Warzone Season 3 patch notes: Verdansk returns, Floating Loots, new movement, and more

The Call of Duty: Warzone Season 3 patch notes have officially arrived. The Season 3 update will go live on April 2, 2025, with Verdansk returning to the game after years. However, the map will only be launched a day after, on April 3, 2025. From bringing back Floating Loots to removing Redeploying Tokens, Warzone is going back to its roots, and the patch notes cover all the changes that Call of Duty Battle Royale will receive after the update.

If you want to learn about all the changes in Warzone Season 3, read the full patch notes here.

Warzone Season 3 patch notes

Here are all the changes coming to Warzone with the Season 3 update:

GLOBAL

RICOCHET ANTI-CHEAT

This season, the focus remains on our commitment to taking down cheat makers, banning bad actors, and ensuring a great player experience. Our roadmap for anti-cheat extends beyond this season, but in the latest Progress Report we’ll focus on recent results and security-focused updates coming in Season 03.
Check out the Season 03 RICOCHET Anti-Cheat Update here.

BATTLE PASS

Memories are a powerful tool, and even the departed can change the course of history. The road back to Verdansk involves unlocking some core memories, as well as some unforgettable weaponry and new Operators. A flashback to agent Jason Hudson, bringing echoes of his frontline savvy, Hudson is unlockable by progressing within the Battle Pass. Joining him is Mace, the metal-faced mercenary, who will bring the war anywhere, anytime, for anyone, unlocked instantly upon Battle Pass purchase.
The Season 03 Battle Pass includes over 110 pieces of unlockable content (excluding BlackCell) including free, earnable armaments; two new Base Weapons, the Monolithic Suppressor Attachment, and more. Check out the BlackCell, Battle Pass and Store Bundles blog prior to Season 03 launch for a closer look at what’s coming.

CONSOLE CROSS-PLAY

In Season 03, we're giving console players more granular options by separating the MP Ranked Play and Call of Duty: Warzone Ranked Play settings and adding a new Multiplayer-only setting for Quickplay, Featured, and Party Games matches.

Each of these three settings (Multiplayer Ranked Play, Call of Duty: Warzone Ranked Play, and Multiplayer Unranked) will include the following options:

On: Enables matchmaking with all gaming platforms when playing in the selected playlists.
On (Consoles Only): Enables matchmaking only with other consoles when playing in selected playlists.
May negatively impact matchmaking queue times.
Off: Restricts matchmaking to your current gaming platform only in selected playlists.
Will negatively impact matchmaking queue times.

Additional details on how these settings interact with party members who are on different platforms:

Players in a party who all belong to the same console platform will matchmake with the party leader’s preferred cross-play settings.
Players who have selected "Cross-Play Off" and create a mixed platform party that includes a different console platform will have their cross-play settings temporarily adjusted to "Cross-Play On (Consoles Only)" to enable matchmaking. This temporary adjustment enables matchmaking for the duration of the mixed platform party, and disbanding this party will result in preferred matchmaking settings being restored.
Players who have selected "Cross-Play Off" and create a mixed platform party with a PC player will have their cross-play settings temporarily adjusted to "Cross-Play On." This enables matchmaking for the duration of the mixed platform party, and disbanding this party will result in preferred matchmaking settings being restored.
Reminder: Adjusting Cross-Play settings may negatively impact matchmaking queue times.

UI/UX/TECH

Pre-Loading Shaders
Improved menu framerate stability while compiling shaders.
The Pre-Loading Shaders warning has been split per game mode.
Significantly reduced the time required to compile shaders before launching a match.
A new menu widget was added in the lobby to indicate the progress of Pre-Loading Shaders to let you know when you are ready to play!
PC Benchmark
ICYMI: The PC Benchmark remains a useful tool to optimize your gaming experience.
Located in the Graphics Settings menu of Black Ops 6 Multiplayer, it simulates a multiplayer match to help you fine-tune your graphics for optimal performance and higher framerates.

CUSTOMIZATION

Weapon & Blueprint Customization
You’re now able to customize any Black Ops 6 base weapon or Weapon Blueprint with a skin you’ve unlocked or purchased, across Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone.
For Base Weapons, you can only change the skin of the Base Weapon, not any Attachments.
For Blueprints, you can customize the skins with other existing Attachments.

CHALLENGES

BlackCell Daily Challenge
BlackCell owners can now complete an additional Daily Challenge in Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone for an added 7,500 XP each. The BlackCell Daily Challenge counts toward the 3 challenges needed to earn the Daily Challenge Bonus XP.

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WARZONE

EVENTS

Return to Verdansk
Welcome back to Verdansk!
Celebrate Verdansk's return by logging into Call of Duty: Warzone from April 3rd to 15th to earn up to 20 rewards including six instant unlocks and the Kali Sticks Melee Weapon.
Open safes in various locations to secure rewards, such as the exclusive "Trail Blazer" Operator Skin for Caine. You may even get especially lucky during your search!
Be sure to log in to instantly unlock the Kilo 141 and two Operator Skins. Original Verdansk veterans also get bonus items: the "Blue Legacy" Contrails, "Coming Home" Parachute, and "Like We Never Left" Gun Screen.
Visit the Return to Verdansk Blog for full details.

