The new meta arrives with the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II & Warzone 2.0 patch notes

Everyone is tired of the RPK and Fennec. There, I said it. That’s no longer a problem, with a lot of different fixes and changes in both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0. The only one I have to point out personally is the Vaznev nerf, definitely disappointed. With the arrival of Ranked Play in MWII I wonder if we’ll be looking for a new SMG, but until then take a look at what’s changed below, direct from the Call of Duty blog.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15

GLOBAL

Welcome to Season 02!

We will detail all the new content coming with the launch of this season below, but a few highlights include:

• Resurgence is back with the arrival of our Ashika Island map.
• Complete Path of the Ronin Challenges in Modern Warfare II or Warzone 2.0 to earn rewards, including a fan-favorite weapon.
• Vanquish your opponents like a true warrior with the new Ronin Operator and five new weapons during the Season, three of which are available for free in the Battle Pass.
• New Personal Watercraft Vehicle. Engage in fast-paced aquatic combat utilizing the new aquatic vehicle.

These Patch Notes also highlight many gameplay adjustments and bug fixes across Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0. Keep reading for all the intel on this update… and what might be coming in future updates!

BATTLE PASS

An all-new Battle Pass arrives with Season 02, which includes 3 new weapons and plenty of rewards for forging your path. On top of new rewards, we have improved the overall polish and usability of the Battle Pass for Season 02. Check out the Call of Duty blog for a closer look at the Battle Pass!

EVENTS

Path of the Ronin New Event

The Path of the Ronin will present Players with a variety of Challenges spanning several weeks based on the Seven Virtues of Bushido:

🌸 Integrity 🌸 Respect 🌸 Courage 🌸 Honor 🌸 Compassion 🌸 Sincerity 🌸 Loyalty 🌸

Each of the seven Challenges comes with a reward for completion, which can include an Operator Skin, Weapon Blueprint, Weapon Charm, and more. The first three of these Challenges will go live on season launch, with two more each following week. Complete them all in Warzone 2.0 or Modern Warfare II to receive the new Crossbow Weapon.

PROGRESSION

At the start of Season 02, the Prestige Rank cap will be increased to Prestige 10, with the level cap increased to 450. Specifically, players can unlock the following new Prestige Ranks:

• Prestige 6: Unlocked at Level 300
• Prestige 7: Unlocked at Level 350
• Prestige 8: Unlocked at Level 400
• Prestige 9: Unlocked at Level 450 (maximum level that can be achieved in Season 02)

WEAPONS

• ISO Hemlock: Assault Rifle
  • This powerful and enhanced rifle from Expedite Firearms is designed to take both 5.56 and subsonic .300 BLK ammunition, providing battlefield-advantage in any situation.
  • Can be acquired for free via the Season 02 Battle Pass.

• KV Broadside: Shotgun
  • Bringing the power of the 12 gauge to the Kastov Platform, the KV Broadside is the fastest-firing semi-auto firearm in the shotgun class. Destroys targets at close range with impunity.
  • Can be acquired for free via the Season 02 Battle Pass.

• Dual Kodachis: Melee
  • A powerful melee weapon that can quickly move towards a target with a longer-range attack. Each swipe has an impressive range and faster forward motion towards enemies compared to the Knife melee weapon, though this comes at a slight cost, a slower strafe and sprint speed.
  • Can be acquired for free via the Season 02 Battle Pass.

• Crossbow: Marksman Rifle
  • Silent and agile, this high-performance crossbow fires 20.0” bolts with exceptional lethality. Exclusive customization, distinct functionality, and unique ammunition types put this weapon in a class of its own. Standard 20.0” bolts are recoverable, and are undetected by trophy systems.
  • Can be acquired by completing all seven Path of the Ronin Event challenges or purchased via Store Bundle.

Weapon Tuning Update

Our goal for Weapon Tuning has always been to deliver an experience that provides Players with deep customization for their favorite weapons: building a unique loadout for a precise personal playstyle. After examining Weapon Tuning in Season 01, we want to offer more value for Players by elevating the pros and reducing the cons of Tuning attributes. We are committed to making the system more rewarding for players going forward, without sacrificing overall weapon balance across the game.

The results of this adjustment will generally be felt as an increase in the overall impact of Attachments, with the effects of Attachment Tuning becoming more significant.

Tuning Balances

• Tuning has been enabled for Laser attachments
• Tuning Sliders have been updated for numerous attachments
• Some beneficial Tuning attribute magnitudes have been increased
• Some harmful Tuning attribute magnitudes have been decreased
• Season 01 Pro-Tuned Blueprints have received performance adjustments

Weapon Balancing

» Assault Rifles «

• M13B
  • Increased damage at mid range
  • Increased upper torso damage

• Kastov 762
  • Small damage reduction
  • Added additional long range damage falloff

• Lachmann-556
  • Increased semi auto rate of fire

• M4
  • Increased semi auto rate of fire

• STB 556
  • Fixed an issue with the Single Tap Mod Magazine attachment which caused the weapon to deal considerably less damage to the upper left leg

» Battle Rifles «

• Lachmann-762
  • Decreased full auto head and torso damage
  • Increased semi-auto upper torso damage
  • Increased semi auto rate of fire
  • Reduced full auto recoil
  • Increased damage on long range
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• FTac Recon
  • Decreased full auto upper torso damage
  • Sped up ads time
  • Reduced full auto recoil
  • Increased close range damage distance
  • Increased lower torso damage multiplier
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• SO-14
  • Increased semi auto rate of fire
  • Increased long range damage
  • Reduced semi-auto headshot damage
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• TAQ-V
  • Decreased mid-range damage
  • Increased semi-auto torso damage
  • Reduced semi auto leg damage
  • Decreased full auto head damage
  • Decreased full auto head damage
  • Reduced semi auto rate of fire

