MW3 & Warzone Season 1 Patch Notes

Call of Duty’s next phase will kick off a brand-new era for Modern Warfare 3 players, ushering in a holiday-themed celebration. So, whether you are on the naughty or nice list, here’s what you can expect from the MW3 and Warzone Season 1 patch notes.

MW3 and Warzone Season 1 Changes

One of the most significant additions is the new Warzone map, Urzikstan, the central hub used for MW3 Zombies. It will introduce unique points of interest for players to take advantage of, such as Orlov Military Base, Zaravan Suburbs, and Popov Power.

The festive CODMAS event will be available in this location, showcasing limited-time exclusives like Slay Ride Resurgence and Snowball Fights. But if you were expecting to see a jolly Santa, you may want to prepare yourself for a more sinister version with Zombie Santa. Unfortunately, he won’t be bringing presents for you this time around as he tries to defeat you as a devasting Juggernaut.

Multiplayer will also be a part of the celebration, including a 12 Days of CODMAS challenge for earnable rewards. Speaking of MP, you can expect four new maps: Meat, Greece, Rio, and Training Facility. The first three destinations will involve 6v6-based matches, while the last will be more up close and personal as a 2v2.

On top of that, the surprisingly wholesome Zombies mode will introduce a new Act mission to increase the challenge further. Luckily, Operators can look forward to an expansion on Schematics and Wonder Weapons to help them out with the undead fight.

There are plenty more features to anticipate for the MW3 and Warzone Season 1 launch, including a drivable train, Ranked Play, and mid-season content. For a complete breakdown, here are the full patch notes from Sledgehammer Games:

Call of Duty MW3 Season 1 Patch Notes

New Maps

Look for the Meat 24/7 Playlist to debut during the first week of Season 1, with other exciting Playlists expected in the weeks ahead. Another all-new 6v6 map, Rio, is expected to launch in-season

• Greece
  • Test your mettle in a once-idyllic coastal town, where waters at the shore lap at the hull of a burning yacht, signaling disaster.
• Meat
  • Deploy to the West Coast for some fast-paced butchery, in a compact map centered around the East Bay Meats slaughterhouse.
• Training Facility (Gunfight)
  • Challenge another duo within the remains of an old warehouse, now repurposed as part of Konni Group’s training facilities.

New Killstreaks

Do you have what it takes? Two all-new Killstreaks are available to dominate the battlefield in Season 1.

• EMP
  • Electromagnetic pulse to disrupt enemy killstreaks and equipment.
  • Earned via 13 Kills, 1,625 Score, or Care Packages.
• Swarm
  • Deploys a large number of mosquito drones to provide blanket coverage over the entire area.
  • Earned via 15 Kills, 1,875 Score, or Care Packages.

New Perk

The Assassin Vest is a powerful new addition to Loadouts in Season 1, but be wary, each Vest comes equipped with critical tradeoffs.

• Assassin Vest
  • Kills don’t display skulls. Immune to UAV and enemy radar effects (including while stationary).

New Modes

Two fan-favorite Modes return at the start of Season 1! Gunfight is even equipped with its own selection of new and Carry-Forward Maps. Look for additional Modes throughout the Season.

• All or Nothing
  • Players start with Throwing Knives and an empty Pistol. Perks are earned by eliminating other players and staying alive.
• Gunfight
  • Small team, multi-round cage matches. First team to reach the round limit wins.

Global

New Weapons

The following Weapons are new to the entirety of the Modern Warfare III offering as of Season 1.

• RAM-7 (Assault Rifle)
  • Exceptionally compact, this bullpup assault rifle sports a lightweight, polymer frame and is chambered in versatile 5.56.
  • Unlockable via Sector A7 of the Season 1 Battle Pass
• XRK Stalker (Sniper Rifle)
  • Stalk your prey and lay them out with this tactical sniper rifle chambered in .50 Cal.
  • Unlockable via Sector A4 of the Season 1 Battle Pass
• Stormender (Launcher)
  • This state-of-the-art weapon system fires a localized EMP on a slight delay. Destroys tactical and lethal equipment and temporarily disables other electronic devices.
  • Unlockable via Sector A12 of the Season 1 Battle Pass

New Aftermarket Parts

In addition to new weaponry, players will see brand new Aftermarket Parts earned via the Battle Pass, Armory Unlocks, and Weekly Challenges.

New Operators

• JAK Purifier
  • An underbarrel flamethrower. What more needs to be said? Burn it all down.
  • Compatible with: MTZ-556, Holger 556, DG-56, SVA 545, RAM-7, MTZ-762, BAS-B, Sidewinder, Riveter 
• JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
  • This kit creates two stacked barrels that fire simultaneously. This offers twice as much down-range damage at the cost of some accuracy. 
  • Compatible with: AMR9 (Submachine Gun)
• JAK Thunder LMG Kit
  • Dominate lanes and hold objectives with this LMG conversion kit that brings a large capacity magazine and ramps in fire rate the longer you hold down the trigger.
  • Compatible with: Sidewinder (Battle Rifle)
• JAK BRB
  • This compensator borders on excessive, offering a phenomenal reduction to recoil while significantly increasing muzzle report, resulting in an extended red dot on enemy radars.
  • Compatible with: Many Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, Battle Rifles, Marksman Rifles, and Sniper Rifles. 
• JAK Bullseye
  • Very low-profile dot Optic. Limited interference from framework offers an exceptionally clear sight picture. 
  • Compatible with: Most weapon categories
• JAK Glassless Optic
  • This small, glassless reflex Optic offers a crisp and clear sight picture for snappy target acquisition. 
  • Compatible with: Most weapon categories
• JAK Signal Burst
  • A conversion kit designed for accuracy and controllability with four-round bursts.
  • Compatible with: Holger 556 (AR)
• JAK Beholder Rifle Kit
  • A long and heavy barrel that offers the best increase to range. Improves recoil control and damage range, converting this Handgun into a single-shot Rifle. 
  • Compatible with: TYR (Handgun)
• JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion
  • Rival Assault Rifles with this three-round burst conversion kit that excels at mid range combat. 
  • Compatible with: Rival-9 (Submachine Gun)

Nolan and Dokkaebi, two KorTac Operators, lead the charge in the Season 1 offering… But a mysterious force, known only as Abolisher, looms in the background.