MAPS

Classic
Verdansk
Welcome Home: Verdansk has returned! The map that started it all in Call of Duty: Warzone - including a breadth of classic and memorable features that naturally come with it.
Below is a recap of some of the improvements made to Verdansk that players can expect to see - as outlined in the Return to Verdansk blog:
Trees slightly repositioned from the original map.
Non-drivable vehicles clearly marked as smoldering wreckage.
Swimming now possible - southern coastline expanded into Kastovian Sea (not critical to gameplay).
Improved traversal in steep areas - new "goat trails" added.
Shorter telephone/electrical poles for easier parachute landings.
Additional ladders and adjusted paths to rooftops for better accessibility.
Doors now double-hinged, allowing barging, shooting, or blowing open/closed.
Ascenders returning mid-season, already available in Plunder mode; updated to faster "L" shape design for increased fluidity and speed when getting on and off
Enhanced exterior lighting, improved visibility, and reduced glare.
Interior lighting adjusted to reduce hiding spots, especially against dark corners.
Added detail enhancements, such as extra debris and scenery around Fire Stations and riverbanks.
And for console players, the ability to view Verdansk in up to 120 FOV for the first time.
For a full breakdown of the map details, check out the Tac-Atlas guide here.
Gulag Showers
The original Gulag from 2020 is back, with all three variants included.
Gulag Overtime: Capture the Flag (CTF)
When Gulag match-ups don’t resolve fast enough, a flag will spawn in the middle of the arena. The winning player is the one that either dispatches their rival as normal or captures the flag within the time limit.
Returning
Rebirth Island
Rebirth Island, which is currently live, will remain part of our Season 03 offering. Resurgence Quads will be added to the playlist shortly after the launch of Season 03, with the remaining squad sizes coming later into the season.

MODES

New
Battle Royale Casual At Launch
The Battle Royale experience is branching out with the introduction of a new mode featuring bot players. This is designed as a stepping stone for players to go from the Warzone Bootcamp tutorial mode to an experience closer to our traditional, player-only, experience. Players can learn the game and hone their skills in a lower-stress environment while still embracing the core survival challenge of being the last squad standing among 148 players.
Map:
Verdansk
Player Count:
28 Players
120 Bots
High Trip In-Season
Players can look forward to a new limited-time event highly inspired by this time of year. Join your squad in a joint effort to light up your enemies and blaze the trail to victory. Details will be rolled out as we draw closer to the event date.
Returning
Battle Royale At Launch
Our core experience, Battle Royale challenges players to scavenge, survive, and outlast their opponents as the map shrinks, with the ultimate goal of being the last squad standing.
Map:
Verdansk
Player Count:
Solos, Duos, Trios → 150
Quads → 152
Plunder At Launch
Plunder returns to Verdansk, challenging players to loot, complete contracts, and battle to earn $2 million, with respawn enabled and loadouts intact—ideal for leveling weapons, exploring the map, and experimenting with strategies.
Map:
Verdansk
Player Count:
100
Warzone Bootcamp At Launch
Call of Duty: Warzone Bootcamp is a training mode with up to 20 players and 24 bots, offering mode-specific matchmaking to help players practice skills, learn basic strategies without affecting their stats.
Map:
Verdansk
Player Count:
20 Players
24 Bots
Resurgence Launch Window
This mode offers a faster-paced, aggressive take on Battle Royale, with respawn timers allowing eliminated players to redeploy as long as teammates survive, encouraging riskier play and frequent engagements.
The playlist will be updated to include Resurgence Quads shortly after the launch of Season 03. Other squad sizes for Resurgence will be included later into the season.
Map:
Rebirth Island
Player Count:
44

PLAYLIST

For information about upcoming Playlists, please check out the dedicated Call of Duty: Warzone Trello Board.

RANKED PLAY

Now that Season 02 has officially wrapped up, Ranked Play will be temporarily offline during the first half of Season 03. This downtime will give players a much awaited opportunity to rediscover and relearn Verdansk before diving back into the competition.
We plan to bring Ranked Play back online with the Season 03 Reloaded update. Upon its return, all player ranks will undergo a full reset to Bronze, offering everyone equal footing and the excitement to climb back up through the ranks. When Season 04 arrives, we'll resume the standard soft reset, pulling players back by only a few ranks.
Thank you for your patience during this transition period - now go drop into Verdansk and have fun!

GENERAL

Classic
150 Players
The number of players in a Battle Royale match has been increased to 150 players, up from 120.
There are 152 players in the Quads playlist.
We tipped our hat at this by running it in Season 02 Reloaded, however it was all to serve a greater purpose. We’re officially coming home with a mix of 150 of your friends and enemies.
Freefall Shooting
Players can shoot while freefalling (also known as skydiving) using their secondary weapon. If no secondary weapon is equipped, they will default to their backup pistol.
We’re restoring some of the early game intensity that keeps you on your toes immediately leaving the infil plane, and enables more of a response during a freefall.
360-Degree Revive Rotation
Players can now rotate their view 360 degrees while reviving a squadmate, instead of being fixed on their squadmate's downed position, giving the perfect opportunity to call out if your squadmate is being pushed by an enemy as they revive you
End-Game Circle Pacing
The gas circle pacing is faithful to the original timings of the gas closing as well as the circle size and movement.This means that Battle Royale matches will run longer to create a more well-defined initial looting phase.
Circle Pacing
Circle
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 (Moving)
9 (Moving)
10 (Moving)
Close
4:30 (270s)
3:40 (220s)
2:50 (170s)
1:50 (110s)
1:10 (70s)
0:50 (50s)
0:50 (50s)
0:55 (55s)
0:45 (45s)
0:35 (35s)
Delay
3:40 (220s)
1:30 (90s)
1:15 (75s)
1:00 (60s)
1:00 (60s)
0:45 (45s)
0:30 (30s)
0:10 (10s)
0:10 (10s)
0:10 (10s)
We’ve some good memories of games ending in the woods above Quarry, or in the deep forests on the East or West of Verdansk, and this change to circle logic brings back those possible end games. Be warned! This does mean that the circle can move very quickly if you are caught deep outside when the gas starts to move. Respect the circle, and you’ll stay alive.
Map Assets
Many models and textures found across Verdansk now feature classic aesthetics including but not limited to Armor Plates, Armor Satchels, Buy Stations, and Contracts.

