Modern Warfare 3 dev details new Gunsmith changes, Aftermarket Parts feature, and more

Just days away from Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer reveal at CoD Next on Oct. 5, Sledgehammer Games has detailed one of the new features in the game’s highly customizable Gunsmith called Aftermarket Parts.

For the most part, MW3’s Gunsmith looks and functions similarly to Modern Warfare 2’s in that attachments are unlocked as weapons level up. Attachment options include Barrel, Muzzle, Magazine, Optic, Laser, and Rear Grip just like MW2 as well.

But the difference and Sledgehammer’s new take on the Gunsmith comes in something called Aftermarket Parts, which use something called Conversion Kits that can fundamentally change a weapon, like taking it from semi-auto to full-auto, as an example.

“Think of them as remixes for the guns,” said Sledgehammer Games systems designer Nick Carraro. “It’s a way for players to come back to a weapon that they may have already mastered or played out and it’s going to give them an entirely new dimension to interact with the gun in a way that regular attachments can’t.”

Carraro said Conversion Kits are “going to absolutely turn that gun’s identity on its head and give you an entirely new way to play with the weapon,” remarking that Aftermarket Parts are “powerful, meaningful changes to these weapons.”

Aftermarket Part Conversion Kits are unlocked with a challenge that becomes available once a weapon is max level. Sledgehammer gave examples, including challenges like “get 25 Kills while hip firing or using Tac-Stance.”

Once Aftermarket Parts are made available, it opens up a slew of options for that gun, according to Activision.

“Pay attention to and cycle through your weapon’s attachment selection when equipping Conversion Kits,” Activision said. “New Aftermarket Parts might become available as attachments that weren’t accessible using the base weapon, and some previously available attachments may become restricted. Because the weapon is fundamentally changed, so are the ways it can be modified.”

Another way MW3’s Gunsmith is changing is that attachment unlocks will no longer require players to use a specific weapon to unlock them. Once an attachment is unlocked on one gun and is applicable on another, it will be available without having to do the extra work like in MW2.

And 1X scopes, which normally slowed down aim-down-sight speed on MW2 guns, will no longer do so in MW3, so using these kinds of sights will now allow faster target acquisition than ever before.

Players will get a taste of the MW3 Gunsmith when the beta goes live on PlayStation this Friday, Oct. 6.