Single Player[]
The WA2000 can be found during "Loose Ends" used by Ghillie Snipers, or in the weapons cache in the basement of the Estate in "Estate Takedown" with a Thermal Scope. It can also be found on Shadow Company soldiers in "The Enemy Of My Enemy." It is displayed in the "Museum" level as well. It is also used by enemy snipers, using normal scopes, wearing ghillie suits in "Hidden".
Multiplayer[]
The WA2000 is unlocked at level 36 in multiplayer. It is very similar to the Dragunov from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, as it does exactly the same damage and does not receive any benefits from Stopping Power if un-silenced, due to its damage multipliers. Obvious exceptions to this are shooting at enemies who have already taken damage or using Painkiller and firing through thin materials. When used with either both a Silencer and Stopping Power or without a silencer or Stopping Power , the WA2000 can kill in one hit from the chest up. Its low recoil makes it a popular choice in both of these categories. Compared to the M14 EBR, they have both low recoil, allowing for any shots that fail to kill in one shot to be quickly corrected by a follow up shot. However, the M21 has a larger magazine, higher fire cap, less damage when factoring in hit multipliers, and a faster reload. Some users prefer the WA2000 to the M21 from Call of Duty 4, because of the reduced possibility of wasting ammo, thus in turn revealing the sniper's position.
Any player that uses the WA2000 should note that it has the slowest weapon switch time of any gun in the game; 1.25 second pull out time, tied with the Intervention and second only to the RPD and MG4, and a 1.25 second put away time, tied with and second to none. It is generally advisable to switch to a different weapon in situations where a sniper is at risk of being forced into close quarters combat.
The WA2000's greatest advantage would be its flexibility in use; because one does not need Stopping Power (if un-silenced), many types of classes can be utilized for different maps and scenarios for example: An anti-sniper class can be made using Cold Blooded, or a rushing designated marksman kit can be utilized through the use of Lightweight.
This weapon is almost identical to the Barrett .50 cal with the only major differences being the low recoil on WA2000, and not a one shot kill to the stomach with Stopping Power. If a sniper is a good marksman and can hit the chest or head, this is the best sniper to use. Barrett .50 cal and this weapon have the same maximum damage per second, although Barrett can kill in one shot to stomach with Stopping Power, and it has a faster pull out time.
Since the WA2000 has the slowest switch time of any gun in the game, it would be advised to use Sleight of Hand to decrease the amount of time to reload so that the player won't need to switch weapons and so the player can rack up kills faster. It would also be advised to not put a silencer on the WA2000 without at least putting on Stopping Power, as it greatly weakens the gun, usually requiring at least two shots to kill an enemy. The use of FMJ on this Sniper Rifle is questionable, as the majority of the time, the thin cover will be protecting the lower half of an enemy, which even with Stopping Power, would require 2 shots to kill the target. With the effect of a Silencer and Stopping Power on this weapon allowing it function exactly the same to no Stopping Power and no Silencer, this Sniper Rifle is arguably the ideal stealth sniper rifle for Core Modes. With a Silencer, it will prevent the player from showing up on radar, allowing multiple targets to be dispatched without detection. Without a Silencer, Cold-Blooded can be used, allowing the player to hide from enemy UAV and Thermal Scopes, making detection more difficult when moving. The Extended Magazines on the WA2000 give the player an ease of not having to reload as much, since the WA2000 will get 2-shot kills frequently, allowing only 2-4 kills per magazine.
When using a Heartbeat Sensor, it will read "WA2000 Heartbeat". While reloading with a ghillie suit on, the sleeves can be seen through the weapon model. Also, there is a fingerprint visible on the upper left-hand side of the stock. It is the easiest to see with Urban Camouflage, but can be seen with all camouflages.