GAMEPLAY

Classic
Ascenders on Verdansk Battle Royale
To bring back the classic feel of Verdansk, external ascenders have been disabled at launch but are scheduled to return in the mid-season.
Internal ascenders within elevator shafts remain operational.
Adjustments
Gulag Loadouts
Loadouts within the Gulag has been reworked to improve variety and balancing.
These loadouts will change as the game progresses, allowing players that return to the field victorious to do so with a competitive weapon in hand for a better chance at recovery.
Infil & Backup Pistol
Players will now infil and spawn with the 9mm PM, replacing the GS45.
Late-Game Redeploy
Late-game redeployments will now spawn players closer to the ground, reducing the need to hover while positioning during final circles. This system has not been turned on since BO6 launched.
Player Respawn Angles Quality of Life
Players will now respawn looking approximately 30 degrees downward instead of directly at the horizon, providing a clearer view of potential landing areas.
This adjustment aligns with natural player behavior when scouting landing spots.
Unsuppressed Red Dot Distance
The distance at which unsuppressed weapons display a red dot has been reduced in Resurgence to better align to the map size:
Reduced to 112.5 meters on Rebirth Island, down from 250
Unsuppressed Red Dots are core to the Call of Duty: Warzone experience, and while developing Verdansk we took great care in evaluating the strength of red dots on each map - which previously was a static value regardless of play-space. While reviewing these values, we felt that given the vastly smaller map size of Rebirth Island, the Red Dots should be better aligned to the small-map experience. These adjustments are based on both player feedback and our design goals, ensuring that visibility of unsuppressed gunfire matches the intended combat dynamics for each map.

LOOT & ECONOMY

Classic
Floating Loot
Loot found on the ground will once again float in the air for better visibility and interactability.
The return of floating loot is the foundation of many improvements we’re making to loot interaction this season. Floating loot by itself will improve your ability to pick up, or simply notice important items when at a distance.
Adjustments
The return to Verdansk comes with some refinements to Battle Royale’s loot philosophy that brings us back to its roots: life is valuable, adaptability is key, great loot must be earned, and contracts are central to earning cash.
In order to create more intentionality around looting, the various sources of loot have been adjusted to be more reminiscent of the classic Verdansk days, with some improvements.
Ground Loot Refresh
Common to Epic weapons now sport a selection of random attachments that align with the weapon’s natural strengths.
Legendary weapons come with a variety of fixed builds tailored to specific roles, that are randomly selected match over match.
This change aims to maintain the excitement of random loot while preserving the reliability of weapon performance.
Looting in recent years has become a little too static- a blue (rare) tier weapon often providing the most valuable attachments and devaluing an epic or legendary find. This change aims to bring some different outcomes in the more commonly found weapons, and makes legendary weapons (or loadouts) highly sought after.
High Value Loot Zones
This season, HVLZs remain consistent every match, allowing players to reliably identify Hospital, Military Base, and Superstore as Points of Interest (POIs) with enhanced ground loot and an increased number of Supply Boxes.
Further enhancements to this feature will be added in future updates.
Supply Boxes
Basic
These boxes provide consistent cash rewards and average to high-quality weapons, occasionally offering premium equipment such as legendary weapons, killstreaks, and gas masks.
Legendary
Legendary Supply Boxes have received significant upgrades for a more rewarding experience. These boxes guarantee top-tier weapons and some of the best loot available, with increased chances of obtaining substantial cash.
Reusable
These boxes replenish every 90 seconds, serving as an ideal means for players to regain strength in the mid-to-late stages of a match, particularly after returning from the Gulag or redeployment. They supply players with a viable weapon, an armor plate, and some cash to quickly return to combat readiness.
Duffel Bags, Medical Cabinets, & Weapon Lockers
These sources of loot have been removed to better service the classic feeling of Verdansk.
Second Chance Mechanics
The following items have been removed from loot:
Gulag Tokens
Reinforcement Flares
Redeploy Tokens
The only available methods to return after death are:
Gulag Victories
Buy Station Buybacks
Jail Break Public Events
Self-Revive Kit
Self-revives can only be acquired via the following sources:
Legendary Supply Boxes → Random drop
Scavenger Contract → Random drop
Buy Station → $4,000
Fire Sale → Free
Your life matters. In returning back to the classic feeling of Verdansk, we are going back to a simpler set of Second Chance Mechanics that are faithful to the original Battle Royale experience.
Death Tax
Cash dropped upon death has been adjusted to assist players returning from the Gulag, providing them with a larger portion of their previous cash balance for mid-to-late game recovery:
50% of the cash balance will drop on the ground
50% will remain with the eliminated player, up from 20%
Previously, 50% of the cash balance dropped on the ground, with players keeping 20% and 30% being entirely removed from the economy.
After months of playtesting we noted that regain in the mid-to-late game was almost impossible, so the design intent of this is to better allow players to redeploy with a little more cash to give them a slight leg-up when it comes to getting back into the flow of the game.
Loot Angle Quality of Life
Interactions now require more precise aiming to reduce accidental item pickups, resolving most unintended looting situations, such as inadvertently picking up items during reloads.
Rarity Outlines
Rarity outlines now gradually fade into view only when players are within a logical proximity, rather than remaining visible at all distances.
Loot Card Positioning
Loot cards are now centered over items to improve readability, particularly when combined with floating loot.
Loot cards remain at a fixed height rather than moving with the player's view.
Loot cards are hidden when players sprint, dive, slide, or use lethals, tacticals, and field upgrades.
Loot cards now have contextual prompts. For example if the player has an empty weapon slot, a weapon loot card prompt will display “Equip”, but if the player has two weapons equipped, the prompt will display “Swap”.

