Modern Warfare 3 has my mouth watering like no game in the Call of Duty franchise has in years. I’m already easy to excite, but when the deal is sweetened by 16 of my favorite maps of all time, there’s nothing better than that feeling of giddy anticipation.
We’ll get our first real look at MW3’s multiplayer at Call of Duty Next, but the devs still like to keep some secrets until the game actually launches in early November.
We know that all of the Modern Warfare (2022) guns will be carried over into the new title, but there are still a number of missing weapons from the original MW2 that are needed to get the vibe perfectly right.
Related: Modern Warfare 3 – All Confirmed Maps Ahead of Launch
Modern Warfare 2 ARs We Want in MW3
- Weapon #1: ACR
- Weapon #2: FAMAS
- Weapon #3: AK-47
- Weapon #4: TAR-21
To me, these are the three most memorable ARs, and the game just wouldn’t be the same without them. Coming out of the CoD 4 era, the FAMAS replaced the M16 perfectly, and the ACR gave fans a reliable full-auto option that wasn’t a variation on the AK-47 (an out-of-the-box fan favorite).
The TAR was also a brand new experience, and no matter if you ran it with a silencer or FMJ, it was the perfect mid-range option for maps like Terminal and Scrapyard. An all-new (at the time) level of customization played beautifully with the mixed-distance lines of sight.
MW2 SMGs We Need to See in Modern Warfare 3
- Weapon #5: UMP-45
- Weapon #6: P90
To put it simply – there’s just no matching the UMP-45 in Modern Warfare 2. It was dominant in its weapon class like no other gun in the game. There was far more competition at the top of the list of Shotguns, Sniper Rifles, ARs, and even Handguns.
That sweet combination of Marathon Pro, Lightweight Pro, and a silenced UMP was akin to having superpowers in MW2.
There were broken weapons that were never meant to be dominant (more on that later), but the UMP-45 was all natural and stood at the top of the mountain in terms of classic SMGs in the franchise.
Of course, the P90 wasn’t a total slouch, and it’s firmly second-best in the pecking order. I’ve mostly included it because few sounds can evoke the same level of excitement in my heart as the squeakiness of a silenced P90. It’s like someone’s shooting via a fully-automatic squeegee, and it’s irreplaceable in my heart.
MW3 Classic Shotgun Wishlist
- Weapon #7 – SPAS-12
- Weapon #8 – Model 1887 Akimbo Shotguns
The SPAS-12 isn’t particularly tough to reimagine, but it was dominant to a degree that we might want to steer clear of in Modern Warfare 3. It’s still the best pump-action shotty in Call of Duty to date, so putting that power back in the hands of the players would be the perfect complement to the 2009 vibe.
As for the Models – no one wants to actually play against the long-range sniper version again in 2023. If you don’t recall (or weren’t around the first time), these dual shotguns had such a tight hip-fire spread that you could kill someone from across the map with them.
They would need to be toned down just like their pump-action brethren, but if the devs are trying to imitate the feel of Modern Warfare 2, it would be a shame to see these left out of the list.
MW2 Sniper Rifle That Need to Appear in MW3
- Weapon #9: Barret .50 Cal
We’ve already got a reimagined Intervention in the FJX Imperium in Modern Warfare 2, and since those guns will be ported over into MW3, there’s clearly only one worthy contender here: the Barret .50 Cal.
While the quick scoping and trick-shotting communities all seemed to gravitate to the flashier bolt-action gun, the Barret was a tactical sniper’s dream. It played second fiddle to the M40A3 in Call of Duty 4, but I’d argue the MW2 version was even better than its progenitor. It may not be crucial to have back, but it’s such a classic that I’d be heartbroken if it gets left behind.
MW2 Melee Weapons We Want to See in Modern Warfare 3
- Weapon #10: Tac Knife
The final entry on our list is the Tactical Knife, and it’s one that you really can’t skip over if you want to bring that old Call of Duty flavor back. Sure, the melee system is different these days (especially when accounting for Warzone plates), but there’s got to be a way to squeeze this one in.
We’re long past the days of Pro Perks, but the rush of getting a lucky knife kill thanks to Commando Pro was one of the defining MW2 experiences. It also continues to look cool 14 years later, and while that might not move the needle much for the devs, it means something to old-school CoD players.
That’s all of the weapons we hope to see in Modern Warfare 3. If you haven’t already figured out how you’re getting into the beta on October 5, take a look at our guide to get up to date before it kicks off.
Published: Oct 4, 2023 08:33 am