Why is there a server queue in MW3 and Warzone?

Server queues continue to be an issue in MW3 and Warzone.

Skidrow MW3
Taking aim at Minot Hawthorne. Image via Activision

Server queues commonly occur in Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone, and the most recent troubles have players looking for ways to resolve the issue and check if the servers are down.

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Players are typically disconnected from a game and placed into a queue because the servers are overwhelmed or down. For CoD, this has happened plenty of times in the past on the first day of a new series release or when a seasonal update goes live. In saying that, there are always rare exceptions to the norm where server issues occur randomly and without warning.

MW3 server status page showing outages
If you see this, you might have a long wait ahead of you. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Here is everything we know about the current server queue status of MW3 and Warzone.

How long is the MW3 and Warzone server queue?

On Feb. 16, an issue caused some players to encounter a server queue when launching the game. The devs swiftly sprung into action and resolved the problem within minutes.

As of writing, players don’t need to worry about a server queue, as the servers should be up and functional. If players are unsure, they can always check if the Warzone or Modern Warfare 3 servers are down.

In the rare case of a server queue error without the servers being down, this is the first place to check and see if there’s a widespread issue. However, there are some other services as well. Players should follow the CoD Updates account on X and turn on notifications to get the latest news, or look at the official CoD or Sledgehammer Games accounts.

Author
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Ryan Lemay
Ryan graduated from Ithaca College in 2021 with a sports media degree and a journalism minor. He gained experience as a writer with the Morning Times newspaper and then Dexerto as a games writer. He mainly writes about first-person shooters, including Call of Duty and Battlefield, but he is also a big FIFA fan. You can contact him at ryanlemay@dotesports.com.