BUY STATIONS

Classic
Vertical Redesign
The vertical list is back! The Buy Station interface has been streamlined, returning to a vertical list layout to more clearly display purchasable items and teammates eligible for redeployment.
The left side of the Buy Station now clearly shows all gear available for purchase, including equipment, killstreaks, and field upgrades.
The right side of the interface will display teammates who have been eliminated and are eligible for buyback, provided they are not currently awaiting a Gulag battle.
Importantly, controller players can still press ‘Up’ to access the ‘Loadout Drop Marker’ in one button press as we wanted to retain the carousel interface to allow for quick access to items further down the list.
To enhance navigation efficiency and emphasize loadout acquisition, individual weapon purchases have been removed.
Our aim is to recapture the classic Battle Royale feel reminiscent of playing on Verdansk five years ago. Adjustments to the Buy Station reflect this vision, featuring a reduced selection of purchasable items and updated prices aligned with the game's new economic balance. We intend for players to experience an economy more akin to Call of Duty: Warzone in 2020, where strategic cash management becomes essential to gameplay decisions.
New
Redeploy All Button Quality of Life
We have introduced a single-button shortcut at Buy Stations, allowing players to redeploy all teammates simultaneously.
Although the Redeploy All button is executed with one button press, individual flares and sound effects will trigger for each teammate redeployed, alerting nearby enemies to the total number of returning players.
In scenarios where insufficient funds prevent buying back the entire squad, the Redeploy All feature will prioritize teammates carrying the highest cash amounts.
We recognize the urgency of quickly redeploying teammates under pressure, especially when attempting hero plays amidst heavy combat. After careful consideration, we determined that prioritizing teammates with the highest cash aligns most closely with the most prominent behavior that we’ve observed.
Item Icons Quality of Life
Each entry in the vertical buy station now shows the icon of its respective item, as we found that this vastly sped up the at-a-glance navigation in playtesting.
Item Count Quality of Life
Players can easily see how many of an item they already own while in the Buy Station before making a decision on what to purchase.
Category Subheaders Quality of Life
We appreciate that for new players, being able to see the equipment category like “Killstreak” or “Field Upgrade” is helpful to know what item slot will be equipped or swapped when an item is purchased.
Adjustments
Spawn Locations
Buy Stations will spawn in the same exact 30 static locations across every match.
Inventory Pricing
We have updated the prices of the various items in the buy station as follows:
Armor Plate: $300
Cluster Strike: $3,000
Precision Airstrike: $5,000
UAV: $6,000
Gas Mask: $3,000
Self Revive: $4,000
Munitions Box: $2,500
Armor Box: $4,000
Loadout Marker:
Solos: $6,000
Duos, Trios, Quads: $10,000
Squadmate Redeploy: $4,000
Interact Angle
The Buy Station can now be accessed from any angle, including behind it, providing increased flexibility during tense engagements.

MOVEMENT

Adjustments
The introduction of Black Ops 6’s omni-movement system revolutionized gameplay and has become the foundation of player movement in Call of Duty: Warzone. While the system launched with multiplayer-inspired values, we've recognized the need for adjustments to better align movement dynamics with the unique demands of Call of Duty: Warzone’s limited-life modes.
Season 03 focuses on fine-tuning the Black Ops 6 player movement by ensuring a balance between fluidity and responsiveness. The adjustments to the movement mechanics are as follows:
Movement Speed
Crouch Movement Speed reduced by 10%
Crouch-to-Stand Speed increased by 15%
Crouch-to-Stand Speed While ADS increased by 39%
Prone Movement Speed reduced by 5%
Sprint Movement Speed reduced by 4.9%
Directional Sprint Animation Blend Speeds increased for improved fluidity
These values bring Call of Duty: Warzone's movement speeds closer to the spirit of the original experience while still preserving the fluidity of Black Ops 6. We encourage players to go hands-on with these fine-tuned changes, as they caniol be hard to express in a patch note. The proof is in the pudding!
Jump Cooldown
Reduced the cooldown by 40% for improved responsiveness during repeated jumps.
Omni-sprint Side & Back Speed Scaling
Reduced by 8.5%, to better balance strafe movement.
Slide Friction
Increased by 4% to reduce overly slippery engagements.
These adjustments address the dominant power of strafe engagements while maintaining fluidity for mechanics such as sprinting, strafe reloading, and general navigation. Responsiveness across movement systems has been improved to ensure smoother gameplay while striking a better balance for Call of Duty: Warzone's fast-paced encounters. This will bring back the feeling of a classic Warzone experience that we all know and love.