» Handguns «

• X13 Auto
  • Reduced damage while using Akimbo
  • Increase lower body damage
  • Increased close range damage
  • Increase damage distances

» Launchers «

• STRELA-P
  • Removed activation distance for projectile
  • Projectile will now explode at any range

• RPG-7
  • Small increase to splash damage amount
  • Small reduction to splash damage range

» Light Machine Guns «

• RPK
  • Small reduction to ADS movement speed
  • Reduced mid and long-range damage
  • Reduced damage ranges
  • Small increase to ADS time

• RAAL MG
  • Increased recoil

» Marksman Rifles «

• EBR-14
  • Reduced long range damage
  • Increased upper torso damage
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• LM-S
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• TAQ-M
  • Slight increase to rate of fire
  • Increased upper torso damage
  • Added minimum damage against armor

» Melee «

• Increased non-lunging melee damage range, allows Players to hit equipment on the ground with melee while crouched
• Melee attacks with non-Melee Weapons will now require three hits to kill a fully armored enemy instead of two

» Submachine Guns «

• Vasznev-9K
  • Reduced mid-to-long range damage

• Minibak
  • Reduced damage ranges
  • Reduced lower torso damage at close range
  • Reduced lower body damage at mid to close range
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• Fennec 45
  • Decreased damage overall
  • Decreased headshot damage
  • Added minimum damage against armor

» Sniper Rifles «

• Signal 50
  • Reduced sprint out speed
  • Reduced movement speed
  • Reduced long range damage
  • Small decrease to bullet velocity

» Attachments «

• Reduced ADS penalty for bipods
• Fixed an issue with choke attachments scaling hip spread incorrectly

VEHICLES

New Vehicle

• Personal Watercraft
  • A nimble seacraft capable of swiftly carrying up to two Operators across any body of water.

Adjustments

• Vehicle turrets now cool down faster if they don’t overheat
• Added War Track customization on the Armored Truck
• Added EV charging stations for the GMC Hummer EV
• Shooting windows no longer damages the vehicle itself
• Make vehicle exits less likely to fail beneath low roofs

Vehicle Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where players could get unlimited fuel by leaning out of vehicles
• Fixed an issue with the refueling bar not appearing under certain conditions
• Fixed an issue with vehicle armor not reducing explosion damage properly
• Fixed an issue where the Heavy Tank tracks weren’t animating properly
• Fixed various ways the Player could get out of bounds with vehicle collisions
• Fixed the low-fuel warning not clearing for passengers when there wasn’t a driver

OPERATORS

New Operators

• Daniel “Ronin” Shinoda
  • Ronin is the ex-Special Forces fighter known for his mastery of multiple fighting styles and unconventional warfare.

AUDIO

Adjustments

• Proximity chat now fades out more effectively over distance
• Improved sound effect of reloading underwater

Audio Bug Fixes

• Addressed a number of missing audio elements in the UI
• Fixed an issue where ping sounds could be missing when pinging items or map locations from certain positions
• Fixed an issue affecting the sound effect for an enemy dropping cash onto the ground upon death
• Fixed several issues where specific materials were occluding incorrectly
• See other mode-specific audio fixes below

SOCIAL

Adjustments

• Added a wide range of usability improvements across Social screens
• Improved sorting of Friends List to prioritize playable, joinable and online Players higher in List
• Added Party Finder option within Special Ops Raid lobby
• Added ability to send quick “Thank You” message to squad/teammate after some in-game actions (i.e. Being Revived, Being Bought Back, Picking Up Dropped Loot)
• Added a search bar option when inviting Players to Friends, Parties, and Groups
• Added additional invite privacy settings
• Increased refresh frequency of Recent Players list to dynamically update list faster
• Added shortcut to manage Blocked Players
• Added mode-based Recent Players filtering
• Added offline Players as option for channel invites
• Added ability to report Groups for toxicity (i.e. Group Name, Group Description)
• Added notification stacking for high-volume notification types (i.e. Group Invites)
• Improve visibility changes across all game modes – assigned color + squad color integration

Social Bug Fixes

• Fixed a number of online status, party invite, friend invites and joinability related issues
• Significant fixes related to voice chat channels based on observed issues and player feedback
• Fixed navigational related issues forcing users back to home page when inviting friends or sending group invites
• Fixed an issue causing Emblems to sometimes revert to a placeholder image
• Fixed several bugs related to muting/unmuting other Players
• Fixed bugs related to inviting Player to game and social channels
• Fixed an issue that prevented Players from muting or unmuting self in select scenarios
• Fixed crash related to accepting old party invites from channels menu
• Fixed an issue that caused text-chat messages to sometimes appear blank
• Fixed an issue preventing Players from connecting or disconnecting from channels
• Fixed an issue causing players to be unable to change weapon in Player Showcase
• Fixed issues impacting ability to scroll to end of large Friends List
• Improved visibility of Code of Conduct related warning notifications and penalties within the Notification Center
• Fixed an issue that caused Recent Player List to sometimes appear incorrectly as empty or show all Players as offline
• Fixed multiple bugs related to Recent Players sorting and filters when specifying recent lobbies, squads and teams
• Fixed multiple bugs related to current speaker visibility and mute status
• Fixed an issue causing large Group member lists to not update or be scrollable
• Fixed an issue that prevented Players from selecting Group Privacy as “request to join”
• Limited number of Group notification pop-ups sent to Group Owners
• Improved Group Browser search options including filtering by labels and sorting

