Why are MW2/MW3 weapons locked in Warzone? Answered

Joey Carr

Joey Carr

The entire arsenal of MW2 and MW3 weapons are available in Warzone, but they might be locked for you at first.

Following the Black Ops 6 integration with Call of Duty: Warzone in Season 1, there are over 100 weapons to choose from in the Gunsmith. In addition to the new Black Ops 6 weaponry, players also have access to every weapon from MW2 and MW3. While this is the case for all players, regardless of level, the MW2 and MW3 weapons could be locked when you boot up Warzone.

If you attempt to equip a MW2 or MW3 weapon on a loadout, you might see a yellow exclamation over the weapon in the build menu. This happens on the base weapon and any subsequent blueprints you unlocked over the course of the past two years. To stop this from happening so you use all the MW2 and MW3 weapons you want in Warzone, check out the guide below.

How to stop MW2 and MW3 weapons from being locked in Warzone

Screenshot by esports.gg
Screenshot by esports.gg

Regardless of your level or desired weapon class, the yellow exclamation point can pop up on any non-Black Ops 6 weapon in Warzone. You can enter the firing range with the weapon you want, without any attachments, but beyond that, you're stuck.

Fortunately, there's a simple reason why the yellow exclamation pops up and locks the MW2 and MW3 weapons. The only reason this happens is because the loadout you're trying to equip the weapon on has the Gunfighter wildcard equipped.

MW2 and MW3 weapons are not allowed to use more than five attachments on a loadout. The Gunfighter wildcard allows you to use eight attachments, but it's only equippable for Black Ops 6 weapons. To remove the yellow exclamation point and unlock your MW2 and MW3 weapons, simply change Gunfighter to another wildcard on the loadout you're trying to use.

Screenshot by esports.gg
Screenshot by esports.gg

Once you do that, you'll be able to equip any MW2 or MW3 weapon you want, including any blueprints for those weapons. That might not be the last time you see a weapon locked, though.

What about Armory Unlocks in Warzone?

Some weapons need to be unlocked through the Armory in Warzone, which is used for unlocking any missed content in MW2, MW3, or Black Ops 6. If you didn't unlock a post-launch weapon in Warzone during MW2 or MW3, you'll have to go through the Armory to unlock it. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the Armory isn't in Warzone due to bugs with it. The developers should return the Armory to the game soon, however.

When the Armory is back, you have to be level 24 during any prestige to access it. From there, you can activate a challenge for any locked piece of content and unlock it that way. This goes for weapons as well as attachments, such as Aftermarket Parts like the JAK Protean for the RAAL MG.

Those are all the ways to make sure your MW2 and MW3 weapons aren't locked in Warzone. If you're looking to spice up a loadout for a Black Ops 6 gun, though, we recommend the Buffer Weight Stock, which has been making some waves recently in Season 1.

Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Warzone guides and coverage.