravenov, whose prior encounters with similar anomalies made him the operation's lead. They landed at an undisclosed location, armed with an arsenal of weapons and experimental technology, including a classified serum and blueprints for an EMP device, underscoring the seriousness of their undertaking. Their resolve was firm: to fight not just for national security but for humanity's survival against a rapidly spreading undead threat.

In the aftermath, Victor Shari and Jackson ventured into the Forest of the Dead, a haunting and malevolent landscape far removed from the now-desolate Azariah. The catastrophic impact of the Dark Aether Shards had reached far beyond their initial encounter, transforming Azariah into a wasteland overrun by the undead. Their ambitions, however, faced immediate opposition from Price, MacTavish, and Ravenov, who confronted them in a tense standoff. Despite Victor's claim of controlling the undead, the task force strategically retreated, marking only the beginning of a larger conflict. As both factions regrouped, they were unaware of the profound challenges that lay ahead, with Victor's manipulation of the Dark Aether hinting at a power struggle that could dictate the fate of humanity.

Victor's descent into madness, fueled by the corruptive influence of the Dark Aether, led to a tragic confrontation in a hidden laboratory, where he inadvertently killed Jackson, his closest ally. His spiraling loss of control mirrored the broader chaos unleashed upon the world, as he and the task force led by Price, MacTavish, and Ravenov prepared for a climactic showdown. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, both sides found themselves embroiled in a conflict that transcended conventional warfare, facing an enemy whose ambitions had evolved into a cosmic threat. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes a harrowing journey through darkness and despair, a testament to the profound cost of wielding powers beyond human comprehension, setting the stage for a final, desperate bid to restore order and prevent a catastrophe of unprecedented scale.

Development[edit | edit source]

ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops was devloped by a team of 60 people, over the course of a year and a half. After being aquired by Monsteristic, the SOI Studios team decided to create a first-person shooter video game, that would be supported for two years before moving to a potential sequel if the game was successful. At first, the game was simply going to be titled "Modern Ops". Three months into development, the game title was changed to simply "ShooterofIO". Shortly before the reveal of the game in 2023, it was retitled to be ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops. The team changed the title to what it is due to them learning of Air Studios' upcoming game as an installment in the series of games, with them deciding to make things a franchise.

While developing the story for ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops, SOI Studios chose to avoid referencing current, real-life wars, and keep the series' common theme of two opposing forces of similar strength. To enhance the realistic feel of the game, the development team attended a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, a training facility in the California desert. This helped the developers to simulate the effects of being near an Abrams tank when it fires. The team also talked with U.S. Marines who were recently in combat to get a feel for the background, emotions, and attitude of Marines in combat. Veterans were also recruited to supervise motion capture sessions and the artificial intelligence design of the game.

The development team designed the online multiplayer component to be balanced and rewarding for new players while still offering something for experienced players. An early idea to implement air support (air strikes and attack helicopters) involved players fighting over special zones to access a trigger for air support against enemies. This idea was discarded because it discouraged the type of deathmatch gameplay they intended. The killstreak reward system was put in its place to encourage the improvement of player skills. Players were allowed to select weapons before matches to get accustomed to weapons more easily and minimize weapon hunting. Maps were designed primarily for deathmatch games—the developers felt such designs suited other types of gameplay as well. Map layouts were designed to minimize locations players could hide from enemy gunfire.

Leaks[edit | edit source]

A large amount of content for Modern Ops was leaked before being officially revealed. Around July 17, 2023, the "red dot" minimap, War mode, and new perks were leaked from an internal alpha build. On July 24, 2023, the game's key art was leaked in a Monster Energy promotion, featuring an image of Captain Price behind the Modern Ops logo. Around the time of the key art leak, several new weapons were datamined. The key art leak was confirmed real by Monsteristic, who issued copyright takedowns and acknowledged the leak via Twitter with sarcastic tweets.

Music[edit | edit source]

Walter Mair composed the score for Modern Ops, following Sarah Schachner's departure from the rebooted Modern Ops sub-series over challenges in the working dynamic with SOI Studios's audio director. Mair has previously worked with the ShooterofIO franchise on ShooterofIO: Mobile. In addition to Mair's score, Modern Ops also features a Zombies score composed by Jack Wall, who frequently partners with Air Studios on the Dark Warfare sub-series.

Marketing[edit | edit source]

On August 7, 2023, a teaser trailer was posted, confirming the title. Around this time, a phone number was set up by Activision that was shared via social media. This phone number, after participants agreed to a few terms, would begin sending anonymous messages to participants, such as "we need someone like you, with experience in Al Mazrah."

Modern Ops was released on November 10, 2023, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The campaign was released in early access for all digital pre-orders, starting from November 2, 2023.

Post-launch content[edit | edit source]

Modern Ops features free seasonal content updates with an in-game store selling cosmetic item bundles via microtransactions.