UI/UX

Adjustments

• Improved navigation and organization of Camo menu including:
  • Clearer tracking of your progress
  • Discoverability of camos you have unlocked
• Improved view, rotation and zoom of Operators and weapons in preview
• Slight increase to animation speed of the Polyatomic Camo
• More polished Social tab, including improved channel swapping and player muting
• Added “My Bundles” section to the Customize tab that contains all Bundles a Player owns
• Quick Equip option for items from Battlepass, My Bundles, and Store
• Reticle previews in Store and Gunsmith
• Improved clarity of attachment blocking logic in Gunsmith
• Updated Loadouts UI to support Pro-Tuning changes
• Updated UI to reflect improvements to tracer packs
• Improved After Action Report UI

UI/UX Bug Fixes

• Addressed some issues blocking camo progression across certain weapons
• Fixed some incorrect preview cards in the UI for Operators and Blueprints
• Addressed bugs impacting the After Action Report to show challenge and camo progress correctly
• Fixed bugs causing cosmetic items (i.e. gunscreens) to display incorrectly in the Gunsmith customization menu

GLOBAL BUG FIXES

• Fixed an exploit involving use of the Sentry Gun and Recon Drone
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Portable Radar to not activate upon landing
• Fixed an issue where enemy markers persisted after use of the Spotter Scope
• Fixed some instances of Operators rendering incorrectly in the lobby
• Addressed some instances of Operators posing incorrectly in the lobby
• Fixed several issues impacting the Firing Range
• Fixed an issue where Players could lose their second weapon upon equipping a Riot Shield from a dead enemy
• Fixed issues with certain weapons not updating in the Gunsmith case preview or having their decals and stickers blocked
• Fixed an issue where the Loadout menu would not show an icon for the primary weapon
• Fixed several issues that caused the Playstation™ Store icon to display inconsistently

PC SETTINGS

Gyro Aiming

We’ve included several additional settings to help players to fine-tune their playstyle while using Gyro Aiming.

• It’s now possible to adjust ADS Sensitivity specifically when using the Gyro Aiming (Gyro ADS Sensitivity Multiplier) and it’s also possible to adjust sensitivity per zoom level independently from the controller settings (Gyro Custom Sensitivity Per Zoom).
• These new settings will help players to fine-tune their aiming experience when using Gyro Aiming.
• We also added several settings to address some movement issues while using Gyro Aiming. These new settings (Gyro Steadying Threshold and Gyro Steadying Initial Scale) will help reduce the impact of small movements while aiming.

SPECIAL OPS

ATOMGRAD RAID

Looking for Teammates?

• Added new Party Finder option within the Raid lobby

Raid Bug Fixes

• Atomgrad Global: fixed armor to correctly shift from backpack to held armor

Raid Episode 1

• Fixed an issue where a Player could lose their Sentry Gun after cycling weapons
• Addressed specific points where Players could leave the playable area
• Addressed issues where the Graphic Price Loading Screen was not awarding correctly or appearing for Players after completing the Atomgrad Raid

COOPERATIVE

New Modifier

• Added One in the Chamber modifier to the Low Profile mission

Adjustments

• Added messaging to all Players when any Player selects “Restart Mission” or “Restart From Checkpoint”
• Added text splash when killing a Juggernaut

Cooperative Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue that could prevent “The Rebel” weapon Blueprint from unlocking after collecting 100 Stars
• Fixed an issue where players couldn’t drop backpack items when quickdraw was activated
• Fixed an issue where the COD Points widget in the Special Ops menu would display as zero

Low Profile Mission

• Fixed an issue where exfil started earlier than expected after a checkpoint restart
• Fixed an issue where enemy vehicles would occasionally spawn with no occupants

Defender: Mt. Zaya Mission

• Fixed a cash exploit
• Increased radius for Juggernaut key pickup interaction prompt

High Ground Mission

• Fixed an issue where player could obtain both roles
• Fixed an issue where lock-on sound could continue playing

MULTIPLAYER

PLAYLIST

Modes

• Infected
  
  • Operators must avoid the chosen infected player at all costs. Every survivor eliminated joins the Infected team until none remain or until the five-minute time period elapses.

• Gun Game
  • Every ranged elimination awards a different weapon, while melee eliminations put your opponent one weapon back on the 18-weapon rotation. Finish the job with a Throwing Knife to win.

• Grind
  • Kill Confirmed with an added twist: Enemy dog tags are stackable and must be banked at one of two fixed locations.

• Hardcore 
  • The initial Hardcore playlist will feature a mix of traditional modes with the classic ruleset veterans of the franchise are familiar with, including decreased health that cannot be replenished outside of Stim shots, as well as a limited HUD.

Maps

• Dome (6v6)
  
  • This small to medium-sized map is built for fast-paced combat with three main buildings surrounding a central street area. One of these is the iconic domed structure, which has a small catwalk that provides incredible views over most of the map’s outdoor spaces.

• Valderas Museum (6v6)
  • The other Core map launching at the start of Season 02 is Valderas Museum, returning since first appearing in the Modern Warfare II Beta.

• Zaya Observatory (Battle Map)
  • Zaya Observatory will be available in Ground War and Invasion modes, where the combat area will be expanded to fit all of Al Mazrah’s tallest natural point of interest.

• Al Malik International (Battle Map)
  • Located at the southern tip of Al Mazrah, this modern airport mixes traditional and modern architecture to host both business and leisure activities, and will be available in Ground War and Invasion Modes.

GENERAL

• Audio
  • Enhanced occlusion in all Core 6v6 Multiplayer maps
  • Improved Dog Tag pickup effect to be more discernible among other game sounds in Kill Confirmed and Grind

• Perks
  • Ghost: Reduced bonus perk cost by 50% and ultimate perk by 25%

RANKED PLAY

Ranked Play is now live and available to all players who have reached Level 16.

