Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has arrived – and if you’re jumping straight into multiplayer, you’ll know things are already hectic. Although many guns have been carried over from last year’s Call Of Duty, the addition of new weapons and maps means players are scrambling to find the best guns and tactics for winning matches. If you’re looking for tips to get better at Modern Warfare 3, we’ve put together a guide that should help newcomers and returning players find their footing at launch.
However, if you’re here because you’re new to the game and dying every other second, don’t worry. The real trick is to simply keep playing until you have a feel for Call Of Duty‘s fast-paced flow and ever-shifting spawn points – but to get to that point faster, the below tips will get you killing more (and dying less) in no time.
Check the minimap more often
One of the biggest changes in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the return of red dots on the minimap, a feature that was controversially removed in 2022’s Modern Warfare 2. Now, any enemies that fire an unsuppressed weapon are revealed as a red dot on the minimap – making that portion of your screen more valuable than ever.
Make a habit of constantly scanning your minimap for intel. This will let you catch enemies unaware, as you can swoop in while they’re still healing and reloading from their last shootout. Once you understand the maps, it can also help decision-making when it comes to avoiding (or looking for) high-traffic areas – so make a habit of keeping one eye glued to the minimap!
Be realistic with your killstreaks
Yes, becoming a minigun-toting Juggernaut is cool. So is calling in a Gunship or Chopper Gunner. But if you’re already struggling to string together more than a couple of kills, going into matches with killstreaks that require 10 to 15 consecutive kills is – realistically – a waste of a slot.
Instead, think about your average kill-death ratio and equip killstreaks you’re likelier to unlock. At first, use killstreaks with lower requirements – such as a UAV, Counter-UAV or Cruise Missile – and stick with them until you’re calling them in more games than not. As you improve, feel free to swap certain slots out for more demanding killstreak rewards – but try to set realistic expectations of what you’ll get to use.
Play with a headset
Fast reflexes will get you far – but keen ears make the difference between being caught off guard, and being the player doing the catching. For denser maps like Favela and Skidrow, listening out for enemies can give you more information than relying on the minimap.
To that end, we recommend playing Modern Warfare 3 with a good headset. Compared to TV speakers and soundbars, headsets are significantly better suited to playing with directional sound and listening out for exact noises. Make the switch and you’ll find yourself outwitting flankers and surprising noisy sprinters far more often, while also becoming more aware of your own noise levels.
Don’t be afraid to adapt
As you level up, you’ll quickly begin to pick your favourite weapons and build loadouts around them. That’s encouraged – we’ve even put together some guides on the best guns in Modern Warfare 3 – but even your most beloved loadout won’t be the perfect choice for every situation.
Don’t be afraid to switch and experiment with loadouts when you’re still in a match. Whether you’re struggling to find kills with a shotgun on Afghan or your sniper’s no match for the enemy team’s SMG-wielding top fragger, sometimes the best thing you can do in a rough match is switch it up. Who knows, you might even find a new favourite!
Beware of corners
Whichever game mode you’re playing, you’re at your most vulnerable to being killed while turning corners. However, that goes both ways: take more care with your turns, and you’ll start racking in more kills by catching other players off guard.
Get into the habit of not sprinting around everywhere, listening for enemies hiding ahead (clip reloading and stance-switching noises are dead giveaways), and keeping your gun raised at head level. Not only will this reduce the number of times you’re caught by surprise as you turn a corner, but it will also reduce the amount of input it takes to kill anyone waiting on the other side. For those still learning the maps, stick to the fringes of each one, as it will reduce the number of angles you need to be wary of.
Put more thought into your loadouts
Before you load into a match, make sure you’re prepared. Though it’s tempting to cobble together a default loadout to try out every new weapon you unlock, put a little bit of thought into how each gun synergizes with the rest of your loadout.
For example, fast-moving playstyles with SMGs should use things like Covert Sneakers and Mag Holster to reload quicker and move quieter, while snipers benefit more from things like Ghost T/V Camo and Hijacked IFF Strobe, which are better for keeping their perch hidden.
Outside of the above Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer tips we’ve put together, you may find it useful to read up on the loadouts and weapons you should be using. Here are our guides on the best guns in Modern Warfare 3, along with exact loadouts for the Striker, KV Inhibitor, MTZ-556, and even more.