CoD players divided over controversial decision to remove all snipers from MW3 Ranked Play

A minor MW3 update on Feb. 13 removed all sniper rifles from Ranked Play to align with CDL regulations, but players can’t come to an agreement over whether it was the right decision.

In the MW3 season two update, Treyarch removed the SVA 545, RAM-7, BP50, HRM-9, RAM-9, and XRK Stalker from Ranked Play. Then, the devs doubled down in the Feb. 13 update and restricted the last remaining sniper rifle in the weapon pool. After the restrictions, the MCW is the only remaining AR.

And for the only other weapon class, SMG players still have six options to choose from, but you rarely see any pro or Ranked Play competitor use anything other than the Rival-9. There is always a chance the Striker-9 emerges as a viable option after receiving a significant buff in the most recent update, but all signs point to MW3 dwindling down to a traditional two-gun meta with no sniper rifles included, dividing competitive CoD community members.

MW3 players question decision to remove all sniper rifles from Ranked Play

CoD insider CharlieIntel confirmed all sniper rifles have been restricted in the most recent MW3 update. Community members flooded the comment section with a mix of celebration and frustration debating whether or not the class belongs in Ranked Play matches. “Spawning into highrise and terminal and can’t have a sniper,” OpTic Gaming creative director, Hitch responded. “Lame ass cod pros man.”

On the other side of the aisle, a segment of the player base argued sniper rifles were too overpowered in MW3, and a few specific spots on maps are nearly impossible to counter with an AR or SMG in hand. “These maps in this game aren’t built to have snipers,” a second user noted. “In snd a team can literally make you veto a map cause there is positions you can watch every lane from and with the snipers being OP it’s impossible to rip a good sniper.”

Several community members blamed Call of Duty League pros, as Ranked Play uses the same map and weapon restrictions voted on by the pro players. In previous games, like Modern Warfare 2 sniper rifles were allowed in competitive matches, and they occasionally were useful for Search and Destroy matches.

Last CDL season, players didn’t have a way to counter snipers when smoke grenades got banned. However, in MW3, one player can use a smoke grenade during Search and Destroy matches, and in Ranked Play, all four players can use a smoke grenade if they want to. That should have theoretically made sniper rifles less powerful, but that didn’t stop pros from GAing the class from CDL play.

GA stands for gentleman’s agreement, and refers to weapons or maps the pros agree to remove. CDL players can always decide to add new items back in, but for now, sniper rifle players don’t have any option in Ranked Play.