CONTRACTS

Classic
Recon Contract
Replacing the Intel contract, the Recon Contract provides players with a 4-minute timeframe to capture a designated domination point.
Rewards for completion include cash and a preview of the next circle.
Supply Run
The much-loved “Supply Run” Contract returns! Players have 2 minutes to reach a designated Buy Station to earn rewards, which include cash and a single-item Fire Sale for each squad member at the targeted Buy Station.
Supply Run contracts will not appear on the map until the first circle has fully collapsed.
With the return of the “Supply Run” Contract, we want to make sure that its return fits within the gameplay loop and the economy. This adjustment to be available from the second circle onwards allows for the Contract to be more centered around travel and vehicles, which in playtesting we have found to be a more fun and engaging Contract experience.
Contract Multiplier
Returning from the Verdansk era, the contract multiplier enhances cash rewards as players complete more contracts.
Each contract completed now grants a +30% cash bonus, stacking up to a maximum of +150% additional cash rewards in both Battle Royale and Resurgence modes.
Stacking up on completed Contracts in the early game is a great way to improve your chances if you need a mid-to-late game regain, as the multiplier will carry throughout the entire game to give greater financial rewards later on.
Tablet Models
All contracts have reverted to their original tablet models, providing players with a nostalgic experience.
Adjustments
Contracts
Enabled
Bounty
Big Game Bounty
Most Wanted
Signal Intelligence
Recon
Spy Drones
Scavenger
Supply Run
Disabled
Spawn Rebalancing
Contract spawn rates have been adjusted throughout base Battle Royale to enhance distribution and improve overall gameplay balance.
Payout Updates
Contract payouts have been updated to align more closely with values reminiscent of the Verdansk era, although not exactly matching them.
Supply Run and Recon contract payouts are now standardized to match the Scavenger contract values in both Battle Royale and Resurgence modes.
Completing a Most Wanted contract no longer results in a supply cache drop.
Plunder-specific contract payouts have been adjusted for consistency across modes.
Recon Contract Progress Quality of Life
Added upward arrows indicating how much faster a Recon contract is being captured by your team depending on how many players are on the target location assisting with the capture.

PUBLIC EVENTS

Adjustments
Public Events
Enabled
Fire Sale
Fly Buy
Jail Break
Cash Drop
Loadout Drop
Disabled
Contractor
Restock
Rogue Signal
Runaway Train
Recon Flyover

EQUIPMENT

Classic
Thermite
In Season 03, Thermite returns as a specialized anti-vehicle and area denial tool, echoing its original use in Verdansk.
Unlike previous versions, Thermite no longer guarantees a kill upon sticking an opponent. It will, however, deal sufficient damage to down players with two armor plates or fewer.
Thermite now instantly explodes vehicles if their health reaches zero from its damage ticks, similar to C4.
Unlockable via the Black Ops Tribute event.
Adjustments
The following is an outline of the full arsenal of Lethal & Tactical equipment - including how to acquire them across a match in Battle Royale on Verdansk:
Available Via Map Loot
Lethals
C4
Frag Grenade
Molotov
Semtex Grenade
Spring Mine
Thermite
Throwing Knife
Tacticals
Concussion Grenade
Decoy Grenade
Experimental Gas
Flashbang
Smoke Grenade
Snapshot Grenade
Stim Shot
Only Available Via Customizable Loadout
Lethals
Blast Trap
Combat Axe
Drill Charge
Impact Grenade
Thermo Grenade
Tacticals
Neurogas Mine
Prox Alarm
Shock Charge
Spy Camera

SATCHELS

Available Satchels
Armor Satchel
Munitions Satchel
Available via Bandolier Wildcard

ARMOR

Adjustments
Maximum Armor Plates
Default maximum capacity reduced from 6 to 5 to match the classic experience.
Armor Satchel Capacity
Now increases plate capacity by an additional 3 plates (totaling 8 armor plates when equipped), down from the previous 6, to also match the classic experience.
Armor Drops
Eliminated players will consistently drop at least 1 armor plate in Battle Royale and Resurgence matches.
This does not apply to bots in Bootcamp and Battle Royale Casual.
Armor is your first line of defense and gauges how freely you’ll take engagements. Recently armor supplies have been so plentiful that enemies are able to reinforce armor several times in the middle of a fight and the notion of “downtime” or the need to resupply has been lost. This massively affects the pace of the game and also changes how you’ll rotate to the next safe zone.
To maintain balanced gameplay, armor has become less abundant, ensuring players experience meaningful downtime and strategic decisions between engagements. This returns the gameplay feel to a more classic experience, emphasizing the value of armor resupply.
Gulag Armor Removed in Unranked
In unranked Battle Royale modes, the Gulag now features health-only combat, placing greater emphasis on precision and tactical movement, reminiscent of the classic Gulag experience.
Armor Plate Color Improvements Quality of Life
The Armor Plate color has received an improvement where the color hue will be darker if the player doesn’t have full plates. The color will remain the familiar bright color hue when the players are full. This will better indicate to players when they have almost full plates.

