Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Season 1 launches today, December 6, and with it comes sweeping changes to the first person shooter.

Activision released the Season 1 patch notes in a blog post, which reveals a number of balance changes, fixes, and improvements for the game.

On the Multiplayer side, highlights include the addition of new maps, new killstreaks, a new perk, and new modes. There are also three brand new weapons, new Aftermarket Parts, new operators, new events, and of course, a new battle pass.

There’s plenty new with Zombies, too, including Act 4 and a new story mission, Dark Aether Rifts, and a new Wonder Weapon.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Season 1 Patch Notes:

NEW MAPS

Look for the Meat 24/7 Playlist to debut during the first week of Season 1, with other exciting Playlists expected in the weeks ahead. Another all-new 6v6 map, Rio, is expected to launch in-season

  • Greece
    • Test your mettle in a once-idyllic coastal town, where waters at the shore lap at the hull of a burning yacht, signaling disaster.
  • Meat
    • Deploy to the West Coast for some fast-paced butchery, in a compact map centered around the East Bay Meats slaughterhouse.
  • Training Facility (Gunfight)
    • Challenge another duo within the remains of an old warehouse, now repurposed as part of Konni Group’s training facilities.

NEW KILLSTREAKS

Do you have what it takes? Two all-new Killstreaks are available to dominate the battlefield in Season 1.

  • EMP
    • Electromagnetic pulse to disrupt enemy killstreaks and equipment.
    • Earned via 13 Kills, 1,625 Score, or Care Packages.
  • Swarm
    • Deploys a large number of mosquito drones to provide blanket coverage over the entire area.
    • Earned via 15 Kills, 1,875 Score, or Care Packages.

NEW PERK

The Assassin Vest is a powerful new addition to Loadouts in Season 1, but be wary, each Vest comes equipped with critical tradeoffs.

  • Assassin Vest
    • Kills don’t display skulls. Immune to UAV and enemy radar effects (including while stationary).

NEW MODES

Two fan-favorite Modes return at the start of Season 1! Gunfight is even equipped with its own selection of new and Carry-Forward Maps. Look for additional Modes throughout the Season.

  • All or Nothing
    • Players start with Throwing Knives and an empty Pistol. Perks are earned by eliminating other players and staying alive.
  • Gunfight
    • Small team, multi-round cage matches. First team to reach the round limit wins.

GLOBAL

NEW WEAPONS

The following Weapons are new to the entirety of the Modern Warfare III offering as of Season 1.

  • RAM-7 (Assault Rifle)
    • Exceptionally compact, this bullpup assault rifle sports a lightweight, polymer frame and is chambered in versatile 5.56.
    • Unlockable via Sector A7 of the Season 1 Battle Pass
  • XRK Stalker (Sniper Rifle)
    • Stalk your prey and lay them out with this tactical sniper rifle chambered in .50 Cal.
    • Unlockable via Sector A4 of the Season 1 Battle Pass
  • Stormender (Launcher)
    • This state-of-the-art weapon system fires a localized EMP on a slight delay. Destroys tactical and lethal equipment and temporarily disables other electronic devices.
    • Unlockable via Sector A12 of the Season 1 Battle Pass

NEW AFTERMARKET PARTS

In addition to new weaponry, players will see brand new Aftermarket Parts earned via the Battle Pass, Armory Unlocks, and Weekly Challenges.

