Extraction shooters usually have a way of encouraging players to loot absolutely everything in their way. After all, there’s always a possibility that the next container will have something valuable inside, and it makes sense why nobody wants to leave behind anything unchecked. Of course, there’s only so much excitement you can get from collecting random objects in Call of Duty, and once you figure out which ones are actually worth carrying around, scavenging starts to get old pretty quickly.
This was somewhat of a problem with the original Call of Duty DMZ, where loot would gradually lose its significance, especially those items that players knew they didn’t need. Thankfully, the new DMZ seems determined to give players a better reason to fill up their backpacks as it introduces a Forward Operating Base (FOB). It aims to give extracted resources a practical purpose beyond just making money. That’s how even the most ordinary items could actually become difficult to leave behind.
Modern Warfare 4’s FOB Gives Ordinary Loot a Whole New Purpose
The Forward Operating Base in Modern Warfare 4’s DMZ features more than 12 stations that players can unlock as they progress. For example, you can craft equipment using the 3D Printer, resources, and ingredients. These same resources will also be necessary for upgrading various FOB stations. Considering all of this, it’s safe to conclude that collecting materials will not just be about having something useful for your next deployment. This could make a huge difference in how players approach loot. For example, an item doesn’t have to be expensive to be valuable if you just need it to complete an upgrade.
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And that’s how what is usually left behind could now easily end up in the player’s backpack. Another interesting addition to the DMZ will be the Gunsmith station that allows players to purchase attachments for their weapons. This means that building entirely new weapons will be possible, as long as you also manage to find and extract the necessary Weapon Manuals. This provides another reason for players to pay attention to what they bring back from a deployment. The FOB will also feature Survival Kits containing items that can be used for combat or crafting. Overall, it seems like Modern Warfare 4 is putting considerable effort into giving players enough variety to keep collecting loot exciting.
Finding the Right Resources Could Make Exploring Hajin More Rewarding
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Source: Activision -
Image by Josh Drechsler, Source: Activision -
Image by Josh Drechsler, Source: Activision
As is usually the case, giving players more reasons to collect resources isn’t the whole story. The way you find the loot available in the game is just as important, and it seems like Modern Warfare 4 has some big plans for that as well. The devs have already confirmed that the 3D Printer will provide hints about where you can find some of the materials you need. This will certainly make planning way easier, and it will save some valuable time that is usually spent searching through random containers.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled to release on October 23, 2026.
This could give players a very good reason to explore every corner of the map. We now know that there will be locked loot rooms and secret underground entrances that are designed to reward exploration. When you combine that with the resource requirements of the FOB, these features have the potential to create an extremely interesting gameplay loop based on critical thinking and active exploration. This approach has the potential to create a much more deliberate scavenging experience.
Even the Smallest Victories Could Finally Feel Like Meaningful Progress
Last but not least, one of the most promising aspects of Modern Warfare 4’s approach is that loot doesn’t automatically lose its benefits once a deployment ends. The DMZ will introduce a dedicated 70-level progression system in which players can unlock rewards, crafting recipes, and different stations. Moreover, looting is one of the most reliable ways to earn DMZ XP, so collecting resources may actually contribute to progression just as much as other activities do. Once items have been extracted successfully, players can transfer them into their Stash and use them for future deployments, which creates a connection between seemingly unconnected smaller actions.
Overall, all of these can turn out to be extremely important for the times when players barely make it out of a deployment alive. Even if you haven’t found the rarest weapons or achieved anything else for that matter, just coming back with a backpack full of ordinary materials will be a good enough achievement. Speaking of rewarding experiences, the DMZ will also evaluate how players perform during each deployment, and the ratings take into account different activities, including combat, looting, and completing objectives. This could make the entire progression feel way more meaningful than what we had in the original version. Of course, there’s always the possibility of people finding the new systems overwhelming, especially if the FOBs require too many specific materials, but ultimately, this all depends on how well Modern Warfare 4 will balance all the features.
- Released
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October 23, 2026
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