FIELD UPGRADES

New
Field Upgrades in Squad Widget Quality of Life
The Squad Widget now expands to display squadmates' active Field Upgrades to show their entire inventory to allow for improved comms and strategy.
Adjustments
The following is an outline of the full arsenal of Field Upgrades in a match of Battle Royale on Verdansk:
Field Upgrades
Enabled
Armor Box
Deployable Buy Station
Deployable Cover
Portable Decontamination Station
Heartbeat Sensor
Portable Radar
Munitions Box
Portable Redeploy Drone
Recon Drone
Redeploy Drone Beacon
Trophy System
Reinforcement Flare
Utility Box
Available via Battle Ready Wildcard
Scrambler
War Cry
Disabled
Heartbeat Sensor
Increased battery life from 60 to 120 seconds.
We can’t return home properly without welcoming back the Heartbeat sensor. While not infinite like its great predecessor, we understand that a minute of battery time is simply not enough to utilize effectively.
Reclaimable Field Upgrade Icon Quality of Life
An interactable icon (white dot) now appears on reclaimable Field Upgrades to better highlight that they can be re-equipped.

KILLSTREAKS

Adjustments
Killstreaks
Enabled
Advanced UAV
Available via activating three consecutive UAVs in a row
Bunker Buster
Cluster Strike
Care Package
Precision Airstrike
Counter UAV
Supply UAV
Available via Battle Ready Wildcard
Foresight
UAV
Disabled
Napalm Strike
SAM Turret
Sentry Turret
Precision Airstrike Indicator
To return to the classic feeling of Verdansk, the Precision Air Strike Mini-Map notification that was added last year has been removed.
We have removed the Precision Airstrike’s approximate path indicator on the mini-map in order to return back to how it worked in 2020, where part of its purpose was to surprise your enemies. We will monitor feedback, data and sentiment on this as we look to the weeks ahead.
Crowded Airspace Notification Quality of Life
The "Airspace too crowded" message will now appear when a player attempts to pick up or aim down sights (ADS) with a killstreak in an area where too many aerial killstreaks are currently active.
This removes uncertainty about killstreak usability upon looting.

PERKS

Adjustments
Lootable Perks
All lootable perks have been removed from Battle Royale as we return to the classic feeling of Verdansk.
These may return in a future update depending on feedback.

WEAPONS

Reflecting on our 5th Anniversary, it’s important to acknowledge our journey and current state, including in regards to combat. This milestone presents an opportunity to celebrate our successes and critically assess our shortcomings. The game has continuously evolved through the addition of new features, systemic enhancements, economic adjustments, and philosophical shifts in balancing. These improvements help us better understand what is effective and where further refinements are needed.
Call of Duty: Warzone was designed to deliver the essence of a Call of Duty Battle Royale, combining exceptional, precise gunplay within a strategic and intense "limited life" scenario. While this core principle remains intact, certain distractions have at times impacted the intended pacing and intensity of gameplay.
Building upon recent adjustments, such as the reduction of Armor reserves to improve economic pacing, we are introducing substantial buffs to weapon damage. Initially, these enhancements will focus on the Black Ops 6 catalogue, subsequently extending to legacy weapons.
Our goal with these changes is to increase the lethality of every encounter, reinvigorate overlooked weapon classes, and encourage players to adopt a more thoughtful and deliberate strategy in preparation for engagements.
Classic Weapons
Kilo 141 Assault Rifle
Fully automatic assault rifle with an ergonomic design that improves handling, and a steady fire rate helps stay on target.
Available via Call of Duty: Warzone Login Reward
CR-56 AMAX Assault Rifle
This lightweight 7.62 x 39mm full-auto assault rifle is compact and powerful. Built exclusively for military use, the standard issue rifle is deadly at mid-range combat and easily configured for a variety of assault tactics.
Available via Battle Pass Page 6 HVT Tier Reward, Completion Page Battle Pass Blueprint
HDR Sniper Rifle
Anti-material bolt action sniper rifle chambered in 12.7 x 108mm ammunition. Bullets have a lower muzzle velocity but remain devastating even at very long ranges.
This weapon is able to one-shot headshot enemy players from any distance.
Available via Battle Pass Page 3 HVT Tier Reward, Page 11 Battle Pass Blueprint
Kali Sticks Melee
Two-hit kill. Extremely fast attack speed. Short range.
Available via Event Reward
New Conversion Kits
SWAT 5.56 GRAU Conversion Kit
Convert the SWAT 5.56 into a fully automatic weapon with lower damage and range but improved accuracy, mobility, and handling. Equips a new default Barrel and Magazine and unlocks an exclusive 50-round extended Magazine. Blocks Barrel attachments.
Available via Battle Pass Page 5 Reward
New Attachments
Monolithic Suppressor
Monolithic Core provides superior sound suppression and increased range. Moderate weight increase affects agility. The ideal attachment for extending your damage range on big maps like Verdansk while retaining the concealment provided by a suppressor.
Available via Battle Pass Page 7 Reward
General Adjustments
Default Loadouts
Default Loadouts available via Loadout Crates during a match have been updated with more competitive options.
This season, we have updated the Default Loadouts with a new selection of weapons and equipment. Our goal is to provide viable options that cater to both new and returning players. To ensure these loadouts remain competitive, we are committed to making frequent adjustments.
Weapon Adjustments
Assault Rifles
Submachine Guns
Shotguns
Light Machine Guns
Marksman Rifles
Pistols
Launchers
Special