• Abolisher BlackCell (SpecGru)
  • [Redacted]
• Dokkaebi (KorTac)
  • Ari was born in South Korea to a family of gifted engineers. Tired of hiding from North Korean agents, she hacked into the South Korean Military’s private contacts and found the global Kortac Faction.
• Nolan (KorTac)
  • Recently anointed as Vladimir Makarov’s right hand man, Captain Andrei Nolan executes both plans and enemies with ferocious precision in the name of igniting a long-awaited war between East and West.

New Events

We’ll be talking about what Zombie Santa is bringing to town in patch notes that will release closer to when the event launches over the holidays. Stay tuned!

New Battle Pass

A brand new Battle Pass arrives with the Season 1 bringing a variety of Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, and more.

For more information about the full Battle Pass offering and Black Cell Bundle, check out the full breakdown on the official Call of Duty blog here.

New PC Features

GeForce RTX gamers can activate pre-game full ray tracing, also known as path tracing in pre-game lobbies, enabling you to see your characters, skins, vehicles, and weapons in an entirely new light.

All GeForce RTX gamers can activate Path Tracing via the Video options menu, and doing so will automatically enable NVIDIA DLSS 3.5 with DLSS Ray Reconstruction.

Multiplayer

UIX

• New Features & Quality of Life
  • Player health and stamina are now represented by dynamic bars on the HUD.
    • Note: This feature is only available in Multiplayer and Zombies.
  • Faction assignment will now appear as a splash at the start of each match.
  • Added Upper Legs Damage and Empty Reload Quickness statistics to the Details widget in the Gunsmith.
  • Increased decimal precision of the Flinch Resistance stat in the Details widget in the Gunsmith.
  • Added icons in the Gunsmith to represent which title an Attachment originates from.
  • Reduced volume of the Multi-Kill and Medal splash sound effects.
• Bug Fixes
  • In Search and Destroy, hovering a bombsite on the Tac-Map will no longer reveal when a player is actively defusing.
  • Addressed multiple issues in Private Matches that caused players to be kicked back to the Main Menu.
  • Hovering an equipped Killstreak will no longer kick the player back to the Multiplayer menu.
  • Resolved a font rendering issue that caused text to be improperly displayed.
  • Improved performance of Social features for players with large Friend counts.
  • Resolved an issue in which the incorrect Weapon would be featured in the overlay of Killcams.
  • Kill Counter will now properly function with streaks beyond 120 Kills.
  • Reduced hitching that infrequently occurred while transitioning between menus.
  • Addressed an issue that caused the application to freeze while editing a Loadout.
  • Resolved a crash that could occur prior to viewing an After Action Report.
  • Addressed an issue that caused a crash while reporting a player.
  • Lockpick (Operator) can now be equipped, where available, without using the Quick Equip option.
  • Scrolling menus while in splitscreen will no long result in the cursor appearing off-screen.
  • Improved readability of the timer below the Event tab.

Gameplay

• Movement
  • Added a delay following multiple rapid stance transitions to prevent exploitable repetition.
    • Crouch to Stand: 150ms
    • Prone to Stand: 600ms
• Spawns
  • Improved spawn protection against enemy Equipment and Killstreaks.
  • In Hardpoint, several adjustments have been made to improve the flow of combat and increase control of team-owned areas.

We’ve introduced a delay to stance transitions to combat a movement exploit commonly referred to by players as “snaking.” We’ll monitor the impact of these changes and continue to address feedback where appropriate.

Weapons & Attachments

• Decreased hipfire spread penalty incurred while firing/moving for all Submachine Guns.

» Assault Rifles «

• MTZ-556
  • Increased maximum hipfire spread while standing by 10%.
  • Increased maximum hipfire spread while crouched by 6%.
  • Increased hipfire spread penalty incurred while firing by 10%.
  • Increased hipfire spread penalty incurred while moving by 4%.
  • MTZ Natter Heavy Short (Barrel)
    • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 5%.
  • Bruen Thunder V9 (Stock)
    • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 6%.

» Battle Rifles «

• BAS-B
  • Increased damage multipliers in semi-auto fire type to intended values.
    • Lower-Torso: 1x to 1.2x
    • Arm & Hand: 1x to 1.35x
• Sidewinder
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 280ms to 265ms (-5%).
  • Tempus Predator Precision (Barrel)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 5%.
  • Huntsman Series-R Integrated Suppressor (Barrel)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 7%.
  • RB Borealis Grip (Rear Grip)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 5%.

» Submachine Guns «

• Striker
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 100ms (-9%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 230ms to 215ms (-7%).
  • Striker Stubby (Barrel)
    • Added 9% aim down sights time benefit.
• WSP Swarm
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 88ms (-20%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 190ms to 175ms (-8%).
• Striker 9
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 100ms (-9%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 225ms to 205ms (-9%).
  • Striker Stubby (Barrel)
    • Added 9% aim down sights time benefit.

