Modern Warfare 3 countdown a hoax

Having sent shooter fans into overdrive at the end of last week, it now looks as if the expected reveal of Modern Warfare 3 at this week’s GDC is a fake.

Just hours after a mystery website featuring a Modern Warfare-styled countdown appeared online, Activision issued a statement denying any involvement:

"There seems to be a great deal of speculation about the next Call of Duty project. Let me be clear that we are not revealing yet. Anything indicating otherwise is a hoax."

So what is the source of the website?

Canadian journalist Geoff Keighley appears to have the answer, having been contacted by Canadian creative agency We Can Pretend. It says that Findmakarov.com is their work and is counting down to an independent Call of Duty based project, which is believed to be a short film.

Of course, a 2011 release for Modern Warfare 3 remains a possibility, though with so many studios currently deployed on Call of Duty operations Activision could yet have a surprise in store for us.