Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is quickly approaching its upcoming November launch. While its respective gameplay changes are fairly interesting in their own right – namely the 50% health increase, the point-shooting feature, and customizable Operators – some may have come across a curious leak. This leak included, among other things, what appeared to be a full and comprehensive list of the game’s weaponry, with guns both returning and all-new. The list was so surprising, in fact, that it would’ve been all-too-easy to write it off as fan fiction or a wishlist.
Some recent developments, however, make it plainly evident that the list may be correct. Or, in a worst-case scenario, partially correct, as some of Activision’s latest Modern Warfare 3 promo materials prominently feature the guns from that very list.
What does the leaked Modern Warfare 3 weapon list mean?
When CharlieIntel leaked the supposed list of Modern Warfare 3 weapons, the whole thing felt a bit like a regular fan’s wishlist. Primarily because it contained certain experimental and/or exotic weapons, such as the (in)famous Bushmaster ACR. The confusing bit about the list is that it featured some repeats, and some weapons were referred to under COD‘s fictionalized manufacturer and model names, while others kept their real-world titles. Here is a truncated list of the leaked gear:
- AK-556
- Kalashnikov SVK
- Chukavin SVCh
- PKP Pecheneg (Bullpup)
- Colt Model 635
- H&K G36/SL-8
- Uzi
- H&K UMP-45
- Bushmaster ACR (in 5.56, .300 Blackout, and .450 Bushmaster)
- CZ BREN
- CZ Scorpion
- QBZ-95
- Beretta 93R
- RSh-12
- MCX Spear/XM7
- FN EVOLYS
- FN F2000
There were others, too, such as the SCAR platform in both 5.56 and 7.62 variants, and the MP5. It’s unclear why these were referenced, as they’re present and accounted for in Modern Warfare 2 as well.
The bit that seemingly confirms this leak, though, are some close-up in-game screenshots that Activision released for Modern Warfare 3. In the featured image of this article, specifically, the character is using a kitted-out BREN carbine. Meanwhile, the screenshot above shows both the Colt 635 (to the right) and a variant of the Chinese QBZ rifle. Moreover, it seems that one of the shown Weapon Vault offerings features the MCX Spear weapon platform as its key highlight.
This is what Tac-Stance looks like in #MW3. @SHGames pic.twitter.com/iy3IMYvCy2
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) August 17, 2023
Overall, it does seem like CharlieIntel’s leak may have some merit, with at least some of its featured weapons clearly showing up in official promo materials. The leaked list also basically covers every meaningful weapon niche (aside from shotguns), all the while carefully side-stepping the gear that’s being carried over from Modern Warfare 2. To that end, there’s no regular M4 carbine to be found, and the flagship AK rifle is chambered in 5.56.
The most exciting bit, perhaps, is the fact that CharlieIntel posted an image showing the player character firing the legendary ACR in a point shooting stance. In other words, the ACR could make a comeback, even though it fell out of favor in the real world.
Balancing will likely become an issue in this Call of Duty, given its overabundance of overlapping weaponry. As it is, it’s a given that MW3 won’t be to everyone’s tastes in the end. Yet, it sure seems like Activision is making darn sure that the game’s arsenal leaves nothing to chance, and that’s a good sign, if nothing else.
