Activision has launched Season 5 across Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone, introducing a sweeping round of weapon balancing to reshape gunplay in both multiplayer and battle royale modes. The patch arrives alongside fresh maps like Jubilee, new weapons such as the FG42 Assault Rifle, and the Drone Labs point of interest in Verdansk, following the previous Season 4 Reloaded update.

Quick Facts

  • Major Warzone Nerfs: Top long-range assault rifles—including the AK-27, MXR-17, and X9 Maverick—received reduced damage ranges, lowered damage numbers, and slower bullet velocities.
  • Long-Range Buffs: The AN-94 and M15 MOD 0 received significant range, damage, and recoil buffs across Warzone modes.
  • Black Ops Royale Updates: Loot pools, exotic drops, gulag options, and default loadouts were updated, adding the FG42 and Gremlin SMG to rotation.

Player Impact Summary: How Season 5 Shifts the Meta

Season 5 targets the dominant long-range weapons that previously dictated Warzone engagements. By cutting maximum damage, effective range, and bullet velocity across the AK-27, MXR-17, and X9 Maverick, gunfights beyond 40 meters will feel markedly different. To take their place, developers boosted mid-to-long-range reliability for the AN-94 and M15 MOD 0, giving both rifles lower recoil and wider damage thresholds in Battle Royale and Resurgence.

In close-quarters combat, the popular Carbon 57 SMG took hits to both base damage and headshot multipliers in Warzone, while gaining a one-second magazine refill delay on its Fabricator Mag attachment across both games. Meanwhile, close-range alternatives like the Sturmwolf 45 and Rev-46 received handling and damage buffs. For Black Ops 7 multiplayer, players running burst-fire marksman rifles will notice longer burst delays on the Swordfish A1, whereas precision players using the M8A1 gain enhanced neck shot lethality.

Black Ops 7 Multiplayer Weapon Changes

Multiplayer updates focus primarily on attachment behavior, burst delays, and damage ranges across several weapon classes.

Assault Rifles

AN-94: Maximum damage drops from 30 to 24, but its maximum damage range expands significantly from 0–24.1m out to 0–36.8m. Its previous medium damage range (23 damage from 24.2–36.8m) was removed, while minimum damage stays at 19 beyond 36.8m.

DS20 Mirage: Maximum damage rises from 27 to 28 (range unchanged at 0–25.4m). Medium damage (23 at 25.5–44.5m) and minimum damage (22 beyond 44.5m) remain identical. However, the Dual Fire Kit attachment received multiple enhancements: movement speed now increases by 0.2m/s (previously a penalty), sprint-to-fire time improves by 20ms, and attachments now affect alternate fire modes where applicable. Additionally, the kit's two fire modes now share an ammunition pool rather than reloading separately (excluding Zombies mode).

SMGs & Marksman Rifles

Carbon 57: The Fabricator Mag now enforces a one-second delay before ammunition begins refilling after firing.

Ryden 45K: Fixed a bug where iron sights misaligned while aiming down sights under specific conditions.

Swordfish A1: Base burst fire delay increases from 280ms to 300ms. The MFS Penta Burst Mod now features higher overall recoil—particularly first-shot recoil—and its burst fire delay reduction was cut from 20% down to 10%.

M8A1: Added a new 1.15x neck damage multiplier to the base weapon. Equipping the 16.5" Deadeye Barrel raises the neck damage multiplier to 1.5x.

Pistols, Launchers & Melee

CODA 9: Fixed an unintended damage falloff bug when using the MFS Deltacell Bulk Mag at range.

A.R.C. M1: Players can now use the A.R.C. M1 Assault Frame while equipped using the Flyswatter Wildcard.

Executioner's Duet: Addressed a bug that caused melee attack speeds to register slower than intended.

Warzone Weapon Changes

Warzone balancing focuses on adjusting time-to-kill consistency at medium and long distances across Battle Royale and Resurgence modes.

Assault Rifle Adjustments

  • AK-27: Maximum damage reduced from 39 to 38; max range lowered from 0–40m to 0–36m. Medium damage drops from 35 to 32; medium range pulled back from 40–60m to 36–52m. Minimum damage falls from 30 to 29 (threshold moved from 60m+ to 52m+). Bullet velocity decreased from 920m/s to 900m/s.
  • AN-94: Minimum damage beyond 60m increased from 30 to 32. Headshot multiplier boosted from 1.2x to 1.3x. Aim down sight speed improved from 240ms to 235ms, and base recoil was reduced by roughly 8%. Maximum damage (38) and medium damage (34) remain unchanged.
  • M15 MOD 0: Maximum damage raised from 32 to 33; max range extended from 0–38m to 0–42m. Medium damage increased from 25 to 26; medium range extended from 38–52m to 42–60m. Minimum damage range pushes past 60m (damage stays at 24). Bullet velocity increased from 900m/s to 910m/s.
  • MXR-17: Maximum damage reduced from 49 to 48; max range pulled in from 0–40m to 0–36m. Medium damage drops from 42 to 41; medium range moved to 36–52m. Minimum damage range starts beyond 52m. ADS speed slowed from 235ms to 245ms, and bullet velocity dropped from 920m/s to 900m/s.
  • Voyak KT-3: Base recoil reduced by 5% in Battle Royale and Resurgence.
  • X9 Maverick: Maximum damage decreased from 50 to 48; max range shortened from 0–50m to 0–42m. Medium damage lowered from 42 to 41; medium range shifted to 42–55m. Minimum damage range now starts beyond 55m. ADS speed slowed from 235ms to 245ms, and bullet velocity reduced from 930m/s to 900m/s.

SMG & Marksman Rifle Adjustments

  • Carbon 57: Maximum damage lowered from 35 to 34 (range shortened from 0–13.8m to 0–12.4m). Medium damage drops from 31 to 30 (range adjusted to 12.4–21.5m). Minimum damage threshold starts past 21.5m. Headshot multiplier reduced from 1.2x to 1.13x, and Fabricator Mag gets the one-second ammo refill delay.
  • Dravec 45: Maximum damage cut from 47 to 46 (range lowered to 0–12.8m). Medium damage drops from 41 to 40 (range lowered to 12.8–22m). Minimum range threshold reduced to beyond 22m.
  • Rev-46: Headshot multiplier increased from 1.2x to 1.3x; ADS speed improved from 165ms to 160ms.
  • Sturmwolf 45: Maximum damage increased from 45 to 47 (0–13.8m). Medium damage increased from 41 to 42 (13.8–23.2m). ADS speed improved from 170ms to 160ms. Minimum damage stays 33.
  • VST: Medium damage range extended from 13.6–22m to 13.6–22.5m. Minimum damage threshold pushed to beyond 22.5m.
  • Swordfish A1: Mirroring multiplayer changes, burst fire delay increases to 300ms, MFS Penta Burst Mod recoil increases, and delay improvement drops to 10%.

Warzone Black Ops Royale Pool Changes

Alongside direct numerical tuning, the Black Ops Royale mode received weapon substitutions across map loot, gulag loadouts, and custom loadout archetypes:

  • Ground Loot: FG42 Assault Rifle replaces the EGRT-17; Gremlin SMG replaces the Ryden 45k.
  • Exotic Drops: MK35 ISR replaces the EGRT-17 exotic; VST replaces the MPC-25 exotic.
  • Gulag Loadouts: MPC-25 replaces the Rev-46; Gremlin replaces the Sturmwolf 45; Kogot-7 replaces the VST.
  • Enforcer Default Loadout: FG-42 replaces the MK-35; Gremlin replaces the VST.
  • Infiltrator Default Loadout: AN-94 replaces the Voyak KT-3.