» Shotguns «

• Lockwood 680
  • Tac-Stance will no longer reduce damage pellet count.

» Marksman Rifles «

• MCW 6.8
  • Equipping the Full-Auto Conversion Kit and 60rnd Drum Magazine will no longer result in a broken aim down sights animation.

» Melee «

• Riot Shield
  • Increased melee damage from 50 to 75 (+50%).
  • Added a 10% movement speed penalty while stowed.

» Attachments «

• S-37C DL Breacher Device (Muzzle)
  • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 14%.
  • Resolved an issue that prevented one-hit melee kills in round-based Modes.
• Bruen Tactical Vertical Grip (Underbarrel)
  • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 8%.
• Hollowpoint (Ammunition)
  • Decreased inflicted sprint penalty time from 800ms to 200ms (-75%).

Modern Warfare II (Carry-Forward)

• Increased reserve ammunition for all Weapons to MWIII standards.
• Decreased hipfire spread benefit of Underbarrel vertical grips by 5-12%.
• Decreased hipfire spread benefit of applicable Lasers by 2-5%.

» Assault Rifles «

• M4
  • Increased maximum damage from 28 to 35 (+25%).
  • Decreased head and neck damage multipliers from 1.37x 1.1x (-20%).

» Battle Rifles «

• TAQ-V
  • Increased lower-torso, leg, and foot damage multipliers from 0.8x to 1.1x (+38%).

» Submachine Guns «

• Vaznev-9K
  • Increased near-medium damage from 29 to 30 (+3%).
• ISO 45
  • Increased maximum damage from 30 to 33 (+10%).

» Shotguns «

• KV Broadside
  • Increased far-medium damage range from 9m to 10m (+8%).
  • Decreased aim down sights spread slightly.

» Light Machine Guns «

• RAAL MG
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 470ms to 390ms (-17%).
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 375ms to 320ms (-15%).
  • Decreased tactical sprint to fire time from 496ms to 416ms (-16%).
• 556 Icarus
  • Increased maximum damage from 28 to 34 (+21%).
  • Decreased head damage multiplier from 1.4x to 1.1x (-21%).

» Marksman Rifles «

• SP-R 208
  • Increased maximum damage range from 15m to 20m (+28%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 370ms to 340ms (-8%).

» Handguns «

• Basilisk
  • Increased maximum damage range from 5m to 7m (+35%).
  • Increased near-medium damage range from 6m to 15m (+140%).
  • Increased far-medium damage range from 17m to 23m (+32%).

Progression

• Corrected unlock requirement descriptions for multiple Weapon Attachments.
• Revised conditions for multiple unlocks that caused Attachments to be unavailable at the expected Weapon level.
• Associated weaponry will now be properly included in the Camo unlock splashes.
• Player Rank
  • Increased Level cap from 55 to 250, enabling players to reach Prestige 5.
    • At each Prestige, a new animated icon is unlocked.

Customization

• Increased animation rate of the Priceless and Interstellar Completionist Camos.

Maps

• Derail
  • Swapped Attacker and Defender initial spawn positions in Control.
• Estate
  • Improved bullet penetration through the staircase in the Lodge.
  • Adjusted collision to prevent players can accessing an unintended location near the Front Entrance of the Lodge.
• Highrise
  • Improved ambient audio reverberation in the Mechanical Room.
  • Deprioritized spawn points distant from the objective in Hardpoint.
• Karachi
  • Players will now spawn on the correct side of the map assigned to their team in Cutthroat.
• Quarry
  • Added collision near the Offices to prevent players from reaching unintended locations.
  • Addressed an issue that caused players to spawn in unfavorable conditions in the Hardpoint game mode.
• Skidrow
  • Enemy player nameplates are no longer visible through certain surfaces in the Apartments.
• Terminal
  • Added additional spawn points in Free-for-All mode to improve player experience.
  • Improved ability to gauge spawn selection quality in all Modes.
  • Relocated a spawn point that placed players outside of the playable area.
• Scrapyard
  • Reviewed objective capture points to prevent players from capturing from unintended locations in Hardpoint and Control modes.
  • Added additional spawn points in Free-for-All mode to improve player experience.
• Sub Base
  • Improved ambient audio reverberation in the Power Station.
  • Swapped Attacker and Defender initial spawn positions in Control.
• Orlov Military Base (Ground War)
  • Improved AI Bot ability to navigate the environment in Invasion mode.
• Operation Spearhead (War)
  • Added collision near the Hotel to prevent players from exiting the playable area.
  • Added collision near the Corner Shop to protect players in their spawn area.
  • Addressed an exploit involving environmental turrets that allowed players to reach unintended locations.

Modes

• Ground War
  • Pre-game lobby countdown timer will no longer reset when a player leaves.
• Search and Destroy
  • Increased Player XP earned for several score events.
    • Kill: 500 XP
    • Assist: 200 XP
    • Shield Assist: 400 XP
    • Headshot: 1,000 XP
    • Plant: 1,000 XP
    • Defuse: 1,000 XP (+ 250 XP for Last Alive)
    • Ninja Defuse: 1,250 XP (+ 250 XP for Last Alive)
• War
  • Players who join an in-progress match can no longer be placed on a full team.
  • Decreased tank escort phase time limit from 6m to 5m.
  • Joining an in-progress match during the ending cinematic sequence is no longer possible.

