It’s an addition that’s splitting the community down the middle: Armory Unlock Challenges. In Modern Warfare 3, most of the unlocks – weapons, attachments, killstreaks, perks – are blocked behind ‘challenge walls’, with users being charged with completing a series of randomised daily challenges to unlock some of the best equipment in the game.
It’s divisive, though. On the one hand, some users are welcoming the refreshing change, saying that it adds more complexity to unlocking things, rather than simply hitting a specific level or completing one lone challenge. On the other, you’ve got a community sick of grinding, comparing the new feature to elements seen in mobile games that are thinly veiled attempts at boosting player retention and engagement.
For Better or Worse
Armory Unlock Challenges are a thorn in the side of many gamers, but they’re here to stay. Let’s say you want to unlock the Slate Reflector in Modern Warfare 3 – it’s one of the best optics, so why wouldn’t you?
Well, it’s barricaded behind one of these Armory Unlock Challenges, and to get it, you’ll need to complete two daily challenges. Now, those daily challenges rotate every so often, and they can be absolutely anything: complete a certain amount of objectives, get kills with this weapon or that piece of equipment, or win a certain mode. If you complete two of those, then hey presto, you’ve got the attachment.
That’s the idea, anyway. I should also stress that Armory Unlock Challenges are technically available until you’ve reached LL25, which is another spanner in the works as far as COD fans are concerned.
Related: It Took Just 16 Months To Develop MW3
Here’s what popular creator, Mutahar, had to say about the feature:
Fortunately, there are a few positive things to take away from this ‘grindy’ addition to the Call of Duty ecosystem:
- Once you’ve rinsed the daily challenges, you get a generic, ‘infinite-use’ challenge that just wants you to win matches. So, you can unlock things over and over, provided you’re winning your matches.
- These daily challenges aren’t confined to just multiplayer – they’re also available in Zombies, which makes things a lot easier. Don’t want to get five Operator headshots with a sniper? That’s fine – go and kill 50 zombies with a shotgun. It’s much simpler.
- If you start unlocking one thing and change your mind, you can switch to something else with a button press and your progress won’t be lost.
- It’s up to you what you unlock. If you want to unlock Covert Sneakers before the Slate Reflector, then feel free to do so.
On social platforms, some users are lauding the addition of the Armory Unlock Challenges, citing it as a ‘refreshing change’ that’s welcomed to break up the monotony of unlocking things. Some are clapping back by insisting that they shouldn’t be getting to LL55 and still having things that they need to unlock.
How do you feel about Armory Unlock Challenges? Do you think it’s a good system, or are you already sick of it?
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that BioShock’s creator has a long-lost zombie survival game in his background
