How to get the crossbow in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Since the latest update players have been wondering how to get the crossbow in Call of Duty MW. Following the huge v1.13 COD patch notes, the stringed weapon of explosive death has made its way into the online badlands of Modern Warfare, along with a slew of balancing and competitive changes. 

The weapon has a mixed history with the series: some versions haven't found their way into many player loadouts in Call of Duty's past, but others have been so potent they've needed to be nerfed. It remains to be seen if players really take to this new version but according to the in-game description, it is "silent and agile, this high-performance crossbow fires 20.0 bolts with exceptional lethality."

First seen following leaks in 2019, the COD crossbow went live in the game on January 22. What's more, it's free, but you have a challenge to complete before you can get it. So let's cut to the chase: here's how to get the crossbow in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

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COD Crossbow: how to unlock it

To add the crossbow to your murderous collection, you must complete the following challenge:

Create a loadout with a Marksman Rifle that's equipped with a Reflex Optic sight and get five kills in 25 different matches.

Just in case your memory is a little fuzzy when it comes to long-range weaponry, that means you've got the EBR-14, Kar98k, and MK2 Carbine to choose from. If you prefer close-quarters combat, this challenge could take you a while. That said, stick to the Carbine: its relatively high damage and fire rate should see you through this challenge. 

COD Crossbow attachments in Gunsmith

In the video above you can see all the customisation possibilities for the crossbow. As you can see the eight attachment categories are: 

• 1: Cable
• 2: Arms
• 3: Laser
• 4: Optic
• 5: Stock
• 6: Underbarrel
• 7: Bolt
• 8: Perk

While we need to wait and see how viable the crossbow is in the longer term, early indications are promising. It's slow, with long reload times, and lacks sufficient damage for a one-hit kill, but players with a half-decent aim should get plenty of joy from this new weapon.