Equipment

• Throwing Star (Lethal)
  • Addressed an issue that allowed one-hit kills without a Headshot.
• EMD Grenade (Tactical)
  • Prompt to remove tracker will no longer persist after death.

Field Upgrades

• Deployable Cover
  • Previous deployments will now be destroyed upon new deployment as the maximum has been limited to 1.
• Trophy System
  • Mosquito Drone (Killstreak) will no longer be targeted.

Killstreaks

• Juggernaut Recon
  • Addressed an exploit that allowed players to fire Loadout Weapons with unlimited ammo.
• Precision Airstrike
  • Players will now properly look through the binoculars in third-person view.
• Remote Turret
  • Implemented safeguard measures to prevent players from becoming stuck with the tablet in hand.

Vehicles

• NSTV
  • Increased traction control to improve handling on muddy surfaces.
• Razor Tank
  • Decreased maximum forward speed by 14%.
  • Increased maximum reverse speed by 20% to match forward speed.
  • Increased turn speed by 40% to allow for tighter turns.
  • Increased ability to accelerate on sloped surfaces.

Zombies

SEASON 1 CONTENT

Story Act and Mission

• Act IV and a new Story Mission are immediately available for all players at the start of Season 1.
• A massive gateway has appeared in the Exclusion Zone. Investigate the area and engage in new end-game content.

Dark Aether Rifts

• Dark Aether Rifts bring rewards to those who brave their challenges.
  • These otherworldly labyrinths are located inside the Dark Aether, where players and their squad have a limited time to complete a series of increasingly chaotic objectives to earn exceptional rewards. Find Sigils to enter the Dark Aether Rifts and face a new level of challenge!
• Dark Aether Rifts are unlocked by solving a hidden quest, which activates after completing the new Season 1 Story Mission.

Wonder Weapon: V-R11

• The V-R11 has been added to Modern Warfare Zombies.
  • Shoot zombies and transform them into humans, or blast humans to mutate them into friendly zombies.
  • Players receive a buff when shot.
  • The V-R11 has been added to the Mystery Box in Modern Warfare Zombies.
  • V-R11 Weapon Cases are now available via loot.

Acquisitions and Schematics

• Dog Bone
  • Consume the Dog Bone to summon the strongest friendly Hell Hound companion. The pet Hellhound will follow you and attack nearby threats until its health runs out.
• Golden Armor Plate
  • Consuming the new Golden Armor Plate replaces the Armor Carrier with Plates that automatically repair over time, in addition to providing the user additional damage resistances.
• Aether Blade
  • The Aether Blade is a special Throwing Knife with infinite ammo and a boomerang-like combat style. After striking an enemy, the Aether Blade locates the next nearest enemy to hit before returning to its Operator.

Prestige Challenges

• Season 1 allows you to level up past Rank 55 into Prestige Ranks that persist across seasons. 
• Beginning in Season 1, reaching Rank 56 will unlock Prestige 1. Achieving this unlocks rewards and a set of challenges in Modern Warfare Zombies — complete those challenges to unlock multiple exclusive Calling Cards.
• For more details on Prestige Challenges, visit the Challenges and Seasonal Progression section of the Season 1 Announcement Blog.

Season 1 Battle Pass Weapons

• The XRK Stalker, RAM-7, and Stormender are available in Modern Warfare Zombies loadouts once unlocked via the Season 1 Battle Pass.

Global Changes

• Season 1 updates are not limited to just Zombies! Please reference the Global Section above for weapon balancing changes and more.

Maps

Urzikstan

• Various visual map fixes.

Weapons

Wonder Weapons «

• The Scorcher
  • The Scorcher’s launch ability will automatically fire when a player reaches their maximum charge under low ammo conditions.

» Assault «

• DG-58
  • Addressed an issue that prevented camos from applying in the customization tab in loadout menus.

» Weapon Cases «

• All Weapon Cases
  
  • Closed a duplication exploit.

Missions

Hostile Takeover

• Addressed an issue that prevented some safes from progressing this Mission.
• Adjusted the description of this Mission in the Mission Select menu to state that Greene wants Players to hit “Terminus” instead of “Deadbolt.”

Merc Cleanup

• Mercenaries killed from long distances inside Merc Camps will now progress this mission.

Shocked

• This Mission now requires players to shock five separate Special zombies instead of shocking the same Special zombie multiple times.

Storm the Castle

• The required mission item will always drop when the Warlord is killed.

Gameplay

Contracts

• Defend Ground Station
  • Addressed an issue that prevented the timer for the Defend Ground Station contract from appearing if players previously completed the same contract in a single session.
  • Mercenaries will now continue to fight Players after completing the Defend Ground Station contract.
• Eliminate Bounty Target
  • HVTs lured far away from their original spawn location in an attempt to exploit their behavior will now return faster to their spawn and heal more.
• Outlast
  • Enemies no longer spawn if players are not progressing the contract.
• Raid Weapon Stash
  • Enemies no longer spawn if players are not progressing the contract.
• Spore Control
  • Adjusted Spores to prevent them from spawning on a player, resulting in an instant death.

Acquisitions

• General
  • Addressed an issue where players could store more Acquisitions in the stash than intended.
• Aether Tools
  • Addressed an issue that prevented Aether Tools from applying if a player was driving a vehicle.
• Ammo Mods
  • Addressed an issue that prevented Ammo Mods from applying if a player was driving a vehicle.
• Perk-A-Colas
  • Tombstone Soda
    • Addressed an issue where Tombstones could spawn under the map.
    • Addressed an issue where Tombstones could spawn in the center of the map instead of where a player previously died. 
    • Addressed an issue where sometimes players would not obtain their essence when interacting with a Tombstone.
    • Closed various duplication exploits associated with Tombstone Soda.
• Ammo Mods
  • Brain Rot
    • Players will now receive essence when a Brain Rotted Zombie kills other Zombies or dies.

