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MW2’s worst mechanic gets removed from MW3 at the last minute

Sledgehammer Games confirms that the MW3 Gunsmith is removing a divisive feature from Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, days before release.

MW3 weapon tuning

There is an art to crafting an amazing loadout in Call of Duty games, and that has only become more detailed with the Gunsmith mechanic in MW2 and MW3. However, as we approach the final days before Modern Warfare 3 is available on PS5 and Xbox, developer Sledgehammer Games announces a crucial change to the game’s Gunsmith that is sure to delight players frustrated with last year’s entry.

Rejoice, Call of Duty fans. If you absolutely detested using the Weapon Tuning mechanic in Modern Warfare 2, then you’re in luck. According to a new blog post explaining the finer details of MW3 multiplayer, the developer states that “based on community feedback, Sledgehammer Games has removed the Weapon Tuning feature present in MW2 and has made further improvements to make Gunsmith easier to use.”

Furthermore, Sledgehammer Games clarifies that “this change to Weapon Tuning applies to both MW2 and MW3 weapons that utilize modifications.” Modern Warfare 2’s reputation makes it a tricky candidate to be discussed amid the best FPS games around, but this decision could put MW3 up there for many players. In place of Weapon Tuning, Sledgehammer Games is introducing detailed statistics of all the MW3 guns, and returning weapons for Modern Warfare 2.

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“Within the Gunsmith are nine important and familiar values, which offer the same incredible detail and meticulous modification potential that Call of Duty players are used to,” the post explains. These new values are broken down as follows: Damage, Fire Rate, Range, Accuracy, Recoil Control, Mobility, Handling, Rounds, Reserve.

It is slightly different to Modern Warfare 2’s breakdown of weapon configurations, and with a new collaboration with fellow COD developer Beenox, detailed “statistical depth [is] for those players who need the finest incremental data for every aspect of every attachment.” That means you see numerical values when tinkering with your weapons, observing how each attachment affects each element in battle.

MW3 gunsmith weapon tuning statistics

Evolving off of the Gunsmith mechanic that was introduced in 2019’s Modern Warfare reboot, MW2 introduces Weapon Tuning as a means to add a more intricate sense of refinement for each of your attachments. Whether you were buffing ADS speed or recoil, Weapon Tuning could get slightly overwhelming the more weapons and attachments you unlocked along the way.

The feature will remain in Modern Warfare 2, which is good news if you’re a fan of it. However, when the Modern Warfare 3 release date arrives, it will be completely removed for all weapons in the game. You can get a glimpse of the game’s weapon right now, if you’ve got MW3 early access to the MW3 campaign. You can get access too with any MW3 pre-order, so put this MW3 discount to use if you’re still waiting to get a copy ordered.