  • JAK Purifier
    • An underbarrel flamethrower. What more needs to be said? Burn it all down.
    • Compatible with: MTZ-556, Holger 556, DG-56, SVA 545, RAM-7, MTZ-762, BAS-B, Sidewinder, Riveter
  • JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
    • This kit creates two stacked barrels that fire simultaneously. This offers twice as much down-range damage at the cost of some accuracy.
    • Compatible with: AMR9 (Submachine Gun)
  • JAK Thunder LMG Kit
    • Dominate lanes and hold objectives with this LMG conversion kit that brings a large capacity magazine and ramps in fire rate the longer you hold down the trigger.
    • Compatible with: Sidewinder (Battle Rifle)
  • JAK BRB
    • This compensator borders on excessive, offering a phenomenal reduction to recoil while significantly increasing muzzle report, resulting in an extended red dot on enemy radars.
    • Compatible with: Many Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, Battle Rifles, Marksman Rifles, and Sniper Rifles.
  • JAK Bullseye
    • Very low-profile dot Optic. Limited interference from framework offers an exceptionally clear sight picture.
    • Compatible with: Most weapon categories
  • JAK Glassless Optic
    • This small, glassless reflex Optic offers a crisp and clear sight picture for snappy target acquisition.
    • Compatible with: Most weapon categories
  • JAK Signal Burst
    • A conversion kit designed for accuracy and controllability with four-round bursts.
    • Compatible with: Holger 556 (AR)
  • JAK Beholder Rifle Kit
    • A long and heavy barrel that offers the best increase to range. Improves recoil control and damage range, converting this Handgun into a single-shot Rifle.
    • Compatible with: TYR (Handgun)
  • JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion
    • Rival Assault Rifles with this three-round burst conversion kit that excels at mid range combat.
    • Compatible with: Rival-9 (Submachine Gun)

NEW OPERATORS

Nolan and Dokkaebi, two KorTac Operators, lead the charge in the Season 1 offering… But a mysterious force, known only as Abolisher, looms in the background.

  • Abolisher BlackCell (SpecGru)
    • [Redacted]
  • Dokkaebi (KorTac)
    • Ari was born in South Korea to a family of gifted engineers. Tired of hiding from North Korean agents, she hacked into the South Korean Military’s private contacts and found the global Kortac Faction.
  • Nolan (KorTac)
    • Recently anointed as Vladimir Makarov’s right hand man, Captain Andrei Nolan executes both plans and enemies with ferocious precision in the name of igniting a long-awaited war between East and West.

NEW EVENTS

We’ll be talking about what Zombie Santa is bringing to town in patch notes that will release closer to when the event launches over the holidays. Stay tuned!

NEW BATTLE PASS

A brand new Battle Pass arrives with the Season 1 bringing a variety of Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, and more.

For more information about the full Battle Pass offering and Black Cell Bundle, check out the full breakdown on the official Call of Duty blog here.

NEW PC FEATURES

GeForce RTX gamers can activate pre-game full ray tracing, also known as path tracing in pre-game lobbies, enabling you to see your characters, skins, vehicles, and weapons in an entirely new light.

All GeForce RTX gamers can activate Path Tracing via the Video options menu, and doing so will automatically enable NVIDIA DLSS 3.5 with DLSS Ray Reconstruction.

MULTIPLAYER

UIX

  • New Features & Quality of Life
    • Player health and stamina are now represented by dynamic bars on the HUD.
      • Note: This feature is only available in Multiplayer and Zombies.
    • Faction assignment will now appear as a splash at the start of each match.
    • Added Upper Legs Damage and Empty Reload Quickness statistics to the Details widget in the Gunsmith.
    • Increased decimal precision of the Flinch Resistance stat in the Details widget in the Gunsmith.
    • Added icons in the Gunsmith to represent which title an Attachment originates from.
    • Reduced volume of the Multi-Kill and Medal splash sound effects.
  • Bug Fixes
    • In Search and Destroy, hovering a bombsite on the Tac-Map will no longer reveal when a player is actively defusing.
    • Addressed multiple issues in Private Matches that caused players to be kicked back to the Main Menu.
    • Hovering an equipped Killstreak will no longer kick the player back to the Multiplayer menu.
    • Resolved a font rendering issue that caused text to be improperly displayed.
    • Improved performance of Social features for players with large Friend counts.
    • Resolved an issue in which the incorrect Weapon would be featured in the overlay of Killcams.
    • Kill Counter will now properly function with streaks beyond 120 Kills.
    • Reduced hitching that infrequently occurred while transitioning between menus.
    • Addressed an issue that caused the application to freeze while editing a Loadout.
    • Resolved a crash that could occur prior to viewing an After Action Report.
    • Addressed an issue that caused a crash while reporting a player.
    • Lockpick (Operator) can now be equipped, where available, without using the Quick Equip option.
    • Scrolling menus while in splitscreen will no long result in the cursor appearing off-screen.
    • Improved readability of the timer below the Event tab.