Looting

• Various fixes for locations on the map where players could not loot items.

Exfil

• Launch
  • More formidable enemies have been added to the Exfil experience in all zones.
  • Addressed a rare issue that prevented the Hilltop Exfil helicopter from landing.
• In-Season
  • All exfils will increase the number of enemies spawned, with the Final Exfil receiving a significant boost to enemy count and enemy types.

General

• Ammo Caches will now always fully refill applicable player ammo reserves.
• Addressed an issue that allowed players to die instantly if they ran and slid into a Dog House.
• Players will no longer be able to hide inside a Dog House.
• Closed an out-of-bounds location that allowed players to stay alive outside the playable space.
• Addressed an issue where Player selected Operator skins would change upon entering a vehicle.

Enemies

Zombies

• Disciples
  • General
    • Addressed multiple issues that allowed Disciples to behave erratically, such as becoming stuck high in the air or on objects.
  • The Stormcaller
    • Addressed an issue that allowed The Stormcaller to die instantly from the Blood Burner’s Aether Pulse.
• Hell Hounds
  • Hell Hound flame particles will disappear if a Hell Hound does not spawn.
• Zombies
  • General
    • Adjusted spawns to prevent Zombies from spawning on top of fences.
    • Adjusted pathing to address exploits or incorrect pathing.
  • Light Armored Zombies
    • Addressed an issue that allowed Light Armored Zombies to receive more headshot damage than intended.

Equipment

Lethal Equipment

• Experimental Gas Grenade
  • Damage against Aether Worms has been reduced.

Tactical Equipment

• Decoy Grenades
  • Reduced the number of Decoy Grenades that can be stacked or equipped  from 3 to 2.
  • Reduced Decoy Grenade duration from 8 seconds to 6.

Killstreaks

Juggernaut

• Addressed an issue where players could destroy an Exfil helicopter by calling in a Juggernaut suit crate on top of it.

Sentry Turret

• Players can no longer kill themselves or others when placing down a Sentry Turret.

Customization

UIX

• Player health and stamina are now represented by dynamic bars on the HUD.
• Addressed an issue that prevented pings on looted items in caches from disappearing automatically.
• Addressed an issue where players who attempted to equip a Mission Reward in the Gear tab would sometimes equip the wrong item.
• Addressed an issue where objective titles would occasionally not display while loading into a match.
• Addressed an issue where objective text would occasionally display outside its panel while loading into a match.
• Addressed an issue where players would be returned to the lobby screen when selecting “Activate Armory Unlock” on a locked Tactical or Lethal equipment item.

Progression

Achievements

• The First Step
  • Players can now unlock “The First Step” for reaching level 55 in Modern Warfare Zombies. Previously, players would need to enter the Multiplayer menu to obtain the achievement.

Camos

• Completionist Camos
  • Golden Enigma (MWIII) & Golden Ivory (MWII) Update
    • We’ve released a fix that allows Players to complete the Golden Enigma and Golden Ivory Completionist Camos with Blueprint weapons and Custom Mods.

Audio

Battle Chatter

• “Friendly Fire” Operator chatter will play less frequently.

STABILITY

• Adjustments have been made to better ensure players keep their loadout and rucksack inventory if they do not successfully deploy into a match.
• Added various crash and stability fixes.

Call of Duty Warzone Season 1 Patch Notes

Global

The content covered in the following section pertains to all Call of Duty Modern Warfare III products including, but not limited to, Warzone.

Events

We’ll be talking about what Zombie Santa is bringing to town in patch notes that will be released closer to when the event launches over the holidays. Stay tuned!

Battle Pass

A brand new Battle Pass arrives with the Season 1 bringing a variety of Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, and more.

For more information about the full Battle Pass offering and Black Cell Bundle, check out the full breakdown on the official Call of Duty blog here.

Weapons

New Weapons

The following Weapons are new to the entirety of the Modern Warfare III offering as of Season 1.

» Assault Rifles «

• RAM-7
  • Exceptionally compact, this bullpup assault rifle sports a lightweight, polymer frame and is chambered in versatile 5.56.
  • Unlockable via Sector A7 of the Season 1 Battle Pass

» Sniper Rifles «

• XRK Stalker
  
  • Stalk your prey and lay them out with this tactical sniper rifle chambered in .50 Cal. 
  • Unlockable via Sector A4 of the Season 1 Battle Pass

» Launchers «

• Stormender
  • This state-of-the-art weapon system fires a localized EMP on a slight delay. Destroys tactical and lethal equipment and temporarily disables other electronic devices. 
  • Unlockable via Sector A12 of the Season 1 Battle Pass

Attachments

In addition to the abundance of Modern Warfare 3 Attachments coming alongside the Weapons list above, Players will see a brand new type of Attachment called Aftermarket Parts. These are unique Attachments that are typically linked to a specific Weapon or class of Weapon, as detailed below:

