Modern Warfare 3 lets you turn a pistol into an SMG, an LMG into... a different kind of LMG
Modern Warfare 3 is expanding the Gunsmith system with a feature that can essentially turn one weapon into a different one.
The big Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer reveal is quickly approaching. To whet your appetite a bit, developer Sledgehammer Games unveiled one of the big new features early. The Aftermarket Parts system is an overhaul to Conversion Kits, which is part of the weapon-building Gunsmith.
The Gunsmith was introduced with the 2019 Modern Warfare reboot, and was later expanded on with Modern Warfare 2, offering deeper customisation. Modern Warfare 3 is taking that a step further.
The goal of Aftermarket Parts and Coverstion Kits is to change the role of a weapon entirely. In the blog post detailing the feature, Sledgehammer Games gave three examples of weapons that play completely differently after conversion.
For example, the burst-fire Renetti pistol can be turned into a full-auto carbine. It also appears that akimbo has been morphed into the new system, as unlocking it for the weapons that support it is done through Aftermarket Parts.
Only certain weapons support Conversion Kits. The way to earn them is to complete challenges associated with the weapon in question, which become available once you've fully levelled it up.
Not every Conversion Kit will be entirely transformative, however. The Pulemyot LMG, for instance, can be changed from belt-fed to a bullpup design. It's largely going to look the same, but its performance will now favour run-and-gun gameplay with better hipfire accuracy, faster mobility and handling.
Outside of this new feature, Modern Warfare 3 will also make a few changes to unlocks in the Gunsmith. You can expect even more shared attachments (which only need to be unlocked once) - and the big one: no more ADS penalties for using small optics.
You'll also no longer need to use a specific weapon to equip an attachment you've already unlocked for a different weapon. This goes for grips, barrels, magazines, and stocks. For example, if the same grip falls on more than one progression tree for different weapons, you'll be able to use it with everything that supports it as soon as you unlock it with one of those weapons.
More Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer details will be revealed at Call of Duty Next, which takes place this Thursday, October 5. One day later, the Modern Warfare 3 beta will kick off on PlayStation.
Modern Warfare 3 is out November 10 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.