The 2024 Call of Duty League is now in full swing as teams warm up ahead of the first Major of the season in Boston and the meta has already swung heavily in favor of assault rifles, with one in particular topping usage charts—the MCW.
It comes as no surprise really, but the numbers are still mind-boggling to consider; the MCW AR accounts for over two-thirds of all kills in the CDL so far according to FaZeCoDMuse on Twitter. Even worse is the kill ratio on a map-by-map basis: a ridiculous 88 percent of kills on Terminal came via the MCW, with Invasion (80 percent) trailing right behind.
The MCW sits near the top as far as Modern Warfare 3’s general weapon meta goes but has taken over the CDL thanks to the season one “gentlemen’s agreement” (GA) ban list featuring the likes of the superior Holger 556 and a number of battle rifles. The MCW’s accuracy and range make it the next-best weapon and as such, its dominance is unmatched in the CDL.
It’s also no secret the classic MW2 map layouts favor the assault rifle class, despite a recent resurgence in submachine gun use thanks to their strength in MW3. With so many confrontations happening at a moderate range thanks to the layout of the CDL-approved maps, even the best SMGs like the Striker 9 just can’t keep up.
“It’s a tough spot to be in, especially because almost all the MW3 SMGs are in a great spot,” one fan said in a Reddit thread discussing the MCW’s dominance. Teams are now leaning into a majority-AR setup, with one player opting to flex into an SMG depending on the map.
The CDL meta has little bearing on the rest of matchmaking, but it begs the question about the frequency of map rotation and weapon balance for the esport half of CoD. The concept of the GA is not new, but is outdated? How much longer should the pro scene manage affairs themselves?
Time will tell as the CDL season continues. With a myriad of maps available to choose from as the year progresses, and plenty of opportunity to buff or nerf weapons, it is possible we’ll see other weapon archetypes get their time in the sun later this year—but only if Activision’s CDL team make it happen.