• JAK Purifier
  • Equip an underbarrel flamethrower. 🔥
  • Compatible with: MTZ-556, Holger 556, DG-56, SVA 545, RAM-7, MTZ-762, BAS-B, Sidewinder, Riveter 
• JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
  • This kit creates two stacked barrels that fire simultaneously. This offers twice as much down-range damage at the cost of some accuracy. 
  • Compatible with: AMR9
• JAK Thunder LMG Kit
  • Dominate lanes and hold objectives with this LMG conversion kit that brings a large capacity magazine and ramps in fire rate the longer you hold down the trigger. 
  • Compatible with: Sidewinder (BR) 
• JAK BRB
  • This compensator borders on excessive, offering a phenomenal reduction to recoil while significantly increasing muzzle report, resulting in an extended red dot on enemy radars.
  • Compatible with: Many Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, Battle Rifles, Marksman Rifles, and Sniper Rifles. 
• JAK Bullseye
  • Very low-profile dot Optic. Limited interference from framework offers an exceptionally clear sight picture. 
  • Compatible with: Most weapon categories
• JAK Glassless Optic
  • This small, glassless reflex Optic offers a crisp and clear sight picture for snappy target acquisition. 
  • Compatible with: Most weapon categories
• JAK Signal Burst
  • A conversion kit designed for accuracy and controllability with four-round bursts.
  • Compatible with: Holger 556 (AR)
• JAK Beholder Rifle Kit
  • A long and heavy barrel that offers the best increase to range. Improves recoil control and damage range, converting this Handgun into a single-shot Rifle. 
  • Compatible with: TYR (Handgun)
• JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion
  • Rival Assault Rifles with this three-round burst conversion kit that excels at mid range combat. 
  • Compatible with: Rival-9 (SMG)

The unique attachments listed above will be rolling out to players over the course of Season 1. Keep an eye out on Raven Software and Sledgehammer Game official channels for updates.

Warzone

Maps

Urzikstan New Large Map

Positioned in Western Asia, nestled on the eastern border of the Black Sea and bordering Al Mazrah, Urzikstan is steeped in rich, turbulent history and only recently emerged from the oppressive rule of dictator Roman Barkov. Our map design acknowledges this history, weaving it into the landscape that now faces the looming threats from the Allegiance and the ultranationalist forces led by Viktor Zakhaev.

Central to our design philosophy is a deep respect for our community, as we focus on a balanced, fluid, and dynamic gameplay experience that harmonizes the intensity of dense urban warfare with the strategic openness of rural battlegrounds. With enhanced mobility being another key pillar of our design, Urzikstan is interspersed with a variety of new and returning traversal options, including vertical ascenders, horizontal ziplines, redeploy drones, and even a mobile point of interest – the driveable train.

Urzikstan is a testament to our commitment to our players, strategic balance, and innovative design, set against the backdrop of a region emerging from its tumultuous past, only to face brand new challenges.

Drivable Train New Mobile Point of Interest

• Take control of Warzone’s first controllable mobile POI, Urzikstan’s new drivable train, complete with forward and backward engine controls, a horn, and a handbrake in the caboose (rear carriage) for tactical braking.
• The new Drivable Train also includes individual carriages that contain a Buy Station, a UAV Tower, an Ammo Depot, and a guaranteed Legendary Supply Crate.
• The Drivable Train will also start at different points along the train track in each match.
• Since Call of Duty: Next, further improvements have been made to the vaulting and hop up points to provide easier access to mantle onto the train and the cart roofs. 

Ziplines New Traversal Mechanic

• In addition to the vertical ascenders, expect ziplines to allow rapid horizontal navigation across Urzikstan. Look for ziplines across the map, often allowing faster travel across otherwise more challenging topography, like water or tall structures.
• If you watched Call of Duty: Next, Quality of Life improvements have already been made to this system enabling easier on/off access for the Operator using either type of transport line.

Major Points of Interest

• Hadiqa Farms
  • Traits
    • Fewer buildings
    • Wide open fields
    • River access
    • Little verticality
    • Long range advantage
  • Minor POIs
    • Hamza Bazaar
    • Zohoor Ranch

• Levin Resort
  • Traits
    • Abandoned tourist site
    • High ground advantage
    • Multiple vantage points
    • Inspired by Hardhat
  • Minor POIs
    • Rostova Shops
    • Kotovo Blocks

• Low Town
  • Traits
    • Run down shacks
    • Close to water
    • Central to the map
    • Short range advantage
  • Minor POIs
    • Abtal Academy
    • Al-Sada Village
    • Old Al-Sada

• Old Town
  • Traits
    • Dilapidated buildings
    • Stunning interiors in Bathhouse
    • Central to the map
    • Inspired by Seatown
  • Minor POIs
    • Seatown
    • Opal Palace
    • Nahr Bathhouse

• Orlov Military Base
  • Traits
    • Missile silos, bunkers, and facilities
    • Built into mountainous terrain
    • Scattered barricades
    • PMC Military presence
    • Inspired by Countdown
  • Minor POIs
    • Drezna Sub Base
    • Kadurin Silo
    • Zlatyev Array

• Popov ^Pop-off Power
  • Traits
    • Cooling towers, containment structures, industrial buildings
    • Large interior spaces
    • Highway and River access
  • Minor POIs
    • Sorokin Industrial

• Seaport District
  • Traits
    • Docks, shoreline, and maritime buildings
    • Vantage points by land or by sea
    • Easy rotation opportunities
  • Minor POIs
    • Al-Abboud Condos

• Shahin Manor
  • Traits
    • Isolated location
    • Multiple floors
    • Abundant loot
    • Focused on close-quarters-combat
  • Minor POIs
    • Raaha Island

• Urzikstan Cargo
  • Traits
    • Waterways and cargo containers
    • Vantage points via tall cranes
    • Hot drop potential
  • Minor POIs
    • Talanov Outpost

• Zaravan City
  • Traits
    • Heavy urban setting
    • Maze of streets and seemingly endless vantage points
    • Safer looting opportunities
    • Interiors prone to engagement
  • Minor POIs
    • Amara Riverside
    • Ghalia Seaside
    • Haifa Apartment Complex
    • Quadri Shopping Center
    • Tishrin Parkway
    • Urzikstan Community Center
    • Urzikstan University

• Zaravan Suburbs
  • Traits
    • Rooftop gardens, concert hall, community center
    • Access to downtown without crossing water
    • Dense Roadway access
  • Minor POIs
    • Al-dahr Estates
    • Shorok Opera House
    • Souk Nuri

For an exhaustive look at Urzikstan, check out the new Tac Map Atlas.

