Season 5 of Black Ops 6 and Warzone has begun, and Activision released the patch notes for this season's update. They detail all the additions already revealed in the roadmap and blog posts, along with those changes you can't see at first glance, like weapon balance changes or quality-of-life adjustments.
We have gathered all the important notes in one place, so you can read them and know what to expect from your upcoming matches.
When does Warzone Season 5 come out?
Season 5 of Black Ops 6 and Warzone is scheduled to begin on Thursday, August 7th, at 9:00 AM PT (5:00 PM BST). PC players can preload the patch to have everything downloaded and ready for when the new season begins. On the other hand, the preload for console players will begin a few hours before launch, as has always been the case.
Patch notes
Excluding everything about the new additions already announced through blog posts, here are all the relevant patch notes for Warzone Season 5:
Global
Ricochet Anti-Cheat
RICOCHET Anti-Cheat is built to evolve. We’re ramping up our fight against cheaters with new security measures deploying across both Multiplayer and Call of Duty: Warzone.
These updates include changes in Season 05 that lay an important groundwork for our future. With this season, Call of Duty will begin a phased rollout of two Windows security features: TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) is an industry-standard, hardware-based security feature built onto CPUs or motherboards. It helps lock out PCs that have been tampered with from connecting to our game, making it harder to cheat.
Secure Boot makes sure a PC can only load trusted software when Windows starts. Together, these features help us ensure that players are starting the game from a secure, cheat-free foundation.
Combined with our existing systems, ongoing improvements and legal actions against cheat sellers, these measures allow us to deliver a more secure and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Warzone
Maps
Verdansk
- Militarized Stadium
- A new multi-step Contract is available during the first full week of the season. Infiltrate the Stadium, uncover hidden operations, and complete the explosive Satellite Hijack Contract before time runs out.
- Once unlocked, players will find that this POI is now more meaningful than ever with the introduction of the Militarized variant. Updates include:
- New vertical structures offer increased control over sightlines and engagement opportunities.
- Most additions are made of solid materials to reduce wallbanging from the outskirts.
- Height variation between structures introduces more diverse combat encounters.
- Multiple structures provide plenty of loot for players to scavenge.
- The outer ring of the Stadium remains largely unchanged to preserve familiarity.
- Starting on Week 2 through the end of Season 05, the Stadium will remain permanently unlocked and be designated as a High Value Loot Zone.
Loot and Economy
Adjustments
- Ground Loot
- The new Season 05 PML 5.56 Light Machine Gun has been added to ground loot and Supply Boxes.
- Lootable Perks
- Updated the pool to include:
- Shrouded
- Irradiated
- Loot Master
- Reflexes
- Bomb Squad
- Gung-Ho
Buy Stations
Adjustments
- Buy Station Updates
- Buy Station spawn locations have been re-randomized across the map to create more dynamic combat scenarios and rotation opportunities.
- The Stadium Buy Station will now appear once the roof has been breached.
- Starting in Week 2 of Season 05, this Buy Station will be available at the start of the match.
- New Buy Station locations are as follows:
Equipment
Adjustments
- Spring Mine
- Increased damage reduction when prone or diving by an additional 10% for a total of 85% reduction.
Perks
Adjustments
- Perk Visibility (Quality of Life)
- Perks picked up during a match will now appear directly in your HUD, inventory, killcam, and while spectating other players, providing immediate clarity on the tactical advantages you’ve acquired.
- Specialist
- Obtaining Specialist is now easier! Pool balls are now arranged on the rack to help you out. Go take a look!
Weapons
General
- Drop Rate Adjustments
- Verdansk Battle Royale
- Assault Rifles now have a slightly higher spawn rate compared to SMGs.
- This adjustment is intended to improve access to mid-range combat options over short-range alternatives.