VEHICLES

Classic
Heli
Cargo Truck
Polaris
LTV
ATV
Adjustments
With the return of Verdansk we are looking to capture the original essence of vehicles in Warzone. In collaboration with our friends at Treyarch, we have tuned movement, health, damage resistance, and equipment interactions to feel much closer to the original vision.
We know that nobody wants paper thin vehicles and we also know that vehicles are more fun when they can efficiently get you from point A to B. Traversal shouldn't feel restricted to roads alone. That said, there will be appropriate counters to vehicles reminiscent of the past.
The chart below serves as a high level view of the equipment lethality against vehicles. With greater vehicle responsiveness comes the need for more powerful and more memorable, moment-inducing equipment counters.
Vehicle Vulnerability
Weapon
ATV
Heli
Polaris
LTV
Cargo Truck
Launchers
1 hit
1-2 hits
1-2 hits
1-2 hits
1-3 hits
Grenades
1 hit
2 hits
2 hits
2-3 hits
3-5 hits
Traps
1 hit
1 hit
1 hit
1 hit
1-2 hits
C4
1 hit
1 hit
1 hit
1 hit
2 hits
Thermite
10 ticks
13 ticks
13 ticks
17 ticks
17 ticks
JOKR
1 hit
1 hit
1 hit
1 hit
1 hit
Pinging Near Vehicles Quality of Life
Made improvements to the accuracy of pings to loot near a vehicle to avoid the ping to ‘snap’ to vehicles.

UI/UX

Classic
Victory Screen
The iconic Warzone Victory screen returns to the classic Victory animation.
Tac Map & Compass Icons
The Tac Map has the circular cursor from the classic Call of Duty: Warzone experience.
All Map icons are also spiritually faithful to the color pallet from Verdansk with some improvements to help better identify certain items at a glance.
Ping Visuals
The Ping Shape has been reverted from the triangle shape to a lollipop shape that featured in classic Verdansk
"Go To" pings now also have classic visuals, improving legibility.
Score Feed Colors
Standard score events now appear yellow for that classic look.
Special score events are highlighted in white for better distinction.
New
Weapon Inspect to View Attachments Quality of Life
Inspecting a weapon now displays all its attachments on-screen, allowing players to see exactly how the gun is configured.
This can be disabled with the “Weapon Inspect Attachment Info” option.
We're excited to introduce this update as part of our ongoing efforts to improve clarity and onboarding. Seeing a weapon’s full attachment setup at a glance helps players better understand builds and especially the weapon they picked up from the ground. We’re investigating other ways to use the Inspect interface to assist with onboarding and better explaining the player’s loadout. We'll keep listening to feedback to ensure this improvement feels helpful without adding clutter.
Detailed Death Recap Quality of Life
We've expanded the Death Recap Widget to provide more detailed information about how you were eliminated. In addition to showing attacker count and damage dealt, the widget now highlights key conditions that contributed to your death:
Affected by Live Ping: Indicates if the enemy had you pinged.
Affected by UAV: Indicates if you were revealed on the minimap by a UAV, UAV Tower, or Advanced UAV.
Affected by Unsuppressed Weapon: Indicates if firing an unsuppressed weapon exposes your position to nearby enemies.
For the first few days of the new season, players will notice “Unsuppressed Weapon” saying “Weapon Ping” while the team works to get the wording updated.
We're excited to introduce this update as part of ongoing efforts to improve clarity and address concerns around unfair deaths. This is just the beginning — we'll continue expanding the Death Recap Widget with future patches. Our goal is to create a helpful tool that allows players to better understand what led to their death, recognize enemy advantages, and ultimately improve their gameplay. While we're committed to adding meaningful insights, we’ll ensure the widget remains clean and informative without overwhelming players.
We're eager to hear your feedback as we refine this feature further.
Prioritize Favorite Loadout in Gunsmith Quality of Life
When you’ve finished your preferred Loadout in the Call of Duty: Warzone Gunsmith, and set it to Favorite in the Loadout Options, the Loadout is prioritized and moved to the top of the list for ease of access.
Mission Items in Squad Widget Quality of Life
A new slot has been added to the Squad Widget to show each squad member’s most recent mission item icon for improved coordination.
A mission item refers to things like Keycards or easter-egg items that might require some coordination with allies.
Adjustments
Death Skull Icon Quality of Life
The size of the Death Skull Icon has increased to make it easier for players to locate their previous death location based on feedback that it was difficult to spot.
Navigation Pings
Updated to provide clearer, more intuitive iconography, with a design that may feel familiar to veteran players.
Player Icons
Mini-map and Tac map player icons have been enhanced to visually differentiate between:
Talking
Firing a weapon
Staying quiet
Ghost perk on / off
Leaving Match Confirmation Quality of Life
Players attempting to leave a match while a teammate is still alive will now receive a confirmation prompt to prevent accidental exits.
Ping Distance Text on Map Quality of Life
Added dark backing to pings on map to improve readability of the distance text on the map.
Ping Duration Setting Quality of Life
This new setting lets players decide how long pings last on their screen. Select between Off, Infinite, or On which will let players pick the duration between 1 and 20 seconds.
Tacmap Centering Options Quality of Life
New setting, “Map Assist”, provides a few different options to enable players to have more agency over their experience:
Auto Zoom & Center: Upon opening the map, it will auto zoom and auto center on the player each time
Auto Center: Upon opening the map, it will auto center on the player each time
Zoom & Center Once: Upon opening the map, it will auto zoom and auto center on the player one time per match
Center Once: Upon opening the map, it will auto center on the player one time per match
Off: Upon opening the map, it will be showing the last location the tacmap was closed on. This means players will need to manually adjust the map each time they open it.
We’re excited to provide more options to players to adjust the map to their preference. We will continue to monitor feedback about this improvement as players get to experiment with it.