Competitive Game Modes, Maps, and Settings

• Play competitive, 4v4 matches using the same maps, modes, and settings used in the Call of Duty League 2023 ruleset.
• Select Weapons, Attachments, Equipment, Perks, Field Upgrades, and Streaks are restricted based on official CDL Competitive rules.
• Game Modes and Maps:
  • CDL Search and Destroy
    • Al Bagra Fortress
    • Breenburgh Hotel
    • El Asilo
    • Embassy
    • Mercado Las Almas
  • CDL Hardpoint
    • Al Bagra Fortress
    • Breenburgh Hotel
    • Embassy
    • Mercado Las Almas
    • Zarqwa Hydroelectric
  • CDL Control
    • Al Bagra Fortress
    • Breenburgh Hotel
    • El Asilo

SR (Skill Rating) & Divisions

Test yourself against your peers and track that progress with a visible SR (Skill Rating) that determines your place across 8 Skill Divisions.

• All players begin our first Competitive Season in Bronze I with 0 SR.
• Players increase their SR by winning matches and lose SR whenever they lose matches.
• Both individual and team performance will impact how much SR you gain or lose per match. In higher Skill Divisions, team performance has a bigger impact on SR gained or lost so that all winning playstyles are more consistently rewarded.
• Players can progress through eight Skill Divisions by reaching SR milestones:
  • Bronze – Starting Division
  • Silver – 900 SR
  • Gold – 2,100 SR
  • Platinum – 3,600 SR
  • Diamond – 5,400 SR
  • Crimson – 7,500 SR
  • Iridescent – 10,000 SR
  • Top 250 – 10,000+ SR
• Division Tiers: All Divisions except for Iridescent have 3 Tiers – Tier I, Tier II & Tier III. Climb into higher Tiers as you advance your way through each Division.
• Show Off Your Skill: It’s easy to see which Division someone is in in MWII Ranked Play. Your entire Rank Icon will change color and material depending on your current Skill Division. Your current Tier is also prominently shown in the center of your Rank icon.
• End of Season Skill Setback: At the end of each Season, your ending Skill Division will determine where you start the following season:
  • Bronze through Crimson players will start one Skill Division below where they finish, starting in Tier I of that new Division.
    • For example, a player who finishes the Season in Platinum II will be dropped back to Gold I at the start of the next Season.
    • Players who end the current season in Bronze will start at Bronze I in the next Season.
  • The highest starting position each Season is Diamond I.

Top 250 Leaderboard & Division

• The Top 250 Division returns in MWII, ranking the top 250 Ranked Play players in the world on an in-game Leaderboard that all players can view from within the Ranked Play lobby.
  • New this year, the Top 250 will be active from Day 1 of each Season.
  • Players will qualify for the Top 250 and appear on the Leaderboard as they surpass 10,000+ SR. The top 250 players with the highest SR above 10,000 will remain on the board and compete for 1st place over the remainder of the Season. (GLHF!)
• Play like the Pros, against the Pros: New this year, the Top 250 Leaderboard will display CDL Team Affiliations and Profiles for current CDL Professional players and coaches. Keep track of your favorite players and teams and see how they stack up against the Ranked Play competition.
• Ultimate Bragging Rights: In addition to new Rank and Seasonal Rewards in Modern Warfare 2, the #1 Ranked Play player will receive a unique, one-of-a-kind Calling Card and Emblem at the end of each Season.

Ranks & Rewards

• MWII Ranked Play is the most rewarding competitive Call of Duty experience ever, with a variety of valuable rewards available to players at launch and Season after Season.
• Unlocked Rewards can be used in Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0. Unlock what the mode has to offer to show off your Rank and Skill wherever you play.
• Ranks and Rank Rewards
  • Separate from the player’s SR and Skill Division is Rank. Rank persists across Seasons to celebrate the player’s lifetime win total across their Ranked Play career.
  • All players start at Rank 1 and can progress to Rank 50.
  • Players increase their Rank by winning matches to earn Stars. Each win grants one (1) Star. Win enough matches and you’ll earn enough Stars to reach the next Rank.
  • Every 5 Ranks players will progress their Rank icon and unlock a set of Rank rewards:
    • Rank 5: Ranked Competitor Skin for use with both CDL Male & Female Operators on both Factions.
    • Rank 10: ‘Press F’ Emblem
    • Rank 15: Pro Issue X12 Weapon Blueprint
    • Rank 20: ‘Ace’ Weapon Charm
    • Rank 25: ‘Turn It Up’ Emblem
    • Rank 30: ‘Ranked Win Tracker’ Gun Screen that displays the player’s lifetime Ranked Play win total.
    • Rank 35: ‘I’m Cracked’ Large Weapon Decal
    • Rank 40: Pro Issue Combat Knife Weapon Blueprint
    • Rank 45: ‘Sweep’ Weapon Charm
    • Rank 50: Ranked Veteran Emblem & Skin for use with both CDL Male & Female Operators on both Factions.
  • Each Rank Milestone also unlocks a Calling Card that represents the player’s achieved Rank.
• Season 2 Rewards
  • In addition to Rank Rewards, each Ranked Play Season will give players the opportunity to earn exclusive limited-time rewards.
  • Throughout the Season 02, players can earn the following rewards:
    • 5 Wins: ‘Season 2 Competitor’ Weapon Sticker
    • 10 Wins: Pro Issue Vaznev-9k Weapon Blueprint
    • 25 Wins: ‘MVP’ Weapon Charm
    • 50 Wins: ‘The Factor’ Large Weapon Decal
    • 75 Wins: ‘Ranked Play Season 2’ Loading Screen
    • 100 Wins: ‘Season 2 Ranked Veteran’ Weapon Camo
• End of Season Division Rewards
  • At the end of each Season, players will be awarded Skill Division rewards that represent their highest attained Division that Season.
    • Division Skins:
      • Earn a Skill Division Skin for use with both CDL Male & Female Operators on both Factions to represent your highest Skill Division. Once the Skins from one Skill Division have been unlocked they can be permanently used in following Seasons and anywhere you play:
        • Top 250: Unlock the ‘Top 250 Competitor’ Skin by finishing a Season in the Top 250 Skill Division. Players must be in the Division at the end of the Season to qualify for this reward.
        • Gold – Iridescent: Earn the applicable ‘Gold Competitor’, ‘Platinum Competitor’, ‘Diamond Competitor’, ‘Crimson Competitor’, or ‘Iridescent Competitor’ Skin based on your highest Skill Division reached over the course of the Season.
    • Seasonal Division Rewards
      • Each Ranked Play Season will have a unique set of Division Rewards awarded at the end of the Season to celebrate the player’s highest Skill Division reached that Season.
      • The Season 2 rewards are as follows:
        • Top 250: ‘Season 2 Top 250’ Weapon Charm, Emblem, and Calling Card
        • Iridescent: ‘Season 2 Iridescent’ Weapon Charm, Emblem, and Calling Card
        • Crimson: ‘Season 2 Crimson’ Weapon Charm and Emblem
        • Diamond: ‘Season 2 Diamond’ Weapon Charm and Emblem
        • Platinum: ‘Season 2 Platinum’ Weapon Charm and Emblem
        • Gold: ‘Season 2 Gold’ Weapon Charm and Emblem
        • Silver: Emblem
        • Bronze: Emblem
      • Ranked Play First Place: The player who finishes Season 2 in the #1 position on the Top 250 Leaderboard will receive a unique, one-of-a-kind Calling Card and Emblem for the ultimate bragging rights.