Gulag New Map

This brand new 1v1 Gulag named “Silo” is characterized by its stark, symmetrical layout that lends to both striking visuals and balanced engagements. This symmetry not only enhances player immersion but ensures equal opportunities for both contestants to redeploy to the field. This new arena is also rich in loot, strategically placed to encourage exploration and adding an additional layer of resource management and strategy. 

Here is a series of new features that elevate this Gulag in various ways:
 

• Map VariantsNew Location Modifiers
  • Players now have a chance to encounter one of three possible Gulag map variants.
  • Each map variant offers 3 clear lanes allowing for simple 1v1 gameplay.
  • The overall gameplay of each map variant will remain similar but sight-lines and visuals will change match to match. 
  • Map variants include:
    • A boxed center with various cover and pathways in. Crates and corners riddle the layout making it dangerous to rush without a plan.
    • An open layout with light cover and a circularly enclosed center with limited access.
    • A fairly open center with a boxed out area making the threshold from spawn to center very fast but providing rotational opportunity.
       
• Public EventsNew Dynamic Events
  • A series of new Public Events have been introduced including:
    • Go Again
      • Get another chance if you lose your fight.
    • Cash Grab
      • More cash on the ground with a larger stack in the middle of the arena.
    • Locked & Loaded
      • Start with full armor and two upgraded guns.
         
• Overtime AscenderNew Win Condition
  • When Overtime kicks in, rather than vying for control of a Flag point, Players will now have to outplay their opponents for a chance to use the vertical Ascender that spawns in the center of the map.
     
• Post Victory LootingNew Gameplay
  • Upon eliminating their opponent, Players will be allowed to continue roaming and looting the Gulag until the moment they are redeployed to the field.

It’s important that the Gulag is as fun and varied in your 1000th Gulag fight as it was in your very 1st Gulag fight. With the Public Events system now coming to the Gulag, this gives Players extra second chance and regain opportunities, especially so with the extra cash of “Cash Drop” or the extra weaponry provided in “Locked & Loaded”.

Modes

Battle Royale

• Battle RoyaleReturning Mode
  • This is the Battle Royale experience that Players have become ever so familiar with since Warzone’s launch in 2020. Players infil, scavenge for weapons, equipment, and other resources while preparing for the impending conflict. The map’s playable area gradually shrinks over time, forcing survivors into closer proximity – upping the ante. The ultimate objective? To be the very last squad standing when the smoke clears. It’ll take a combination of skill, strategic planning, and sometimes a bit of luck, to exfil with that victory.
  • New Map:
    • Urzikstan 
  • Player Count: 
    • 100
  • Match Length: 
    • ~20 Minutes

The pacing of a Battle Royale match is critical to the experience and needs to represent the rhythm of a heartbeat: where the peaks and troughs are consistent and healthy throughout the game. Battle Royale is a game with distinct phases, this includes landing off infil and looting, then acquiring a loadout, all the way through to the final battles before exfil – but also importantly having a mid-game that doesn’t suffer a slump and is continuous in its engagements. 

Historically Warzone has always had large player counts in its larger maps but as we have added additional respawn mechanics and changed circle sizes and timings we have found it impacted the time-to-action pacing of the game.

With the new Urzikstan map there are a number of considerations the team have made for the player count:

– New map size of Urzikstan, around 20% smaller than Al Mazrah.
– Faster match time at 20 minutes.
– New Gas Circle timers and sizing.
– More ‘second chance’ redeploy mechanics.
– Unsuppressed red dots revealing engagement locations.
– The Return of the “Big Game Bounty” Contracts Advanced UAV reward
– Updated “Bounty” Contract rewarding one UAV ping as a reward.
– New Gulag Public Event, “Go Again”, enabling more players to redeploy.
– The stability and performance of the game.

To summarize, regardless of the number of players, the time-to-action is one of our most important variables. Based on all of the above, we will be monitoring the time between engagements in Battle Royale throughout Season 1 and make pacing changes where necessary in future seasons.

