What is Modern Warfare 3 carry forward? For the first time, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 introduces the carry forward feature, allowing you to bring your best items with you from Modern Warfare 2. While we have been able to share items between mainline games and Warzone before now, this is a first from one main campaign game to another.
A year on, Modern Warfare 3 is a direct sequel to 2022’s MW2, and the first time a game from the same Call of Duty series has been released two years in a row. Well, since Finest Hour. Perhaps the MW3 carry forward scheme has been brought in to make the last 12 months of slaving away behind the crosshairs worthwhile. If you’re not sure if your existing operators, guns, and camos are available in the FPS game, here’s everything we know about Modern Warfare 3 carry forward, and just what you can expect in your collection when the MW3 release date arrives.
MW3 carry forward explained
Almost all items you currently own in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 are automatically available to you in Modern Warfare 3. The only exceptions are Wartracks, and skins for anything that might not be available in Modern Warfare 3, for example, a specific vehicle type. The full list of items you can carry forward includes:
- Operators
- Operator skins
- Weapons
- Weapon blueprints
- Weapon attachments
- Weapon camos*
- Weapon charms
- Weapon stickers
- Weapon level
- Emblems
- Calling Cards
- Loading Screens
Gear that has been carried forward is available in MW3 automatically from season one. To claim your items, all you need to do is make sure you’re logged in with the same Call of Duty account you use for Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2. The only items carried forward from Warzone are those which were earned in the second iteration of the battle royale game, in other words, anything from Warzone 2.0, starting November 2022.
Weapon camos that you have unlocked in Modern Warfare 2 are available in MW3, but only on MW2 weapons. For example, if you have the MW2 Orion camo, you are able to apply it to MW2 guns only.
If you’ve never played MW2 but plan on picking up MW3, doesn’t this mean you’re at a disadvantage with all those weapons available? No, and yes. All MW2 guns are available in MW3, but must be unlocked with in-game challenges, so you might find yourself at a disadvantage in your first days.
How do base operator skins work?
Operator skins work in the same way as usual when carried forward to Modern Warfare 3, that is to say that if you have unlocked a base operator, that base operator and its skins are carried forward.
If you have only unlocked a special skin and not the base character, a battle pass variant, for example, then only the limited-time skin carries forward.
Can you transfer items back to MW2?
The carry forward scheme does not work the other way, in other words, you cannot carry items back from Modern Warfare 3 into MW2. The good news here is that there is a massive amount of new gear to look forward to collecting in MW3, on top of the goods you carry forward.
It’s also worth pointing out that any items carried forward to MW3 are not taken from Modern Warfare 2, and appear in both games simultaneously.
That’s all your questions on MW3 carry forward answered. Now you know which items you can take into Modern Warfare 3, why not take a look at the best Modern Warfare 2 guns, best MW2 perks and killstreaks, and make sure you’ve got everything you need for the MW3 beta, which is right around the corner.