Competitive Integrity Features

• From Start to Finish: Players who disconnect or quit matches will receive SR penalties as well as temporary suspensions, with escalating penalties for repeat offenders.
• SR Forgiveness: If a player disconnects or quits in the middle of the match, all team members outside of that player’s party will not lose ANY SR.
• It is still possible to earn SR if players can overcome their disadvantage, but a loss at a numerical disadvantage will not yield SR loss for players outside of the leaving player’s party.
• Fair Fights, Even Teams: If a player quits or disconnects before the start of a match, the match will be canceled and will not count. The remaining players will be returned to the main menu.
• Professional Conduct Only: Friendly Fire is enabled in Ranked Play per CDL rules. Repeated Friendly Fire will result in players being kicked from games and receiving penalties and suspensions.
• Demotion Protection: After advancing to a higher Skill Division, players will be granted temporary Demotion Protection and will not lose any SR within the first three games in the new Division. Following that initial protection, if players were to lose enough SR to be demoted, they will first be dropped to the minimum threshold of their current Skill Division instead of being demoted. Losing their next match will result in a demotion.
  • Demotion Protection is also applied for the player’s first 3 games of each Ranked Play Season.
• Party SR Restrictions: To ensure competitive fairness and balance of matches in higher Skill Divisions, players in certain Divisions can only party up with players around their current SR. The player with the highest Skill Division in the party determines which Party SR Restrictions are used:
  • Iridescent (Including Top 250) & Crimson: Can party with players within 1 Skill Division
  • Diamond: Can party within 2 Skill Divisions
  • Bronze – Platinum: Can party up without any restrictions

Additional Social Features

• Hot Streaks, Literally: Win 3 Ranked Play games in a row over a short period of time to earn Victory Streak Flames that appear behind your Rank Icon in the lobby and in-game. Extend your win streak to progress the flames. Victory Streak Flames expire when you lose or after 72 hours without playing a Ranked Play match. Go on a roll and the competition will know the heat is coming. (Stay Spicy!)
• Social Profile: Rank Play icons will be added to your Social profile to identify your Ranked Play Skill Division and Rank anywhere your profile is viewed across Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0.

WARZONE 2.0

MAPS

Ashika Island New Map

Brought to you by our partners at High Moon Studios, Ashika Island, also known as “Isle of the Sea Lion”, is part of a small archipelago located in an undisclosed location, somewhere in the APAC (Asia Pacific) region. For now, this map will host the new Battle Royale Resurgence mode and will also be available in DMZ at the launch of Season 02.

Our team is so excited to finally release Ashika Island to the world with the launch of Season 02. With its beautiful Japanese-inspired location, diverse areas to explore, and a host of secrets to uncover, we hope you enjoy playing in this space as much as we have enjoyed the art of crafting it. Ashika also has a lot more to offer than meets the eye, so take time to explore everything.

Building on our learnings from Fortune’s Keep, the team was thrilled to continue implementing interesting traversal options while being mindful not to over complicate our designs. We wanted each area of the map to have an authentic visual theme that paired with the gameplay style of each space. And we wanted to have strong visual landmarks that could be seen from a distance but didn’t tip the balance in favor of adding dominating sniper perches. But at its heart, it is an island with everything from rooftop “run and gun” gameplay, to “cat and mouse” interior brawls, to underground secret passages and waterways that help you traverse the space that much quicker.

We can’t wait for you to drop into Ashika Island and start racking up those wins. Just, please, no running around the pool!

– High Moon Studios

This map consists of seven major points of interest listed below:

• Ōganikku Farms
  • The majority of the northwestern sector of Ashika Island is composed of mixed agricultural, residential and industrial use, along with old shoreline defenses.

