Two new guns are coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone. These weapons have been long rumored with leaked animations and models, but now the game's community has an official answer. Modern Warfare will soon be welcoming the SP-R208 Marksman Rifle and AS-VAL Assault Rifle into its armory.
These two weapons will be unlocked for free as part of the game's Battle Pass system. Modern Warfare and Warzone fans who make it to Tier 15 can unlock the SP-R208, and the AS-Val is unlocked at Tier 31. By simply gaining enough XP, any fan can have access to these two new and powerful weapons.
Early leaked footage of the SP-R208 circulated with many fans expecting a sniper rifle to be released this season. Instead, fans will be receiving a bolt-action marksman rifle. Players will have several ammo choices along with bolt assembly changes allowing for several special customization options to configure this weapon into a powerful marksman tool.
The AS-VAL was not expected but is welcomed by the community as the 13th member of the Assault Rifle family. This weapon is a Soviet build that chambers subsonic 9x39mm ammunition. It comes pre-equipped with a built-in suppressor and a high rate of fire, meaning it should be good for penetration, stealth, and accuracy. As with other Modern Warfare weapons, the gun is highly configurable for peronal needs.
Once players have their hands on the new weapons in Season 6, there are likely to be some immediate balance concerns based on the description alone. The AS-Val comes with a suppressor, potentially meaning it comes with a free pre-built attachment. This could quickly become a problem despite the fact that better attachments would no doubt be available.
The SP-R 209 rifle is rumored to be super powerful, with some fans believing that it will contain a one-hit kill potential from the chest up on any target. Although this would be strong, its placement as a Marksman rifle does help to lessen the impact of the weapon on the game's current meta, but the inherent strength may still cause concern among the game's community.
Still, new weapons bring new opportunities into Modern Warfare. Fans can customize each weapon to fit their personal build and enjoy the opportunity for a change in meta. While the guns are still in their early stages there will no doubt be a balancing patch to cycle through before everything can settle into place.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: Activision Blog