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How to unlock the CX-9 in Call of Duty: Warzone

Joseph Yaden
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Live-service games often evolve, delivering new features, mechanics, or items that can change the way you play. A great example of this is Call of Duty: Warzone, a game that has received its fair share of additional content post-launch — particularly in the weapons you have at your disposal. Toward the end of season 4, the game introduced the CX-9 SMG, which has an interesting history in the world of Warzone.

This SMG was actually implemented into the game in December, was usable in Survival mode, and appeared as ground loot for a limited time before being inexplicably pulled. Since then, the community has been waiting for the weapon to finally make its debut. It’s unclear why it took so long for it to be officially added, but the good news is that it’s here now, and it isn’t too difficult to unlock.

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Oddly enough, the CX-9 is a Modern Warfare weapon, which means you can unlock it in that game, as well as in Warzone. This is unusual because the most recent Call of Duty game is Black Ops Cold War, and all the new Warzone content is derived from that game. The inclusion of the CX-9 seems like an anomaly, so don’t get used to seeing a similar Warzone rollout with content from an older game like this.

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In this guide, we’ll walk you through the easiest ways to unlock the CX-9 in Warzone and Modern Warfare.

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How to unlock the CX-9 in Warzone

The CX-9 in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The most affordable way to unlock the CX-9 is by playing Warzone. Since Warzone is a free-to-play game, you can jump in and complete the challenge without purchasing anything else, which is great for your wallet. Though, matches in Warzone tend to last a while, so using this method isn’t the fastest. To unlock the CX-9, you must earn two longshot kills with an SMG in five matches. This isn’t too terribly difficult, but by the very nature of the challenge, it goes against how an SMG should be used.

For this reason, we advise using something like the Milano 821, MAC-10, LC10, or the AUG (MW). All of these weapons are decent at range and can be used to secure eliminations past 50 meters, which is the distance required to earn a longshot medal. When building your SMG, we advise using all of the attachments that improve stability and recoil control, along with an Optic and the largest magazine size.

You can complete this challenge in standard battle royale mode on Verdansk, Rebirth Island, or in a Plunder match. We actually found it easiest to earn longshots on Rebirth Island since players tend to run around recklessly, thanks to being able to respawn. Plunder is a solid option as well, but it’s common to spawn far away from all the action, so we recommend playing on Rebirth instead.

If you can overtake the tower in the middle of the Rebirth map, it’s easy to take out enemies on top of Prison or Control. You can even use an assault rifle or sniper to down players and then finish them off with an SMG to still earn credit for the longshot. There are plenty of options and strategies, making it much easier to unlock the CX-9 than other weapons that have been added to Warzone before.

How to unlock the CX-9 in Modern Warfare

The CX-9 in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

By far, the easiest way to unlock this weapon is by playing Modern Warfare, but that means you must have a copy of the game. Since Warzone and Modern Warfare share progression systems, you can unlock the weapon in one game and use it in the other. The challenge is actually the same as the one in Warzone: Earn two longshot medals with an SMG in five different matches.

We recommend building your SMG the same way mentioned above — with an Optic and all the best attachments for recoil control. Then, boot up a match on Shoothouse 24/7, and as soon as it begins, run up to the wall ahead (either side), jump up on the platform, and mount your SMG. There will almost always be someone on the opposite side doing the same, and if you’re lucky (and more skilled), you can take them down. Then, just repeat this process, and once you’ve gotten two longshot kills (make sure the longshot medal comes up), you can quit the match. Just check your loadout to make sure you received credit. Rinse and repeat four more times to earn the CX-9 in Modern Warfare/Warzone.

How to purchase the CX-9

The CX-9 in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The final way to unlock the weapon is by purchasing it from the item shop. The Soap Operator Bundle is the one you want, and it costs 2,400 COD points. This is equivalent to $20 and comes with the Soap Operator skin, various weapon blueprints, a charm, finishing move, calling card, emblem, spray, and, of course, the CX-9 SMG. The main thing to know about this is that, while you can purchase the bundle to add the SMG to your custom loadouts, you won’t be able to change its attachments unless you unlock the weapon using the previous two methods.

For that reason, we don’t recommend buying the bundle unless you’re a huge fan of the blueprint that comes with it (which, admittedly, is really cool). The one strategy some players use is to buy the bundle and then use that weapon — in this case, the CX-9 — to make progress toward unlocking it. That way, when it’s unlocked, you’ll have a litany of attachments and camos to use with it. This is a viable option but not totally necessary.

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Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides for…
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