• Town Center
  • The western and parts of the southwestern island comprise a bay with impressive sea wall defenses. Northwest of the main submarine canal is a Ferry Terminal and tourist facilities. Cross the canal bridges to reach a hotel and market district, with an additional Gas Station and the semi-circular City Hall structure.

• Beach Club
  • Further southwest of the Town Center and east of the Port is an aquarium and Beach Club and open-air swimming within the southwestern ocean beach. Parts of the area are easily spotted from a parachute drop as the pathways are a vivid aquamarine-blue color.

• Tsuki Castle
  • The higher ground in the center of Ashika Island is dominated by an ancient castle with multiple fortifications and a natural defensive hill along the southwestern side of the structure. This is a large plateau with shallow, stepped battlements, cherry blossoms in bloom, and a scattering of secondary structures throughout the grounds. Look high for combat opportunities, but also look low; there’s an entire underground waterway and submarine base directly under this fortification!

• Port Ashika
  • The southwestern edge is dominated by rocky bluffs, and a port named after the island. There’s steep terrain to the north as you venture to or from the castle, and a variety of industrial warehouses, offices, a comms tower as you venture towards the ocean, as well as a canal entrance to the subterranean submarine base.

• Residential
  • On the lower ground below the castle battlements to the north and east of the Farms and allotments sits some residential housing between a couple of industrial structures (a Power Plant and Water Treatment Facility). Easily accessed (and surrounded by) tarmac roads, there are plenty of places to discover, both over and underground.

• Shipwreck
  • The inclement weather and hazardous shoreline spelled doom for two cargo tankers. Both vessels have run aground here, and the containers they were carrying have been mostly saved and stacked in a pleasing manner. Further northeast are cliffs and the main looping tarmac road, as well as a comms tower and lookout above a gas station.

In DMZ specifically, Players will experience foggier conditions than those of Battle Royale. Players can utilize the fog for cover, but so can your enemies at range.

For a full look at Ashika Island, the brand new Warzone™ 2.0 map, check out the official COD Blog deep dive here.

Map Updates 

• Al Mazrah
  • Downed aircraft at Sattiq Caves
  • Underground tunnels in Suburbs 14
  • New passenger train moving counterdirectional to the existing cargo train
  • Added a path through the cliffside north of Zarqwa Hydroelectric.
  • Added vehicle ramp to garage rooftop in Al Malik International.

• Gulag
  • The Gulag map has been updated to better suit 1v1 combat in Season 02.

For a deep dive into Ashika, Al Mazrah, and everything they have to offer, check out the official Tactical Map Guide

BATTLE ROYALE

PLAYLIST

Battle Royale

Al Mazrah

• Standard
  • Solos
    • Max Players: 150
    • Assimilation: Off
  • Duos
    • Max Players: 150
    • Assimilation: Refill
  • Trios
    • Max Players: 150
    • Assimilation: Refill
  • Quads
    • Max Players: 152
    • Assimilation: Refill

Ashika Island

• Resurgence 
  • Quads
    • Max Players: 52
    • Assimilation: Off

For regular updates about the Playlist and other Scheduled Events, check out the dedicated Warzone Trello Board.

MODES

Resurgence New Limited-Time Mode

Resurgence is back! Grab your Squad and drop into this fast paced, high-action Mode that allows Squads to respawn as long as one member remains alive. The last Squad standing wins, regardless of how many times they’ve had to redeploy. Get ready for an intense fight.

How does it work?

When eliminated, Players enter a spectating state and must wait for the Resurgence timer to tick down. Squad members can shorten the timer by completing Contracts, looting, and eliminating enemy Players.

• Resurgence
  • Respawns are disabled on the fourth circle, so keep an eye on the clock

• New Score Events
  • In addition to the traditional score events, we have added new ways to shorten the respawn timer for Squad members:
    • Headshot
      • Eliminating an enemy Player via Headshot
    • A.I. Elimination
      • Eliminating an A.I. Combatant
    • Uplink
      • Capturing a Data Heist uplink point in
    • On The Move
      • If you move more than 25 meters while your teammate is dead
    • Hunt 
      • You eliminated a Player while they were tracked by the Hunt mechanic
    • Hunter Double 
      • You eliminated two Players in a row while they were tracked by the Hunt mechanic
    • Hunter Spree 
      • You eliminated more than three Players while they were tracked by the Hunt mechanic
    • Armor Break
      • You broke all of a Player’s active Armor Plates
    • Audacious Elimination
      • You got an elimination while a Squad member was down
    • Fearless Elimination
      • You got an elimination while being the last living member of your Squad

• Hunt & Track Mechanic 
  • At any point during a match, eliminating an enemy Player will display their Squad members for a few seconds on the minimap.
  • Specific to Solos, eliminating an enemy Player will display their location upon redeployment for 10 seconds.

• Loadouts
  • Players can acquire their Loadouts via two different methods in Resurgence. Towards the end of the first circle there is a Public Event that drops a Loadout crate for your Squad. Loadout Dop Markers are also available for purchase via Buy Stations, using the same price scaling as standard Battle Royale.

• Additional Information
  • Strongholds are disabled
  • Weapons found via ground loot always have attachments
  • Blue Resurgence Supply Boxes restock after 90 seconds
  • Both Restore Honor tags and eliminations show red dots on the minimap
  • Enemy A.I. Combatants only spawn during the Data Heist Public Event or during a Search & Seizure Contract

GENERAL

• Private Matches
  • Private Matches are enabled for Battle Royale Standard (Solos, Duos, Trios, Quads) on Al Mazrah
  • The spectating feature for Private Matches will be enabled at a later date

GAMEPLAY

New Gameplay Features

All Maps | All Modes

• Counter UAV New Killstreak
  • A defensive Killstreak that deploys an autonomous UAV to target an area and jams the enemy’s radar, minimap, as well as their HUD.