Seasons[edit | edit source]

Season number Season name Release date Description
1 Season One December 6, 2023 Season 1 of ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops kicks off with a major content drop, including the introduction of the highly anticipated War Campaign and five new multiplayer maps. The season also features updates to Wargrounds with new map areas, modes, and in-game events, along with the return of the Zombies mode, continuing the Dark Aether storyline. New weapons, operators, and gameplay enhancements round out the season's offerings.
2 Season Two February 8, 2024 Season 2 of ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops introduces several new features, including the addition of five new multiplayer maps, the revival of the Resurgence mode in Wargrounds, and the continuation of the Dark Aether storyline in Zombies mode. The season also adds new weapons, operators, and gameplay adjustments, such as a new Battle Pass system and progression updates. Significant changes to Wargrounds include a revamped Gulag and new points of interest on the map.
3 Season Three April 3, 2024 Season 3 of ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops brings significant updates, including six new Core 6v6 maps, the return of Rebirth Island in Wargrounds, and the continuation of the Dark Aether story in Zombies mode. New multiplayer modes like Capture the Flag and Minefield are introduced, alongside four new weapons, eight Aftermarket Parts, and new perks. The season launched on April 3.
4 Season Four May 29, 2024 Season 4 of ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops features three new 6v6 maps, including a Tokyo nightlife map and a Paris-based battlefield. The season also introduces a new Zombies experience called the Unstable Rift and significant updates to Wargrounds, including new bunker exits and Gulag variants in Urzikstan. Additionally, players can explore new multiplayer modes like Hyper Cranked and Havoc, unlock new weapons and killstreaks, and participate in a Critical Countdown Event.
5 Season Five July 24, 2024 Season 5 of ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops brings new maps, including the return of classic locations, along with new modes like Outlast and Bounty. The Zombies mode introduces a fresh storyline in the Bloodline Saga, and Wargrounds gets updates with new areas, challenges, and in-game events. This season also introduces new weapons and customization options, expanding gameplay possibilities.

Collaberations[edit | edit source]

Monsteristic partners with several media franchises to feature celebrities and licensed characters in the playable roster for the multiplayer mode. New additions include: Paul Atreides and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen from the film Dune: Part Two; A-Train and Firecracker from Amazon Prime Video's The Boys TV series; Rick Grimes and Michonne from AMC's The Walking Dead TV series; the comedy duo Cheech & Chong; basketball player Devin Booker; WWE wrestlers Rhea Ripley, Cody Rhodes and Rey Mysterio; and Eric Draven / The Crow from the film The Crow (2024). Additional themed cosmetic packs were also released in promotion of the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, the MonsterVerse film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the Gundam franchise, and the Fallout franchise.

Reception[edit | edit source]

Aggregator Score
Metacritic (PC) 85/100

(PS5) 92/100 (XSXS) 61/100

OpenCritic 64% recommend

The release version of Modern Ops was praised for its content for the multiplayer and zombies modes of the game; however the game's campaign componant was critised for its lack of innovation and the mode feeling shallow, short, and rushed. IGN gave the campaign a 4/10, describing it as "bizarrely cobbling together pieces of the Warzone mode into actively bad sandbox missions", but gave the rest of the game a 7/10.

Both The Guardian and Windows Central gave the game a 4 out of 5 star rating and particularly praised the multiplayer component, with the latter stating that it "perfectly executes blending old maps with modern gameplay." Bleacher Report called the campaign "disappointing", but praised the technical aspects as "top notch".

Sales[edit | edit source]

In the United Kingdom, Modern Ops topped the sales charts for the month of November 2023. However, sales figures were reported to be around 38% down from the first three weeks of its launch. In the United States, Modern Ops was the second overall best-selling game of 2023, behind Hogwarts Legacy. In Japan, the PlayStation 5 version of Modern Ops was the fourth best-selling retail game during its first week of release, with 22,132 physical copies being sold.

Accolades[edit | edit source]

Year Ceremony Category Result Ref.
2024 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Online Game of the Year Nominated [17]
20th British Academy Games Awards Audio Achievement Nominated [18][19]
Multiplayer Nominated
Technical Achievement Longlisted [20]

Sequel[edit | edit source]

Main article: ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2

A sequel was announced on January 27, 2025, also developed by SOI Studios, titled ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2, was released on November 3, 2025.

External links[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ The poster omits the “1” as part of its marketing strategy, although the numeral is consistently used in all other promotional material.
  2. ↑ "Modern Ops III Platforms". ShooterofIO. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  3. ↑ "The Official Release Date for the 2023 Installment". ShooterofIO. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Announcing ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Open Combat Missions in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  6. ↑ "Linear vs Open-World Missions in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  7. ↑ "Tactical Map Features in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  8. ↑ "Enemy AI Behavior in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  9. ↑ "Multiplayer Maps in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  10. ↑ "TTK and Health Adjustments in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  11. ↑ "Minimap Changes in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  12. ↑ "New Game Modes in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  13. ↑ "AI-Powered Moderation in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  14. ↑ "Post-Launch Content for Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  15. ↑ "Fan-Favorite Maps Returning in Modern Ops III". ShooterofIO. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  16. ↑ Warby, Nathan (2023-10-05). "Modern Warfare 3 Zombies mode: Trailer, story, gameplay, more". Charlieintel.com. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  17. ↑ "2024 Awards Category Details Online Game of the Year". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  18. ↑ "Bafta Games Awards 2024: Baldur's Gate 3 and Spider-Man lead nods". BBC News. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  19. ↑ "20th BAFTA Games Awards: The Nominations". BAFTA. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  20. ↑ "The 60 Best Video Games of 2023". bafta.org. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
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