MW3 multiplayer tips and tricks to dominate matches

Minimap and situation awareness are key

While it can be easy to get caught up in the action, remember to keep an eye on the minimap on the top left of your screen. This will alert you to enemies that have used unsuppressed weapons, letting you protect allies or surprise your opponents. Understanding how the map works will help with this, especially when certain choke points and corridors are favored by some players.

Opt for the right scorestreaks

If you’re struggling to secure kills but are great with assists and objectives, toggle scorestreaks instead of killstreaks in the multiplayer menu. It can be hard to get higher-end kill streaks if you’re not the best player in a match, while scorestreaks reward you for assisting in any way possible. By earning scorestreaks, you can force the enemy team to stay in cover and be more cautious. This gives you more freedom to move around the map and take control of key positions.

Experiment with loadouts and adapt to threats

The right loadout can help you adapt to maps and enemies. Be sure to pick a weapon based on your playstyle. But there’s no harm in experimenting to figure out what works for you. And some maps can reward you when you switch to a weapon from a different category. Our best MW3 loadouts will get you started with some competent options. You can visit the Practice Range to check out how much damage each weapon does and how attachments alter its behavior.

Customize your aim and controller settings

Adjusting in-game settings can make a huge difference, with even a slight change having a drastic effect on the way the game feels. We’ve pulled together a detailed guide on the best controller settings which will help you steady your aim and take down foes with ease. Once you get an accuracy score of above 90% at the Practice Range after tinkering with your sensitivity, you’ll be ready to go into multiplayer with some confidence.

To help you out, we’ve also enlisted the help of Call of Duty enthusiast and host of the Videogamer.com TikTok channel, Jay Crotty. Jay says “Tuning your sensitivity level is very important as reaction time is key in MW3. Setting it too high may cause you to miss shots. On the other side, turning it down may cause you to lag behind. Everyone is different, so try them all!” We recommend turning off Weapon Motion Blur and World Motion Blur as well to spot enemies clearly.

Work toward the right attachments, battle pass, and Armory unlocks

The new Armory unlock system lets you work towards new weapons by finishing daily challenges and playing matches. This flexibility allows you to start getting some incredible gear after Level 25. But remember to select weapons and Aftermarket Parts for challenges to count toward unlocking them. Similarly, you’ll earn battle pass tokens that can be redeemed for specific rewards. Attachment unlocks are tied to weapon XP, earned by using weapons in combat. Each match counts as they reward you with progress towards building the best loadouts. Equipment and perks can make a significant difference in combat.

Rely on Double XP weekends to reduce the grind for gear

While these events only occur once in a month, Double XP weekends can help you make the most of your time in-game. This goes for both leveling up fast and racking up weapon XP for the best attachments. Keep an eye on when the next Double XP weekend is to maximize your gains.

Use Zombies mode to unlock weapons fast via exfils

It can take a while to unlock weapons in the game, especially the old MW2 ones that are present via the Carry Forward feature. To make this process painless, you can team up with another friend who has the gun you want. Then take their gun and exfil in the Zombies mode to keep the weapon. You can also find rare weapons scattered across its threat zones. This will let you unlock weapons without having to work too hard for them.

Master slide cancels to surprise foes

You can chain together multiple slide cancels to create more complex movement patterns and keep your opponents guessing. For example, you could slide cancel into a jump, then immediately slide cancel again to drop back down to the ground. You can keep an enemy’s reticule in constant motion this way, improving your odds of survival. Once you secure a kill, remember to reload behind cover or a friendly player to lower the odds of being caught off-guard. Another trick worth trying is Tac-Stance, a middle ground between regular hip-fire (without aiming down your sight) and ADS that focuses on mobility.

Use objectives to bait enemy players

Modes like Kill Confirmed and Domination give players objectives to work towards. Be it the fallen dog tags or zones to control, both of them lure enemies to specific locations. By lying in wait near them instead of claiming them for yourself, you can rack up even more kills to fuel your killstreaks.

Use the killcam to sniff out enemy positions

The previous point works both ways. If an enemy sticks to the same tactics, you’ll be able to warn your allies after spotting this on your killcam. Just remember that revenge plays rarely end well so try not to head into the same location where you were just outgunned. For instance, being knocked down by a sniper doesn’t mean you should run into their sightline again. Instead, flank them with an SMG or assault rifle before spraying bullets.