MW3 nerfs the two most-popular Ranked guns in Season 3

Unlike in Warzone, the gun metas for multiplayer Call of Duty very rarely differ, especially when it comes to Ranked play with so many restrictions.

Since the start of Modern Warfare 3, it has been an MCW paradise, with the assault rifle often being used by all eight players in the lobby. Only in Season 2 did we start seeing the Rival-9 rise to prominence alongside the WSP-Swarm.

But in Season 3, the meta might be shifting again, as both the MCW and Rival-9 have been nerfed.

Assault Rifle mains furious at MCW nerfs for MW3 Ranked

After months of domination, the MCW has now been nerfed in Modern Warfare 3, eliminating any chance of a "four-shot kill", which was achieved when landing some significant headshot damage.

As of Season 3, the MCW headshot multiplayer has been reduced from 1.3x to 1.1x, meaning you will need at least five bullets to get in your quota of damage for a kill.

Straight away, esteemed AR professional (now retired) Sam "Octane" Larew claimed that this was not a necessary nerf, and only levelled out the skill gap which was achieved by accurate shots to the cranium.

"We can’t even tip good shots anymore, wild," Octane said on Twitter.

On top of this, popular attachments on the MCW were also nerfed, although alternative options are still viable, making this gun still pretty impressive, but just less brutal.

SMG meta set for a shake-up in MW3 Ranked

Click to enlarge

The popular Rival-9 SMG was also on Sledgehammer Games' chopping block for Season 3, having its sprint-to-fire time nerfed alongside its damage range, forcing it to become more close-quarters.

Here though, the untouched WSP-Swarm has already been creeping into the meta and will be a very popular choice for objective players, especially those who like to play inside the hardpoints on Skidrow, or those who chop in between the middle buildings on Invasion.

It is likely that the Swarm could even be pulled out at pro level too, with reports that Chris "Simp" Lehr has been using it in scrims with great efficiency.

A shift in meta might actually be a welcome change, if the maps support more SMG play, as at the moment, it is a case of holding long angles with the MCW, and with no possibility for the headshot multiplayer to outskill your foes, it comes down to who can press the trigger quicker.

Maybe 6-Star could be the Swarm's new playground...