- Rebirth Island Resurgence
- Adjusted each class of weapon drop rate
- Assault Rifles: Increased from 30% to 33%
- SMGs: Increased from 20% to 32%
- LMGs: Decreased from 15% to 10%
- Snipers: Decreased from 15% to 10%
- Shotguns: Decreased from 10% to 7%
- Marksman Rifles: Remain at 5%
- Pistols: Decreased from 5% to 3%
Default Loadouts
- Enforcer
- Kilo replaces FFAR
- Commando
- Jackal replaces Ladra
- ABR A1 replaces Swat 5.56
- Strategist
- PML 5.56 replaces PU-21
- Recon
- LAW3A1 Frostline replaces DM-10
- AS-VAL replaces GPR
- Infiltrator
- Ladra replaces LC-10
Weapon Adjustments
Assault Rifles
- Ak-74
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 43.1-55.9m to 43.1-63.5m.
- Minimum Damage Range increased from >55.9m to >63.5m.
- Bullet Velocity increased from 890m/s to 905m/s
- Inflicted Flinch on enemies increased by 15%
- AMES 85
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-35.5m to 0-39.37m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 35.5-45.7m to 39.37-50.8m.
- Minimum Damage Range increased from >45.7m to >50.8m.
- AS VAL
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-38.1m to 0-43.2m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 38.1-50.8m to 43.2-55.8m.
- Minimum Damage Range increased from >50.8m to >55.8m.
- Headshot multiplier increased from 1.15x to 1.2x
- Lower Torso and Legs multipliers increased from 0.85x to 0.9x
- Bullet Velocity increased from 860m/s to 890m/s
- Recoil Springs
- Vertical Recoil benefit increased from 23% to 30%
- Horizontal Recoil benefit increased from 13% to 20%
- CR-56 AMAX
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-46.9m to 0-50.8m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 46.9-58.4m to 50.8-64.7m.
- Minimum Damage Range increased from >58.4m to >64.7m
- Bullet Velocity increased from 860m/s to 880m/s
- Inflicted Flinch on enemies increased by 15%
- Model L
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-33m to 0-38.1m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 33-43.2m to 38.1-50.8m.
- Minimum Damage Range increased from >43.2m to >50.8m.
- Bullet Velocity increased from 850m/s to 870m/s
SMG
- C9
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-13.2m to 0-13.97m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 13.2-21.3m to 13.97-21.3m.
- Jackal PDW
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-11.9m to 0-13.2m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 11.9-19.8m to 13.2-21.34m.
- Minimum Damage Range increased from >19.8m to >21.34m.
- Aim Down Sight speed improved from 200ms to 195ms
- Kompakt 92
- Aim Down Sight speed improved from 190ms to 180ms
- KSV
- Headshot multiplier increased from 1.07x to 1.2x
- Ladra
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-11.9m to 0-12.95m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 11.9-21.3m to 12.95-21.3m.
- Headshot multiplier increased from 1.15x to 1.22x.
- Aim Down Sight speed improved from 195ms to 190ms.
- LC10
- Maximum Damage Range reduced from 0-11.9m to 0-10.9m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 reduced from 11.9-22.3m to 10.9-20.8m.
- Minimum Damage Range reduced from >22.3m to >20.8m.
- Headshot multiplier decreased from 1.15x to 1.12x
- Arm multipliers decreased from 1x to 0.8x
- Lower Torso and Leg multipliers decreased from 0.85x to 0.8x
- Aim Down Sight speed slowed from 195ms to 210ms
- PPSh-41
- Headshot multiplier increased from 1.18x to 1.28x
- Aim Down Sight speed improved from 190ms to 185ms
- Saug
- Lower Torso and Leg multipliers increased from 0.85x to 0.89x
- Aim Down Sight speed improved from 200ms to 190ms
- Tanto .22
- Lower Torso and Leg multipliers increased from 0.8x to 0.84x
Shotguns
- Marine SP
- Sprint to Fire time improved from 200ms to 160ms
LMG
- GPMG-7
- Headshot multiplier increased from 1.1x to 1.17x
- Upper Torso and Arm multipliers increased from 1x to 1.05x
- Bullet Velocity increased from 800m/s to 815m/s
- PU-21
- Headshot multiplier increased from 1.1x to 1.22x
- Upper Torso and Arm multipliers increased from 1x to 1.08x
- Bullet Velocity increased from 800m/s to 820m/s
- XMG
- Lower Torso multiplier increased from 1x to 1.1x
- Bullet Velocity increased from 790m/s to 810m/s
Marksman Rifles
- AEK-973
- Full Auto Mod
- Headshot multiplier increased from 1.25x to 1.38x
- Upper Torso and Arm multipliers increased from 1x to 1.1x
- Swat 5.56
- Grau Conversion
- Maximum Damage Range decreased from 43.18m to 38.10m
- Medium Damage Range 1 decreased from 53.34m to 49.53m
- Bullet Velocity decreased from 1065m/s to 1020m/s
Sniper
- AMR Mod 4
- Aim Down Sight speed improved from 625ms to 610ms
- Bullet Velocity increased from 780m/s to 810 m/s
- HDR
- Aim Down Sight speed slowed from 600ms to 630ms
- Bullet Velocity decreased from 700m/s to 660m/s
- LR 7.62
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-68.6m to 0-76.2m.