Al Mazrah | All Modes

• Redeploy Packs New Equipment
  • This new Tactical Equipment will give Players another shot at victory! They can be found in ground loot, on some Buy Stations and are guaranteed from completing the Strongholds & Black Sites mission.

Ashika Island | Event

• Restore Honor New Recovery Mechanic (Season Launch)
  • Every Player in Resurgence will drop a dog tag upon death once per match, which can either be picked up by a Squad member or themselves after redeploying. Doing so grants a small Cash reward, as well as a single UAV ping that marks both enemy threats and nearby Supply Boxes.
  • If a Player recovers their own Fallen Soldier Tag or one belonging to a teammate, they get a 50-meter loot ping, a normal 300-meter UAV ping, and $1000.
  • The money reward will only be awarded once but the pings will be given each time honor is restored thereafter.

• Search & Seizure New Contract (In-Season)
  • Recover a stolen vehicle protected by local mercenaries and transport it to a safe location for extraction. Avoid the enemy deterrents and ambushes along the way.

• Data Heist New Public Event (In-Season)
  • A public event where laptops with enemy intelligence are spawned around the map, giving Players the opportunity to steal the data for intel themed rewards like UAV and Advanced UAV. Downloading the data, however, takes time, and Players will need to defend their download against AI defenders and other Players.

• Redeploy Drones New Field Upgrade (In-Season)
  • Interact with a cable suspended from a heavy lift drone to ascend skyward and quickly relocate.

• Rusher New A.I.  (In-Season)
  • An aggressive A.I. Combatant that specializes in close quarters combat, utilizing evasive forward movement to try and close the distance for an attack. Has a handgun as a backup Weapon in case an enemy can’t be reached for melee and mini-smoke bombs to help reposition and retreat.

Gameplay Adjustments

• Loot that spawns across Al Mazrah has been adjusted…
  • Slight adjustment to the existing loot pool
  • Counter UAV has been added

• Cash Economy
  • Players will now drop more Cash upon elimination
  • Players will now retain more Cash upon redeployment
  • Overall balance change to economy so that Players earn more Cash per match
  • Slight reduction to Cash rewards for completing Contracts
  • Cash found via ground loot has been increased to compensate for the above change
    • Minimum Cash value found:
      • On ground increased to $500
      • In cash registers to $500
      • Basic Supply Boxes – $500
      • Legendary Supply Boxes – $800
        • It was previously mentioned that Cash would no longer be obtainable via Basic and Legendary Supply Boxes – this has since been adjusted

• Armor Plates & Vest
  • All Players will now have a 3-Plate Armor Vest at all times
  • Players will also spawn with a different number of equipped Armor Plates depending on the following:
    • Infil deployment
      • Players will deploy with 2 plates
    • Gulag redeployment
      • Players will redeploy with 3 plates
    • Resurgence redeployment
      • Players will redeploy with 2 plates

• Perk Packages
  • Players will now be able to customize their own Perk Packages
    • Disabled
      • Overclock
      • Birdseye

• Buy Stations
  • Spawn locations have been adjusted
  • All spawn locations will be static across each match
  • Loadout Drop Markers now have unlimited stock at all Buy Stations and prices have been reduced. Prices will scale to Squad sizes.
    • Solos
      • $8,000
    • Duos
      • $12,000 ($6,000 per Player)
    • Trios
      • $16,000 ($5,300 per Player)
    • Quads
      • $20,000 ($5,000 per Player)

• Strongholds & Black Sites
  • Strongholds & Black Sites are now a primary way to earn a Redeploy Pack
  • A.I. Combatant damage decreased:
    • Assault Rifle Damage decreased to 22, down from 34
    • Shotgun Pellet Damage decreased to 15, down from 17
  • A.I. Combatants in Strongholds or Black Sites will evacuate the area during the 3 final circles

• Champion’s Quest
  • Players may notice an adjustment to difficulty
  • A new Weapon Blueprint reward is now available for completing Champion’s Quest
    • The Season 01 FTac Recon “Brass Tacks” Weapon Blueprint reward has been vaulted
    • All other Champion’s Quest rewards remain the same

• Backpacks & Inventory
  • Loot will now drop out of all containers in the world, similar to loot from Supply Boxes
  • Eliminated Players will drop loot onto the ground rather than loot-filled Backpacks
  • To better define each Player’s role within the match, Medium and Large Backpacks will no longer be found in the environment
  • Every Player will have the same Small Backpack throughout the entire game
  • When Players expend an item in their active Loadout, stored items from the Backpack will no longer fill that slot. The only two items that will still automatically populate the Loadout from the Backpack are Armor Plates and Ammunition.
    • The changes above should reduce the impact of stacking medical supplies, Equipment, and Killstreaks

• Loadout Drops
  • A second Loadout Drop Public Event has been added, which means the drops will now happen on the first and fifth Circles each match.

• Spawn Protection
  • Protects the Player when they are between 64 to 19 meters off the ground.

• Gulag
  • Players will now face one another in a 1v1 Gulag
  • Flag Control has replaced the Jailer as the overtime mechanic
  • Player Loadouts will change as Circles progress and can include:
    • Either Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, or Light Machine Guns as Primary Weapons
    • Handguns will remain available as Secondary Weapons
    • Snapshot Grenade as Tactical Equipment
  • Shotguns have been removed
  • Cash will now spawn as ground loot

IMPROVEMENTS

• Pre-Match Loadout Selection
  • Now able to select and edit Loadouts in pre-match lobbies

• Plating Improvements
  • Global plating animation speed increased by approximately 25%
  • Movement speed increased while plating
  • Players can now sprint while plating
  • Players can now bust through doors while plating

• Ping Visibility
  • Each squad member will have a unique color highlighting their name and pings.

