It should come as a shock to no one, but Activision's announced Modern Warfare 3 will employ the tactical suite known as Steamworks. Developed by government contractor Valve in an underground bunker in Washington ... state, this secret technology will be the first line of support for soldiers in the field. It will help them connect with teammates and track down enemies far more efficiently. It will also let you mute Frank because what doesn't he get about this being a Silent Op?! We get it, Frank. Your cats do stuff.

As previously noted, dedicated servers are supported -- though we're not really sure how to fit that into our big military analogy here. Finally, gone are the days where you had to carry a Sharpie into the field to mark little dashes on your helmet for each bogey you downed. Now you've got achievements and stat-tracking, for quick and easy comparisons with your friends and the overall military at large. Remember: a good soldier is constantly trying to be a more gooder soldier than the other good soldiers around him. Or something.