Killstreaks vs Scorestreaks in Modern Warfare 3

Should you use Killstreaks or Scorestreaks in Modern Warfare 3? In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the ability to toggle between killstreaks and scorestreaks that unlock your streak rewards continues after its introduction in Modern Warfare 2. Yes, the scorestreak model has been around for a while, but having the freedom to choose which one you want to run with without using a perk, was a new addition to MW2 and continues on.

The big question is though, which one should you choose? Below, we'll run down the differences between killstreaks and scorestreaks and which one we'd recommend playing with in order to earn your chosen streaks.

Killstreaks vs Scorestreaks in MW3

The difference between Killstreaks and Scorestreaks in MW3 is fairly simple when you break it down. Killstreaks are made up of the number of consecutive kills you achieve. Scorestreaks are based on your game performance, accumulative of kills as well as points earned by the completion of objectives in certain game modes.

Given the features of the two then, if we're discussing which one is 'best' then Scorestreaks often come out on top as you don't have to rely on kills alone to earn your streak reward. Scorestreaks push the player to complete game mode objectives rather than just purely doing it for the kills. In certain game modes, there's a lot more opportunity to earn your score and consequently your streak reward.

Say, in a game of Domination, if you're capturing one of the flags and manage to hold control of it, you earn XP. You may well unlock your streak reward without having to kill a single player, but you're also now focusing on the objective that will help your team win too.

So, while Scorestreaks are the preferred route to follow for unlocking your streaks, there are some game modes, such as the classic and popular Team Deathmatch, where your objective really is quite simply to clock up kills. If there's no objective here, then earning points towards your score won't make a difference. For this then, you may opt for Killstreaks.

Scorestreaks are better if you're purely focused on which one will help you achieve your streaks more efficiently, and hopefully faster. In the case of pretty much every game mode in Modern Warfare 3 then, you should choose Scorestreaks.

But, if you don't want the pressure of objective completion, then you may have a personal preference for Killstreaks. Or, if you just like seeing how many kills in a row you can get, something completely transparent when using Killstreaks over Scorestreaks.

How to toggle between Killstreaks and Scorestreaks in MW3

Switching between the two is very simple, so if you do change your mind, your decision isn't set in stone. To do so, head to the lobby and tab to the 'Weapons' page. Select 'Killstreaks' and in the bottom left of this menu, you will see a switch between Killstreaks and Scorestreaks that you can press to switch between the two.

That's everything we have to hopefully inform your decision between Killstreaks and Scorestreaks in Modern Warfare 3. If you're after more informative MW3 content, we've got guides on the best guns and the best loadouts to sort your right out for your impending battles.