Why is My Weapon Loadout Locked in MW2? The Complete Explanation
As an experienced MW2 player who has unlocked Damascus camo on 8 weapons already, I was excited to make some badass customized loadouts. But recently, I and many other players noticed our weapon loadouts are inexplicably locked. What gives?
After digging into forums and testing theories, I pieced together the likely culprits behind this frustrating issue. Here‘s the complete rundown and how to fix the problem fast.
You Must Reach Level 5 First
This one is straightforward. Per usual COD procedure, new MW2 players must grind to player level 5 before the Loadout customization unlocks.
I get the logic – ease noobs in slowly rather than overwhelm us. But IMO restricting loadouts this long is overkill, especially with how complex Gunsmith 2.0 is now. At minimum cut that requirement in half. Devs, take note for MW3!
Anyway, if you‘re below level 5, just keep playing. Once you hit that milestone, you‘ll see Loadout open up automatically.
- However, some players insist they met level 5 with loadouts still locked. So what gives?
There Are Multiple Weapon Loadout Bugs Frustrating Players
While the level 5 rule does trip up some newbies, many times locked loadouts result from annoying glitches, including:
Gun Tuning Bug
Apparently weapon tuning was temporarly disabled, preventing weapon platforms from properly unlocking. Players will meet all requirements but still see that maddening lock icon.
- Affects: All platforms
- Fix: Wait for next patch
Game Restart Needed
For no clear reason, loadouts will freeze and remain locked even at appropriate level. Restarting the game/console seems to jar it out of this state for now.
- Affects: PlayStation, Xbox
- Fix: Fully close app and restart
Unclear Unlock Requirements
The new Gunsmith 2.0 receiver system adds another layer of complexity, causing confusion around exactly how to unlock weapons. Players may have met certain goals but still don‘t have access.
- Affects: All platforms
- Fix: Study receiver unlock requirements for each weapon
As you can see, there are a number of gremlins that can block access to the sweet freedom of Loadout customization! Next I‘ll cover specifics on how to troubleshoot and solve this problem for good.
Step-By-Step Guide to Unlocking Weapon Loadouts
Follow these steps to unlock loadouts or pinpoint where the issue is:
1. Confirm Your Player Level
First things first – double check your player level under your Profile. If it‘s below 5, keeping leveling up in multiplayer until you hit the minimum.
2. Close App And Reopen
If you meet requirements but loadouts are still locked, close MW2 completely and reopen. This reboot will often fix general glitches.
3. Check For Updates
Make sure MW2 is updated fully, as patches address bugs like this.
4. Review Receiver Requirements
The new Gunmsith 2.0 introduces receivers that gate access to weapons. So despite meeting level reqs, you still need to level up certain receivers first.
For example, to unlock the M16 you must:
- Reach Level 4 to access Custom Loadouts
- Level up the M4 Platform
- Equip the 556 Icarus Receiver
- Level the Icarus to Level 13
Now the M16 unlocks!
Here‘s a breakdown of receivers that currently gate weapons:
| Weapon Platform | Receiver Req | Weapon Unlocked |
|---|---|---|
| M4 | 556 Icarus – Level 13 | M16 |
| M4 | FTAC Recon – Level 10 | FSS Hurricane |
| Kastov-74u | VZ Recoil Booster – Level 16 | Kastov 545 |
| Signal 50 | FSS Courier – Level 7 | LA-B 330 |
Check Platform progress for additional receiver requirements.
As you can see, unlocking weapons is now a complex matrix of platform, receiver, and weapon level requirements. Keep this in mind as you work to unlock your favorite guns!
Top Community Fixes
I polled some of the best COD communities about their solutions for the stubborn loadout lock situation. Here are top recommendations:
"I finally gave in and fresh installed MW2 from scratch – annoying but it worked!" – Reddit User Kill3mall668
"Just keeping force quitting the game and hard resetting Xbox between tries eventually unlocked everything." – Twitter user @SnipeGawd_GG
"Go to Weapons tab and scroll through everything, including needing levels. Back out and check loadouts again and it was unlocked suddenly." – Facebook Group VeteranCOD
So in summary – level up diligently, update software, reboot everything, and toggle weapons tabs to jar your loadouts free from their stubborn locks!
I hope this guide saves you the frustration I went through trying to trick out my perfect stealth class. See you on the maps once you unlock the glorious Gunsmith!
