Players of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 have noticed a quirky feature that intertwines the game's multiplayer unlocks with DMZ, an escape mode that launched this week with Warzone 2. Escape from DMZ with a new gun and that gun will unlock in Modern Warfare 2 as well.

Activision mentioned this feature a few days ago in one of its voluminous blog posts, but many players, myself included, seem to have noticed it by now.

"In DMZ, escaping with a Contraband weapon unlocks that weapon in all other game modes. This includes the M13B assault rifle, a new free functional weapon obtained by defeating [[REDACTED]]"

"REDACTED" is a PvE boss fight in DMZ mode. If you want more information, there is a guide to unlocking the M13B Assault Rifle; the only way to get this gun in "Modern Warfare 2" multiplayer is to play DMZ.

I like the DMZ so far. Rich says it's like "the future of Call of Duty" and it's free. I don't mind: finding a dusty FSS Hurricane in the Al Mazrah wilderness is almost certainly a faster process than leveling up the M4, leveling up the FTAC Recon, and finally unlocking the SMG variant in the usual way. And the basic action is the same: run, crouch slide, shoot, run, crouch slide, shoot, run, crouch slide, shoot.

The DMZ is not just a way to bypass the technology tree, either. Shooting dozens of AI grunts, completing contracts, and occasionally fighting human players is also a very efficient way to earn both weapon XP and battle pass XP If you do OK in the DMZ, you can earn 10,000 to 20,000 XP total.

Call of Duty has certainly gotten more complex; on Steam, the latest title is "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Warzone 2.0" in my library. Launching "Modern Warfare 2" from the main menu brings up a menu divided into competitive, cooperative, and campaign modes, and launching "Warzone 2.0" lets you enjoy battle royale mode, while launching "DMZ" lets you enjoy escape mode. DMZ and Warzone 2.0's battle royale will take over the menus of that game like a spirit leaving the body of an old host and possessing a new host?

With rumors that next year's Call of Duty will be an expansion to Modern Warfare 2, there is no need to answer that question in 2023, and Modern Warfare 2's menu may just be even bigger.