- Minimum Damage Range increased from >68.6m to >76.2m.
- LW3A1 Frostline
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-58.4m to 0-66m.
- Minimum Range Damage increased from >58.4m to >66m.
- Bullet Velocity increased from 880m/s to 910m/s
- Aim Down Sight speed slowed from 600ms to 630ms
Special
- Sirin 9mm
- Maximum Damage Range increased from 0-10.1m to 0-10.9m.
- Medium Damage Range 1 increased from 10.1-17.7m to 10.9-17.7m.
- Aim Down Sight speed improved from 200ms to 185ms
- Sprint to Fire time improved from 120ms to 110ms
UI/UX
Adjustments
- Weapon Level Display Improvements
- Your current Weapon Level and its Max Level are now displayed together in areas where only the current level was previously shown. This makes it easier to track remaining progress toward maxing out a weapon.
- Friendly Field Upgrade Indicators Quality of Life
- The Deployable Cover, Trophy System, and Recon Drone now display a blue indicator when deployed by a friendly player, aligning with existing visuals for friendly lethal and tactical equipment.
Challenges
Adjustments
- Set up UAV Towers to properly count toward challenges that require a player to be under the effect of a UAV.
- Updated Feng Diamond and Dark Matter camo challenges to correctly track multi-kill progress.
- Expanded the requirements for Unique Camo Challenges that require kills on Most Wanted targets - kills on Bounty targets will now also count. This change gives players more flexibility in how they progress these challenges.
Bug Fixes
General
- Fixed an issue causing fewer than expected ATVs to spawn in Battle Royale.
- Fixed an issue preventing an ammo depot station from spawning in a Police Station in Riverside.
- Fixed an issue causing players to get stuck on “Connecting” in a queue after selecting "Play Again" and then returning to the main menu.
- Fixed an issue where launcher-type weapons were not tracking kills correctly when aiming down sights.
Gameplay & Equipment
- Fixed an issue where the Search and Destroy contract could target a non-existent Buy Station.
- Fixed an issue where the Spring Mine could remain lethal after a player left the match; it will no longer deal damage once the deploying player has exited.
- Fixed an issue causing the Swat 5.56 Grau Conversion loot weapon to use an incompatible attachment.
Ranked Play
- Fixed an issue where the lobby walk would stop playing and display a black loading screen after a few minutes in the Warzone Ranked Play menu.
- Fixed an issue in Ranked Play where players could become semi-soft locked in the queue after attempting to join someone in a different playlist.
UI/UX
- Fixed an issue causing the Ares Clear Shot Optic to not display a small sniper glint.
- Fixed an issue causing thermal optics to not function properly on the SZ Holotherm and Schlager Night View optics.
- Fixed an issue causing weapon previews to fail to display in the Weapons tab when a new custom loadout is set as a favorite.
- Fixed an issue where the Specialist Perk appeared twice in the UI, despite only showing once in spectate and killcam views.
- Fixed an issue where the Loadout Drop icon appeared on the squad widget even when the team had insufficient funds for a loadout.
- Fixed various issues with MW2 and MW3 weapon attachment pro and con text descriptions.
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