Gunsmith Innovations: Introducing Aftermarket Parts and More to MW III

In Modern Warfare III, Operators have access to improved weapon functionality through the Aftermarket Parts feature, representing Gunsmith’s biggest change to the weapons you know and use. Read on for a full briefing of this amazing new innovation to gunplay.

If you’re wanting to perfect your favorite weapon in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III’s Gunsmith, there’s a new and innovative way to dramatically alter the function of your weapon, thanks to Conversion Kits, part of the Aftermarket Parts system coming to Gunsmith in the Modern Warfare III Beta in October and at release on November 10.

In the following Intel Drop, Sledgehammer Games’ systems designer Nick Carraro and design director Zach Hodson reveal the purpose of Aftermarket Parts and how they transform the weapons you’ve mastered into completely new experiences.

“Think of them as remixes for the guns,” Nick says. “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.”

You can choose a Conversion Kit that’s going to absolutely turn that gun’s identity on its head and give you an entirely new way to play with the weapon.”

Zach adds, “They’re nearly a new gun. [Aftermarket Parts] are powerful, meaningful changes to these weapons.”

Let’s dig a little further into the upcoming feature as well as some other enhancements coming to Gunsmith in Modern Warfare III:

New Challenges, New Playstyles

Gunsmith functions much in the same way it does in Modern Warfare II. Players still gain Weapon XP to unlock attachments for a specific weapon and its associated Weapons Platform, in addition to gaining alternative progression routes at launch. You can choose from familiar attachment options like the Barrel, Muzzle, Magazine, Optic, Laser, Rear Grip and more to create the optimal version of each weapon, depending on your playstyle.

However, for certain weapons that reach max level, players will be able to transform their design using Aftermarket Parts. At launch, Modern Warfare III will feature several sets of Aftermarket Parts, which take the form of Conversion Kits. To access these kits, you’ll need to complete in-game challenges that become available once the supported weapon obtains max level. Finish that final challenge, and the Conversion Kit is yours. Consider it the final, impressive reward for finishing a weapon’s progression path.

New Weapon, New Attachments

Pay attention to and cycle through your weapon’s attachment selection when equipping Conversion Kits. 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.     

Conversion Kit Examples: Three Aftermarket Weapons

To give you a better idea of the kinds of changes Aftermarket Parts bring to a weapon, here are three Conversion Kit examples, beginning with the bullpup LMG conversion mentioned in the video. The examples shown below also come paired with example attachments to give an idea of how you can further customize your weapon’s lethality in the field in conjunction with Aftermarket Parts.

Aftermarket Parts Loadout #1: Pulemyot LMG

Unlock Challenge at Max Level: Get 25 Kills while hip firing or using Tac-Stance.

Transform this belt-fed machine gun with the Bullpup Conversion Kit, greatly increasing the weapon’s mobility and handling, rate of fire, and recoil off the hip and when in Tac-Stance. What was once a behemoth weapon can now be used to run and gun without giving up the LMG’s deep ammo reserves.

Add some Aftermarket Parts in the form of recoil pads fitted to the Stock for greater accuracy, as well as the Aftermarket Bullpup Barrell for improved bullet velocity and damage range. This provides a solid foundation for aggressive play that can only be further improved through the use of additional attachments.

Aftermarket Parts Loadout #2: Renetti Handgun with Full-Auto Carbine

Unlock Challenge at Max Level: Get 30 Kills with five attachments equipped.

Through use of 3D-printed parts, you can convert the burst-fire Renetti into a full-auto Handgun reminiscent of an SMG. Gain increased bullet velocity, range, and rate of fire at the cost of some mobility and recoil control. The conversion also supports Tactical Stance, unavailable with the base model, offering greater options in how you approach each fight.

Pair the Conversion Kit with a larger Magazine to minimize reloads and you’ll be firmly in SMG territory. Add a Barrel to further extend your damage range, or focus on hip-firing improvements for fighting at top speed.

Aftermarket Parts Loadout #3: WSP Swarmwith Akimbo Brace Stocks

Unlock Challenge at Max Level: Unlock via weekly challenge in the preseason.

Add additional support to the weapon’s frame, allowing Operators to place one WSP Swarm in each hand for an aggressive Akimbo stance that sacrifices some damage range and mobility for the advantage of overwhelming your opponents with a rain of fire. With dual weapons, you’ll no longer be able to aim down sights, so get up close and make it count.

Complement the Akimbo Conversion Kit with a Laser that improves hip-fire accuracy; for aggressive stealth play, try equipping a Suppressor with the Hollow Point Ammunition to stagger enemies without giving up your position.

Other Gunsmith Enhancements

The new Gunsmith is bringing additional innovations to the overall weapons system. These include more shared attachments and the removal of certain penalties when equipping small Optics.

Attachment Unlocks: For new Modern Warfare III weapons, attachments such as Grips, Barrels, Magazines, and Stocks will no longer require players to use a specific weapon after they’ve already been unlocked for another one. For example, the Assault Stock attachment is available for both the AMR9 SMG (at Level 8) and the Riveter Shotgun (at Level 12). If your AMR9 is already progressed to Level 8 or higher, the Stock will be available on the Riveter immediately, and vice versa.

1x Optic Attachments: As opposed to their counterparts in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, new 1x zoom Optic attachments will no longer penalize your Operator’s Aim Down Sights speed, allowing faster target acquisition when using these sights.

Modern Warfare III Launches November 10

Lock in your preorder now and immediately receive items for Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone™  as well as items for Modern Warfare III redeemable when the game launches in November. Preorder rewards include Campaign Early Access and Open Beta Early Access for Modern Warfare III.

Both physical and digital editions of the game can be preordered on your platform of choice, with all editions detailed in our preorder guide here.

Stay frosty.