Call of Duty Warzone’s Most Popular Weapon Just Got Massively Nerfed in Season 6 Update

Activision has just released Warzone 2 Season 6’s patch notes bringing a host of balancing, content updates and Halloween-themed operator skins. Among the buffs and nerfs to a wide range of weapons, the Kastov-762 looks to have been hit the hardest.

Kastov-762 Nerfs, Explained

MW2 and Warzone Season 6 patch notes attempt to shake up the META by hitting many of the most popular guns. Fortunately — or unfortunately, depending on what side of the META you sit on — the Kastov-762 has received its just desserts. Sporting a 33% pick-rate in competitive Warzone and a sizable 5% in MW2 Ranked, this weapon is a monster. Activision has decided that while the Kastov-762 has its place as a close-mid range assault rifle, it shouldn’t be the single best weapon at all engagements.

I will attest to the Kastov’s strength, it is a versatile weapon that recently brought me victory in Warzone. Capable of shredding enemies from near to far, its low magazine capacity compared to others is slightly lower coming in at 40 rounds with the extended mag attachment. Despite this small drawback, there is little else this machine does bad.

Due to its dominance, the Kastov-762 has received a sizeable chunk of nerfs over both MW2 and Warzone. Let’s take a look at the changes themselves…

• Warzone Specific Changes
  • Close Damage decreased | Warzone Only
  • Close Damage Range increased | Warzone Only
  • Head Damage Multiplier decreased | Warzone Only
  • Neck Damage Multiplier decreased | Warzone Only
  • Upper Torso Damage Multiplier decreased | Warzone Only
• MW2 Specific Changes
  • Reduced close distance damage | MWII Only
  • Reduced close damage range | MWII Only
  • Increased mid damage range | MWII Only

So what do these changes mean?

In Warzone 2, the balancing changes are directed toward hurting the gun’s performance at all ranges. This is due to its previous domination at all engagements and overwhelming popularity. Whether this weapon remains the standout assault rifle will be determined in the coming weeks as players discover the META.

MW2 does the complete opposite, choosing to reduce close-range damage while buffing mid-range damage. Expect to be able to deal exceptional damage at mid-range but struggle against better-performing weapons in close quarters.

It’s not yet clear if these changes are enough to extinguish the flame of this META-defining weapon. We will have to see how the META evolves to know the full extent of these nerfs. Many guns in the past have been hit with nerf after nerf only to stay META relevant. Only time will tell.