Do you need to buy MW3 to play Warzone?

Call of Duty: Warzone, a prominent battle royale title from Activision, is very popular. As the largest BR offering from this developer, it offers numerous game modes and a massive array of weapons as well as equipment. With the release of its first season, WZ saw significant changes. This includes new movement mechanics, underwater gunfights, the addition of the new Urzikstan map, and more.

Notably, Season 1 integrated Warzone with Modern Warfare 3, raising concerns among gamers about the game's accessibility. This article aims to address player concerns regarding whether MW3 is required to access and play WZ or if the latter remains a free-to-play experience.

Is owning MW3 required to play Warzone?

No, you do not need to buy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 to play Warzone. The latter is a standalone, free-to-play title offered by Activision. It is available for download on all major gaming platforms, including the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

In the title, all weapons, attachments, and equipment are freely available but require unlocking. This necessitates playing matches, earning experience points (XP) through various challenges, and leveling up your account to access gear.

Each weapon has unique conditions that must be met to be unlocked. Guns also have levels, and reaching specific ones unlocks attachments. You can create personalized loadouts tailored to your playstyle with unlocked weapons and attachments, boosting your battle royale experience.

While WZ is free to play, you can buy bundles, Battle Pass, and other items in it. Notably, if you own Modern Warfare 3, any purchase you make in the BR title — such as a new bundle or Battle Pass — will be accessible in both games. This ensures you don't have to buy things separately.

Warzone Season 1 content overview

Season 1 has replaced Al Mazrah with the new Urzikstan map in Warzone. Even though Al Mazrah has been removed, you can still enjoy Vondel and Ashika Island. Additionally, the Season 1 update includes various new features that improve the game experience:

New movement mechanics

Slide canceling
Tac-Stance
ADS while sliding
Running while reloading
A slight movement boost when using the Stim Tactical

Gameplay updates

Backup pistol
Improved water combat
Manual gas mask
Experimental gas grenades
Dedicated ammo slots
Loot rarity
Contract activation laptop
Updated Tac map icons
Classic red dots
Improved loot spreading

New environmental elements

Drivable train
Horizontal ziplines
New Vehicle: Coyote

Follow Sportskeeda's Call of Duty section for more news and updates on the franchise.

About the author

Animesh has been a Call of Duty writer at Sportskeeda for close to two years. A fervent enthusiast of the iconic Mario Bros. franchise and several first-person shooter games, his love for gaming pushed him to merge his passion and profession, and eventually land a writing job in the genre. When creating content, he prioritizes quality and accuracy over speed, verifying multiple official sources. This has helped his meticulous first-person shooter guides garner over two million reads.

Although Animesh holds a Master’s degree in Commerce, he would willingly go back to school; just as long as the school is Hogwarts, so he can jump into the world of spell-casting and fly on broomsticks. He admires gamers Shroud and Beaulo, and would recommend story-driven games like Red Dead Redemption, Skyrim, and Far Cry 3 for their captivating narratives and deep player engagement.

Animesh also enjoys multiplayer games such as Valorant, Apex Legends, and Warzone. When he keeps his controller aside, he plays football and badminton, reads books, and cooks.

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Edited by Soumyadyuti Ghosh