Getting Robot Cores in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 DMZ is part of the Operation Shopping Hacks mission, which requires you to restore power to a locked Lab Door. The cores come from robotic K9 enemies inside NuriGO Mall, but destroying the robots normally can leave you with damaged batteries that won't work. You'll need to collect four intact cores to complete the objective.

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How to Get Robot Cores
Why Robot Cores Aren't Working
How to Power the Lab Door
Robot Cores Video Guide

How to Get Robot Cores in MW4

To get Robot Cores in MW4 DMZ, travel to NuriGO Mall and find the station that continuously deploys robotic K9 enemies. Shoot the robots in the head or their glowing back weak points, then immediately collect the dropped K9 Battery Core before the robot explodes.

You need four intact K9 Battery Cores to complete Operation Shopping Hacks. Fortunately, the station spawns another robotic dog every few seconds, so you can collect all four without searching different areas of the map.

For a more efficient run, stay close enough to the K9 station that you can reach each disabled robot quickly. Target its weak points, collect the battery as soon as it drops, and move away before the explosion. Repeat the process until you've secured four working cores.

There's no benefit to destroying more robots than necessary, particularly while other players may be moving through the mall. Once you have four usable batteries, you can leave the station and head directly to the Lab Door.

Why Robot Cores Aren't Working in MW4

If the Lab Door won't accept your Robot Cores, you've probably collected the damaged version. MW4 has two different K9 Battery Core items, and their rarity colors tell you which ones are usable.

Which Robot Cores Do You Need?

K9 Battery Core (Blue, Rare): An intact battery collected before a robotic K9 explodes. This is the version required for the Lab Door.
Destroyed K9 Battery Core (Gray, Common): A damaged battery left behind after a K9 explodes. It cannot power the Lab Door.

The difference comes down to when you collect the battery, not which robot you fight. A K9 that's been disabled will still explode after a short delay, so waiting for the blast to finish means losing the usable core.

Check your inventory before leaving the station. If you have fewer than four blue K9 Battery Cores, continue collecting them until you have enough. Gray cores won't count toward the required total, regardless of how many you've picked up.

How to Power the Lab Door in MW4

With four intact K9 Battery Cores collected, return to the Lab Door in NuriGO Mall and insert the batteries to restore power. The door will open, giving you access to the next objective in Operation Shopping Hacks.

You can discard any extra K9 Battery Cores after opening the door if you need room for other loot. They're worth just 200 DMZ Cash each, making them a relatively poor use of inventory space compared to more valuable items you might find during the remainder of your deployment.