Resurgence

• ResurgenceReturning Mode
  • A fan favorite, this Mode is a spin on the Battle Royale formula that emphasizes a faster-paced, more aggressive playstyle on smaller maps. Rather than being thrown into the Gulag, Players that are eliminated will redeploy after a short respawn timer – that is, as long as they have teammates that are still alive. This redeploy mechanic allows players to relinquish discretion and encourages taking greater risks, resulting in more frequent engagements. And true to the original experience, earning points will reduce this timer. 
  • Returning Maps:
    • Ashika Island
    • Vondel
  • Player Count:
    • Ashika
      • Solos – 52
      • Duos – 52
      • Trios – 51
      • Quads – 52
    • Vondel
      • Solos – 72
      • Duos – 72
      • Trios – 72
      • Quads – 72

• Urzikstan ResurgenceNew Limited-Time Mode
  • While Resurgence is hosted on entire Maps, this mode will adhere to the same ruleset while exclusively emphasizing several critical Points of Interest located throughout Urzikstan. These locations have been carefully handcrafted to accommodate the high-paced, loot-hungry playstyle that we’ve all come to expect from Resurgence.
  • Locations:
    • Urzikstan Points of Interest
      • Orlov Military Base
      • Popov Power
      • Zaravan Suburbs
  • Player Count: 
    • Solos – 44
    • Duos – 44
    • Trios – 45
    • Quads – 44

• Rotation ResurgenceReturning Mode
  • With the wealth of maps on offer in Resurgence, Rotation Resurgence allows Players to drop into one of several possible locations that are carouseled on a fixed time interval displayed on the menu.
  • Rotation Interval:
    • 15 minutes
  • Returning Maps:
    • Ashika Island
    • Vondel
  • New Locations:
    • Urzikstan Points-of-Interest
      • Orlov Military Base
      • Popov Power
      • Zaravan Suburbs

Plunder

• Plunder Returning Mode
  • Battle to earn the most cash in this returning game mode now set in Urzikstan. In Plunder, players loot cash from the map, complete contracts, and battle opponents to be the first team to earn $2 million. Reaching that cash threshold triggers a 3-minute overtime where cash values double. Be the top earning squad when time expires to win.
  • Respawn is enabled in Plunder, and players always deploy with their selected loadout. This makes Plunder ideal for leveling up weapons and exploring the map without the looming threat of an enclosing circle of gas. The free-form nature also makes for a variety of viable strategies.
  • New Map: 
    • Urzikstan
  • Player Count: 
    • 100
  • Match Length: 
    • ~15 minutes

Lockdown

• Lockdown Returning Mode | In-Season
  • Inspired by the Multiplayer mode Hardpoint, Lockdown will task multiple Quads with capturing and holding zones throughout Vondel. This primary objective replaces the traditional Battle Royale last-squad-standing.
  • This Mode is perfect for those who want to level up their weapons in a high-pace, objective-based mode. Lockdown allows for Custom Loadouts right at the start of the match. 
  • Lockdown will be added to the Playlist rotation during Season 1.
  • Map:
    • Vondel
  • Player Count:
    • 36

Playlist

For information about upcoming Playlists, XP events, and more, please check out the dedicated Warzone Trello Board.

Weapons

As many players have already experienced, MW3 offers several dozen weapons that cover a diverse range of options spanning various categories. It’s important to remember that Warzone won’t suddenly shift overnight to favor only DMRs and Shotguns. Instead, our hope is to witness a more balanced ecosystem where additional categories, such as Battle Rifles, become viable choices thanks to the new offering of weapons. In essence, MW3 weapons aim to be user-friendly, offering versatility across various damage ranges and maintaining a high level of mobility. While we acknowledge the importance of MW2 Weapons retaining their viability, there are specific cases where further updates may be required to ensure a fair and exciting gameplay experience for all. 

New Weapons

The following Weapons launched with Modern Warfare III and are new to Warzone as of Season 1 launch.
 

» Assault Rifles «

• SVA 545
  
  • This weapon system fires the first two rounds nearly at the same time, making this an incredibly lethal weapon in careful hands.
• MTZ-556
  • Boasting an exceptional fire rate for a 5.56 weapon, this close-quarters assault rifle excels at close and mid-range.
• Holger 556
  • Chambered in 5.56, this AR offers exceptional range and reliability for most engagements.
• MCW
  • This remarkably adaptable assault rifle features phenomenal recoil control and versatility from a lightweight frame chambered in 5.56.
• DG-56
  • With excellent recoil control and three-round burst fire, this bullpup AR dominates at mid- to long range.
• FR 5.56
  • A three round burst bullpup AR. A well-placed burst can be extremely deadly at intermittent ranges.
     

» Battle Rifles «

• BAS-P
  
  • A highly controllable and powerful Battle Rifle chambered in .277 Fury designed for all-round reliability and performance.
• Sidewinder
  • A highly adaptable Battle Rifle chambered in .450 that delivers high damage at close to mid-range.
• MTZ-762
  • A fully automatic Battle Rifle designed to send hard-hitting 7.62 rounds downrange at high velocity.
     

» SMGs «

• Striker
  
  • A hard-hitting and controllable submachine gun chambered in .45 Auto. Reliable at close to mid-range.
• WSP Swarm
  • Ultra combat and maneuverable, this 9mm SMG overwhelms targets with a fast fire rate.
• AMR9
  • A fully automatic SMG chambered in 9mm, the AMR9 is a go-to for Operators who prefer to shred the competition from close to mid-range.
• WSP-9
  • A fully automatic SMG featuring a slow rate of fire balanced by high damage, control, and mobility.
• Rival-9
  • The Rival-9 is a lightweight, 9mm submachine gun built for agility and quick room clearing.
• Striker 9
  • This compact SMG handles like a carbine while taking advantage of the low recoil and versatility of 9mm rounds.
     

» Shotguns «

• Lockwood 680
  
  • This highly effective and versatile 12-gauge pump shotgun can be modified to excel in most scenarios.
• Haymaker
  • Highly effective at close range, this mag-fed combat shotgun will clear rooms with rounds to spare.
• Riveter
  • A full-auto, .410 shotgun built around an assault rifle receiver, the Riveter is a hole-punching machine.
     

» LMGs «