AUDIO

Classic
Cinematics
Infil, Gulag, and Exfil
Music
Announcer
Re-recorded by original announcer Julian Stone (2020)
Hit Markers
Including Armor and Armor Breaks
Death's Door
Footstep Recordings
Loot Chests
Buy Stations
Contracts
UI Sounds
Pings, Splashes, and Progression
Adjustments
Occlusion & Reverb
Transitioned from older ray-casted occlusion system to Microsoft Triton acoustics audio middleware, providing realistic audio occlusion, obstruction, and reverberation.
Improved sound behavior around corners and surfaces.
Custom-tuned data specifically optimized for Call of Duty: Warzone.
Sound Modifiers
Adopted new procedural audio technology (developed by Treyarch) that dynamically adjusts sounds based on gameplay elements (entity speed, angle, elevation).
Footsteps & Ladders
Unique tuning for Call of Duty: Warzone footsteps separate from premium titles (introduced with MWIII).
Friendly teammates' footsteps reduced when positioned behind the player.
Footstep loudness dynamically scales with entity speed.
Footstep pitch changes based on player elevation (above vs. below).
Ladder sounds amplified and adjusted based on player movement speed.
Boosted audio cues for jumping, landing, and distinctive ceiling footsteps to clearly indicate players running overhead.
Cloth/Gear & Mantling
Cloth & Gear sounds are now distinctively tuned for Call of Duty: Warzone, separate from premium title after Warzone Season 3 updates.
Increased clarity and volume of mantling and melee sounds, differentiating friendly and enemy movements.
Enhanced mantling audio to resemble footsteps for greater situational awareness.
Loot Supply Boxes
Audio pitch now dynamically adjusts based on vertical elevation, providing clearer vertical positional feedback after Warzone Season 3 update.

BUG FIXES

Fixed an issue that caused the Death Recap Widget to register bleed damage while in last stand after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue where Bomb Squad incorrectly allowed fuse resets; this functionality is exclusive to Reflexes after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue causing players to be eliminated when mantling onto care packages.
Fixed an issue where players were eliminated upon interacting with the Most Wanted reward crate after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue causing a UI error preventing players from creating new loadouts.
Fixed an issue causing a Dev Error when opening the Armor Challenge menu after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue causing a Dev Error when exiting private matches after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue where the Corvus Masterkey Underbarrel occasionally caused instant downs at any range after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue preventing the Quartermaster Suppressor from unlocking properly.
Fixed an issue causing certain equipment to duplicate upon redeployment.
Fixed an issue where players would teleport across the map when using an ascender in the pre-game lobby after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue with the incorrect display of full ATVI IDs after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue where players lost control after Jailbreak revivals.
Fixed an issue with the gas mask overlay not aligning properly with screen boundaries.
Fixed an issue preventing restocking of Gulag lethals and tacticals from ammo caches or munitions boxes.
Fixed an issue allowing infinite submissions of Biometrics Keycards.
Fixed an issue causing loss of player control when interacting with a loadout after redeploying from the Gulag.
Fixed an issue causing incorrect cash displays for spectating players.
Fixed an issue causing loss of field upgrade deployment ability after using a loadout.
Fixed an issue with MW2 and MW3 camo descriptions not clearly stating weapon-level requirements.
Fixed an issue preventing immediate weapon fire after cutting a parachute without re-pressing the fire button.
Fixed an issue causing obituary messages to overlap with the squad widget in the HUD.
Fixed an issue causing incorrect elimination crediting to uninvolved players.
Fixed an issue with contract icons incorrectly displaying elevation information.
Fixed an issue where Bunker Buster gas damage bypassed gas masks if equipped within the gas after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed numerous legacy weapon descriptions and statistics after Warzone Season 3 update.
Fixed an issue preventing MW2 and MW3 weapons from appearing correctly in the loot feed.

That covers everything about the Warzone Season 3 patch notes. Check out our other Call of Duty news and guides:

About the author

Debabrata is a senior video game/tech journalist and an Assistant Content Manager at Sportskeeda Gaming, with a deep passion for first-person shooters (FPS) and gaming culture. Holding both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in English literature from Jadavpur University, he combines his love for storytelling with his expertise in gaming to offer insightful, engaging content. A firm believer in the therapeutic power of gaming, Debabrata views it as one of the best ways to forge connections and foster a global community. Outside of gaming, he’s a movie and series enthusiast, a football fan who loves both playing and watching the sport, and an avid anime follower. In his downtime, he is a nerd who learns aout dinosaurs.

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Edited by Debabrata Naiya