Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Mastery Camo—How to unlock each one

Modern Warfare 3 Mastery Camos - Two soldiers with guns

(Image credit: Activision)

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The Modern Warfare 3 Mastery Camos will be familiar to anyone who's been playing the series for any length of time. These special skins are only available to the best of the best—or more accurately, those willing to grind out the often elaborate challenges required to unlock them for a specific gun.

Each weapon in Modern Warfare 3 can get access to a Mastery Camo, letting you show off your favourite guns and the exorbitant number of people you've killed with them. There are 16 Mastery Camos available in the new game, including four carry-overs from Modern Warfare 2 that have the exact same unlock conditions. So, here's every Mastery Camo in Modern Warfare 3, and what you need to do to get each.

MW3 multiplayer Mastery Camo

Modern Warfare 3 Mastery Camos - Multiplayer — From left to right: Gilded, Forged, Priceless, Interstellar (Image credit: Activision)

These are the four Mastery Camos you can earn for Modern Warfare 3 weapons in multiplayer:

Gilded

Complete all Base Camo Challenges for the weapon.
Complete an individual Gilded Challenge tailored to the specific weapon.
Gilded Emblem and Calling Card: Unlock Gilded Camo and get 100 operator Kills while using the Gilded Camo.

Forged

Complete the Gilded Camo Challenge for the weapon.
Complete additional Gilded Camo challenges for weapons in the same category.
Complete an individual Forged Challenge tailored to the specific weapon.
Forged Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Gilded Mastery, unlock Forged Camo, and get 200 operator kills while using the Forged Camo.

Priceless

Complete the Forged Camo challenge for the specific weapon.
Complete a total of 36 Forged Camo challenges for MW3 weapons.
Complete an individual Forged Challenge tailored to the specific weapon.
Priceless Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Forged Mastery, unlock Priceless Camo, and get 300 operator kills while using the Priceless Camo.

Interstellar

Complete a total of 36 Priceless Camo challenges for MW3 weapons.
Interstellar Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Priceless Mastery, unlock Interstellar Camo, and get 400 operator kills while using the Interstellar Camo.

MW2 carry-over Mastery Camo

Modern Warfare 3 Mastery Camos for MW2 — From left to right: Gold, Platinum, Polyatomic, Orion (Image credit: Activision)

These are the four returning Mastery Camos you can earn for Modern Warfare 2 weapons in multiplayer. It's worth noting that the unlock criteria for these is the same as in Modern Warfare 2 and your progress will carry over.

Gold

Complete all four Base Camo Challenges for the specific weapon.
Complete the Gold Camo Challenge: Usually a certain number of kills with the weapon, without dying, a certain number of times.
Gold Emblem and Calling Card: Unlock Gold Camo and get 100 Kills while using the Gold Camo.

Platinum

Complete the Gold Camo challenge for the specific weapon.
Complete additional Gold Camo challenges for weapons in the same category.
Complete the Platinum Camo Challenge: Usually a certain number of longshot kills with the weapon.
Platinum Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Gold Mastery, unlock Platinum Camo, and get 200 Kills while using the Platinum Camo.

Polyatomic

Complete the Platinum Camo challenge for the specific weapon.
Complete a total of 51 Platinum Camo challenges for MW2 weapons.
Complete the Polyatomic Camo Challenge: Usually a certain number of headshots with the weapon.
Polyatomic Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Platinum Mastery, unlock Polyatomic Camo, and get 300 Kills while using the Polyatomic Camo.

Orion

Complete a total of 51 Polyatomic Camo challenges for MW2 weapons.
Orion Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Polyatomic Mastery, unlock Orion Camo, and get 400 Kills while using the Orion Camo.

MWZ Mastery Camo

Modern Warfare 3 Mastery Camos - MWZ — From left to right: Golden Enigma, Zircon Scale, Serpentinite, Borealis (Image credit: Activision)

These are the four Mastery Camos you can earn for Modern Warfare 3 weapons in MWZ mode:

Golden Enigma

Complete all four Zombie Base Camo Challenges for the specific weapon.
Complete the Golden Ivory Camo Challenge: Usually a certain number of zombie kills and a successful extract with the weapon in a single deployment.
Golden Enigma Emblem and Calling Card: Unlock Golden Enigma Camo and get 300 Kills while using the Golden Enigma Camo in Zombies.

Zircon Scale

Complete the Golden Enigma Camo challenge for the specific weapon.
Complete additional Golden Enigma Camo challenges for weapons in the same category.
Complete the Zircon Scale Camo Challenge: Usually a certain number of zombie kills with the weapon while it is Pack-A-Punched.
Zicron Scale Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Golden Enigma Mastery, unlock Zicron Scale Camo, and get 600 Kills while using the Zicron Scale Camo in Zombies.

Serpentinite

Complete the Zircon Scale Camo challenge for the specific weapon.
Complete a total of 36 Zircon Scale Camo challenges for MW3 weapons.
Complete the Serpentinite Camo Challenge: Usually a set number of Special or Elite zombie kills with the weapon.
Serpentinite Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Zicron Scale Mastery, unlock Serpentinite Camo, and get 900 Kills while using the Serpentinite Camo in Zombies.

Borealis

Complete a total of 36 Serpentinite Camo challenges for MW3 weapons.
Borealis Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Serpentinite Mastery, unlock Borealis Camo, and get 1,200 Kills while using the Borealis Camo in Zombies.

MW2 MWZ Mastery Camo

Modern Warfare 3 Mastery Camos - MWZ MW2 — From left to right: Golden Ivory, Spinel Husk, Arachnida, Bioluminescent (Image credit: Activision)

These are the four new Mastery Camos you can earn for Modern Warfare 2 weapons in MWZ:

Golden Ivory

Complete all four Zombie Base Camo Challenges for the specific weapon.
Complete the Golden Ivory Camo Challenge: Usually a certain number of zombie kills and a successful Extract with the weapon in a single deployment.
Golden Ivory Emblem and Calling Card: Unlock Golden Ivory Camo and get 300 Kills while using the Golden Ivory Camo in Zombies.

Spinel Husk

Complete the Golden Ivory Camo challenge for the specific weapon.
Complete additional Golden Ivory Camo challenges for weapons in the same category.
Complete the Spinel Husk Camo Challenge: Usually a certain number of zombie kills with the weapon while it is Pack-A-Punched.
Spinel Husk Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Golden Ivory Mastery, unlock Spinel Husk Camo, and get 600 Kills while using the Spinel Husk Camo in Zombies.

Arachnida

Complete the Spinel Husk Camo challenge for the specific weapon.
Complete a total of 51 Spinel Husk Camo challenges for MW2 weapons.
Complete the Arachnida Camo Challenge: Usually a set number of Special or Elite zombie kills with the weapon.
Arachnida Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Spinel Husk Mastery, unlock Arachnida Camo, and get 900 Kills while using the Arachnida Camo in Zombies.

Bioluminescent

Complete a total of 51 Arachnida Camo challenges for MW2 weapons.
Bioluminescent Emblem and Calling Card: Complete Arachnida Mastery, unlock Bioluminescent Camo, and get 1,200 Kills while using the Bioluminescent Camo in Zombies.

Sean's first PC games were Full Throttle and Total Annihilation and his taste has stayed much the same since. When not scouring games for secrets or bashing his head against puzzles, you'll find him revisiting old Total War campaigns, agonizing over his Destiny 2 fit, or still trying to finish the Horus Heresy. Sean has also written for EDGE, Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, EGMNOW, and Inverse.