Activision’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Season 5 update goes live today, July 24, and the patch notes are now live.
In a blog post, developer Sledgehammer Games revealed a long list of balance changes and improvements for Multiplayer, detailed as part of the patch notes below.
It's worth highlighting an important change to the way Killstreaks work. From now on, score earned via Killstreaks does not contribute toward earning the next available Killstreak. "Although the Streaks Earn Streaks modifier is now disabled, the Looping Streaks modifier will remain active thanks to positive player feedback," Sledgehammer explained.
The developer also listed the new 6v6 maps (Bait, Yard, Celship, Toonoxide, and Ink House), as well as new modes (Slam Deathmatch, Arcade, COD Warrior, Fishfection, Paintball, Defuse or Destroy, and Cyber Attack).
Fractal volatility and shifting hues define Mercury, the latest Weapon Prestige Camo in #MW3. Unlock it by earning 250,000 Weapon XP đź’Ž pic.twitter.com/Wq07CxIgfS
— Sledgehammer Games (@SHGames) July 24, 2024
New weapons include the STG44 (Assault Rifle, Battle Pass), the Static-HV (Submachine Gun, Battle Pass), the Torque 35 (Launcher, Week 5 Challenges, In-Season), and the Spear (Melee, Battle Pass, In-Season).
There are new Aftermarket parts, new equipment, and new operators: Cody Rhodes (SpecGru); Rey Mysterio (SpecGru); Ivan (KorTac); Reconker BlackCell (KorTac); and Rhea Ripley (KorTac).
New events include the WWE SummerSlam (July 31 - August 7) as part of Call of Duty’s WWE crossover, Conquest (August 7 - August 14), Echo Endo Live! (August 14 - August 21), Battle Beasts (August 21 - August 28), and Emotional Overdrive (September 12 - September 18).
New Prestige runs up to Prestige 21 Level 1,050, and there’s a new Mercury animated Weapon Prestige Camo at 250,000 Weapon XP.
The release of Season 5 comes amid accusations that Activision sold an AI-generated cosmetic for Modern Warfare 3 late in 2023.
Season 5 launches ahead of this year’s mainline Call of Duty game, Black Ops 6, and alongside the release of Modern Warfare 3 into Xbox Game Pass following Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. It’s the first Call of Duty game to appear in Microsoft’s subscription service, with Black Ops 6 set to follow.
Changes to Control are in response to player feedback, intending to improve the competitive experience of the mode on Vista. Capture zone A is now in a position less favorable for defense while capture zone B is increasingly balanced, and initial spawn points are now aligned with Search and Destroy mode.
Assault Rifles
Submachine Guns
Shotguns
Using the Pump Action Fire Type, the Reclaimer 18 is now capable of killing enemies with one shot within its maximum damage range, and 2-shot kills are now more consistent.
Light Machine Guns
Marksman Rifles
Sniper Rifles
Within its maximum damage range, the XRK Stalker is now capable of a one-shot kill regardless of hit location.
Handguns
COR-45 Trigger Action Attachments were previously more beneficial than intended. Due to negligible downsides, fire rate increases are generally kept below 50%. We'll continue to monitor player feedback for potential improvements to base Handguns.
Melee
Although the Streaks Earn Streaks modifier is now disabled, the Looping Streaks modifier will remain active thanks to positive player feedback.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.