Call of Duty Modern Warfare is gearing up for Season 2, with plenty of leaks and teased information in the interim before the release of a wave of new content. In the few days before Modern Warfare Season 2, double XP, weapon XP, and battle pass progression is active for all players, making it the perfect time to jump back in and get ready for everything to come.
In Modern Warfare, one of the best ways to level up quickly is to hop into a game on a small map like Shipment or Shoothouse and start racking up kills. It's even quicker in Hardcore mode, where a single headshot at any distance is a kill, and a few bullets are enough to take down any foe.
While Hardcore mode is set apart from standard game modes by its more intense gameplay, it is also unique because it completely changes Modern Warfare's weapon balancing. Since kills come much faster, certain weapons become far more viable, while others that are overpowered in normal game modes become completely obsolete.
It's a good idea for players to make a couple of new Modern Warfare weapon loadouts for Hardcore, and possibly change up their attachments to reflect the very different meta. Practically every weapon becomes more powerful in Hardcore than it is in normal modes, so it's also the best place to level up weapons or grind for skins. However, there are still some weapons that fare much better than others.
Guns that Get Worse in Modern Warfare's Hardcore Mode
Nothing actually gets worse in Hardcore. Rather, when everything is stronger, some guns lose what once made them special. The biggest loser in the switch to Modern Warfare's Hardcore mode is almost certainly the MK2 Carbine. After the many nerfs to the 725 Shotgun, the MK2 became the mid-range one-shot weapon of choice. However, in Hardcore mode, its low ammo capacity,and the fact that plenty of other guns like the AK-47 can also one-shot make it totally obsolete.
Likewise, the high ammo capacity and DPS of LMGs are not enough to outweigh their slow handling and aim-down-sights times. In Hardcore, ADS speed is the most important priority, since every gunfight comes down to a pure test of snap aim and reflexes. Now that every gun has a near-instant time to kill, some Modern Warfare weapon classes are totally irrelevant. Shotguns don't dominate close range either. Sniper rifles and other DMRs are practically obsolete too, except on very long range maps. Even then, ARs are usually preferable.
New Meta Weapons in Modern Warfare's Hardcore Mode
Some things never change. The M4A1 and the RAM-7 are still both extremely effective in Hardcore mode, with great range, low recoil, and excellent handling characteristics. However, when so many other guns are just as effective, there is little reason to rely on the same old meta Modern Warfare weapons that everyone uses in regular game modes. One of the best things about playing Hardcore is seeing the amount of people who use an interesting variety of guns beyond what is normally seen in the game.
The most important weapons to pay attention to in Hardcore are the ones that get a new lease on life with a bit more damage. The weapons that most drastically rocket from inadequacy to stardom are the FR 5.56 (Famas) and the FAL. Both of these ARs lack full auto fire, and can't hold up against other weapons in their class in most game modes.
However, with a much faster time to kill, they both become one-tap machines capable of dishing out punishment in style. The Famas is the preferable choice since its three round bursts make it a little more forgiving, while still conserving ammo and maintaining lethality. Its these slower ARs can occupy the role of DMRs and even sniper rifles in Harcore playlists, dominating the long-range maps, yet still serviceable in a close quarters pinch.
The AK-47 is also an excellent choice in Hardcore mode. It maintains all the style and fun characteristics that it always has, but it now offers one-hit kills to make up for its slightly slower rate of fire. The AK is an incredibly versatile gun too, meaning that it can be modified to allow for much better handling to suit whatever unique playstyle its user desires.
However, the biggest winners in the switch to hardcore mode are clearly SMGs. High rate of fire means that they can win most close range engagements with a judicious hipfire spray, while the welcome presence of remastered classic Modern Warfare maps means there are far more mid-range arenas for SMGs to dominate in. With instant-death headshots they can even work at extremely long ranges. An MP5 with 3X optic can take out a sniper even at ranges where only the glint of a scope is visible.
The P90 is a great choice now too. Its low DPS is still slightly problematic, but its high ammo capacity can be a life-saver on drawn-out games on Shipment, where having to reload usually spells instant death. However, and MP7 kitted out to reduce ADS time to a minimum becomes a true beast in hardcore mode, capable of snapping sights up out of a sprint at breathtaking speed. Hardcore requires getting the drop on enemies, if even just a split second advantage, and the MP7 is able to snap into action faster than almost any other weapon.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.