• Interrogation
  • The reveal mechanic has been changed from an orange outline to a red marker to remain consistent with similar mechanics.

• Loot Improvements
  • Improved the separation of loot on steep inclines and in tight areas.

UI/UX

• Combat Records
  • Warzone 2.0 Combat Records will come online as part of Season 02. The statistics present in the Warzone 2.0 Combat Record will only be from the activation date forward, and will not include statistics from Season 01.

• Play Again
  • This menu option enables Players to do the following:
    • As the party leader:
      • Play Again With This Squad
      • Play Again With Party and Fill Squad
    • As a squad member not in the party:
      • Play Again With This Squad
      • Play Again With A New Squad

BUG FIXES

• Fixed collision issues with various elements across Al Mazrah allowing Players to exploit/peek/shoot through them.

• Fixed an issue causing Loadout icons to disappear on the Tac Map.

• Fixed an issue where Custom Loadouts would reset to a Default Loadout after exiting a match.

• Fixed an issue where Players could continue driving vehicles after running out of fuel.

• Fixed an issue where the Revive Pistol could be duplicated.

• Fixed an issue where the Revive Pistol would not do melee damage to downed Players.

• Fixed an issue where Stronghold Bombs could be defused through walls.

• Fixed an issue where the Champion’s Quest Bombsite would spawn near water and cause a physics issue.

• Fixed an issue where Helicopters could sometimes clip through the Control Tower at Al Malik Airport.

• Fixed an issue that caused obstructed or misaligned loot.

• Fixed an issue that caused geographic elements to float.

• Fixed an issue that caused corrupted lighting inside of one the Mawizeh Marsh buildings.

• Fixed an issue with Loadout Drops around Mawizeh Marsh.

• Fixed an issue where the Heartbeat Sensor was tracking incorrectly, almost never showing Players on the radar.

• Fixed an issue that allowed Players to duplicate Field Upgrades.
• Fixed an issue that allowed Players to see the Bonus Battle Royale Challenge prior to completing Daily Challenges.

DMZ

GENERAL

New Exclusion Zone

• Ashika Island
  • New Weapons Case
  • New boss: The Bombmaker
  • New rewards
  • New locked and dangerous spaces

New Faction

• Crown
  • New Faction Mission set
  • Available to Modern Warfare II Owners only

Season 02 Reset

• Faction Mission progress has been reset for Season 02
• Previously unlocked Insured Weapon slots will remain unlocked
• Contraband weapon inventories have been reverted to starting weapons
• Key stashes have been emptied

Mission Refresh

• New missions sets have arrived with Season 02 for all players. These are comprised of new missions, updated missions, and some returning missions.
• New mission sets will send Players to all 3 Exclusion Zones of DMZ.
• The Key Stash can now hold items for missions so Players can transport them across Exclusion Zones to complete objectives.

GAMEPLAY

• Missions
  • Adjusted the overall scaling of difficulty in Missions as the Faction Mission Tiers progress.

• Contracts
  • Secure Intel Contract no longer calls reinforcements to the radio tower.
  • The Attack Helicopter in Cargo Contracts will now react more quickly to the vehicle’s movement while firing, and the Attack Helicopter’s  missiles will more accurately hit the Operator vehicle when moving slowly.
  • The HVTs for “Eliminate HVT contracts” will now drop more rare keys and will sometimes drop stronghold keycards.

• Enemy Tuning
  • Adjusted lethality of AI across Al Mazrah including number of AI spawning, and the accuracy of AI at range.

• Locations
  • Infiltration locations have been updated in Al Mazrah.
  • Dead Drop locations have been updated in Al Mazrah.
  • Exfiltration locations have been updated in Al Mazrah.
  • Boss locations have been updated in Al Mazrah.

Adjustments

• Plating Improvements
  • Global plating animation speed increased by approximately 25%
  • Movement speed increased while plating
  • Players can now sprint while plating
  • Players can now bust through doors while plating

• Ping Visibility
  • Each squad member will have a unique color highlighting their name and pings.

• Interrogation
  • The reveal mechanic has been changed from an orange outline to a red marker to remain consistent with similar mechanics.

For more details on these updates to DMZ, check out our recent blog.

BUG FIXES

• Fixed an issue where attempting to pick up an Armor Plate with a full inventory could sometimes cause a crash.

• Fixed an issue where players could duplicate weapons in DMZ

• Fixed an issue where players could get stuck on the infiltration screen.

• Fixed an issue where players couldn’t mute their squadmates

• Fixed an issue where two exfil helicopters could collide

• Reduced instances of Players becoming stuck on a “downloading instance inventory” message.

• Fixed an issue that would cause two items to be removed from a backpack when trying to remove only one in the pre-game loadout screen

• Fixed an issue that allowed Players to duplicate Field Upgrades and Killstreaks

• Fixed some issues that caused obstructed or misaligned loot

LOOKING AHEAD

SEASON 02 RELOADED

We can’t wait for you to drop into all the action in Season 02, but Season 02 Reloaded is just around the corner with new content and a limited-time holiday event!

Players can look forward to a brand-new RAID episode, new Multiplayer Modes, a new 6v6 Multiplayer map, and more.

SEASON 03 CONFIRMED

Our teams are hard at work on Season 03 and beyond, and we’re excited to share some of the awesome new content ahead…

• Gun Fight returns to Multiplayer with new maps each season
• Plunder returns to Warzone
• Warzone Ranked, CONFIRMED

These updates and much more are coming to Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0. Stay tuned!

Stay tuned to Gaming Trend for more Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II & Warzone 2.0 news and info!

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