MW3 & Warzone leak reveals meta Vanguard Assault Rifle set to return

Nathan Warby
STG44 Assault Rifle in CoD Vanguard

Following the arrival of the Season 3 Reloaded update, MW3 and Warzone dataminers have revealed that a fan-favorite Assault Rifle that dominated Vanguard and Caldera is due to return in the future.

Both MW3 and Warzone have been leaning into the nostalgia in recent updates, with the likes of Rebirth Island, the Specialist Perk, and the BAL-27 all returning. Now, dataminers have revealed another iconic weapon that looks set to make a comeback.

After Season 3 Reloaded went live, leaker ‘BobNetworkUK’ found that files for the STG44 have been added to the games.

This suggests that the WW2-era rifle is set to be added to the already large arsenal of guns in a future update, alongside the Kar98k and SPAS-12 that had already been uncovered.

The STG44 is CoD royalty at this point after appearing in multiple titles over the years, as far back as the original game where it was called the MP44. However, players will remember it most recently from Vanguard, where it was comfortably the most dominant gun in both multiplayer and Warzone Caldera.

The dataminers didn’t give any details about when the classic Assault Rifle would return, but if files have been added to the game then it shouldn’t be too far away. MW3 and Warzone Season 4 would be the most likely candidate, either at the start of the season or in the Reloaded update.

However, it’s worth keeping in mind that this is all based on leaks for the time being and nothing has been announced by the devs.

If the STG44 does make its way to battle royale and multiplayer, it could easily become a meta Assault Rifle right away, as its low recoil and high damage output have made it a top choice in virtually every game it’s appeared in.