Modern Warfare 3's notorious Gaia skin is finally getting fixed

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Wood through the trees

The Gaia skin up close with a red background
(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's infamous Gaia skin will finally be disabled and updated, revealed developer Sledgehammer Games. The cosmetic's controversy stems from how it makes the user's character model extremely dark, rendering it tougher to shoot at than the game's other skins (via GamesRadar+).

In a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA), the developer stated that "adjustments to Gaia and Gaia Blackcell Operator Skins are in the pipeline for Modern Warfare 3. In a future game update, we'll disable this item until said changes can be released to all players."  

This answer came in response to the most popular question on the Reddit thread. Redditor Deagil_ flat-out asked, "What are you going to do about the Gaia skin and the problems it has brought forward to MW3 and MW2?" 

Sledgehammer has also brought in a new Experimental Playlist, which contains a new game mechanic that highlights enemy combatants with a glowing red outline when they're in view. This is, in part, intended to level the playing field when it comes to difficult-to-spot player skins, but, for now, is only a part of the Experimental Playlist.

Modern Warfare 3

(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

This pledge to address the issues around the Gaia skin is certainly a move in the right direction. Known as the 'Evil Groot' skin due to its resemblance to the beloved tree monster from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, the cosmetic is difficult to see to the point of unfairness. The Gaia skin has been notorious, even prompting some to accuse the game of a 'pay to win' approach, on the grounds that some skins simply perform better than others.

Overall, Modern Warfare 3 has been met with a mixed reception from critics and fans. In our review of the game, we praised the "unexpected delight" of the new Zombies mode as well as the joyful nostalgia of the returning maps. However, as TRG's Editor-in-Chief Jake Tucker put it, even these successes "can't save Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 from its awful campaign and a multiplayer that feels like a step back from the rest of the reimagined Modern Warfare trilogy." 

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Cat Bussell
Cat Bussell
Freelance contributor

An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.