GAMEPLAY

  • Movement
    • Added a delay following multiple rapid stance transitions to prevent exploitable repetition.
      • Crouch to Stand: 150ms
      • Prone to Stand: 600ms
  • Spawns
    • Improved spawn protection against enemy Equipment and Killstreaks.
    • In Hardpoint, several adjustments have been made to improve the flow of combat and increase control of team-owned areas.

We’ve introduced a delay to stance transitions to combat a movement exploit commonly referred to by players as “snaking.” We’ll monitor the impact of these changes and continue to address feedback where appropriate.

WEAPONS & ATTACHMENTS

  • Decreased hipfire spread penalty incurred while firing/moving for all Submachine Guns.

» Assault Rifles «

  • MTZ-556
    • Increased maximum hipfire spread while standing by 10%.
    • Increased maximum hipfire spread while crouched by 6%.
    • Increased hipfire spread penalty incurred while firing by 10%.
    • Increased hipfire spread penalty incurred while moving by 4%.
    • MTZ Natter Heavy Short (Barrel)
      • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 5%.
    • Bruen Thunder V9 (Stock)
      • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 6%.

» Battle Rifles «

  • BAS-B
    • Increased damage multipliers in semi-auto fire type to intended values.
      • Lower-Torso: 1x to 1.2x
      • Arm & Hand: 1x to 1.35x
  • Sidewinder
    • Decreased aim down sights time from 280ms to 265ms (-5%).
    • Tempus Predator Precision (Barrel)
      • Increased gun kick control benefit by 5%.
    • Huntsman Series-R Integrated Suppressor (Barrel)
      • Increased gun kick control benefit by 7%.
    • RB Borealis Grip (Rear Grip)
      • Increased gun kick control benefit by 5%.

» Submachine Guns «

  • Striker
    • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 100ms (-9%).
    • Decreased aim down sights time from 230ms to 215ms (-7%).
    • Striker Stubby (Barrel)
      • Added 9% aim down sights time benefit.
  • WSP Swarm
    • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 88ms (-20%).
    • Decreased aim down sights time from 190ms to 175ms (-8%).
  • Striker 9
    • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 100ms (-9%).
    • Decreased aim down sights time from 225ms to 205ms (-9%).
    • Striker Stubby (Barrel)
      • Added 9% aim down sights time benefit.

» Shotguns «

  • Lockwood 680
    • Tac-Stance will no longer reduce damage pellet count.

» Marksman Rifles «

  • MCW 6.8
    • Equipping the Full-Auto Conversion Kit and 60rnd Drum Magazine will no longer result in a broken aim down sights animation.

» Melee «

  • Riot Shield
    • Increased melee damage from 50 to 75 (+50%).
    • Added a 10% movement speed penalty while stowed.

» Attachments «

  • S-37C DL Breacher Device (Muzzle)
    • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 14%.
    • Resolved an issue that prevented one-hit melee kills in round-based Modes.
  • Bruen Tactical Vertical Grip (Underbarrel)
    • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 8%.
  • Hollowpoint (Ammunition)
    • Decreased inflicted sprint penalty time from 800ms to 200ms (-75%).

Modern Warfare II (Carry-Forward)

  • Increased reserve ammunition for all Weapons to MWIII standards.
  • Decreased hipfire spread benefit of Underbarrel vertical grips by 5-12%.
  • Decreased hipfire spread benefit of applicable Lasers by 2-5%.

» Assault Rifles «

  • M4
    • Increased maximum damage from 28 to 35 (+25%).
    • Decreased head and neck damage multipliers from 1.37x 1.1x (-20%).

» Battle Rifles «

  • TAQ-V
    • Increased lower-torso, leg, and foot damage multipliers from 0.8x to 1.1x (+38%).

» Submachine Guns «

  • Vaznev-9K
    • Increased near-medium damage from 29 to 30 (+3%).
  • ISO 45
    • Increased maximum damage from 30 to 33 (+10%).

» Shotguns «

  • KV Broadside
    • Increased far-medium damage range from 9m to 10m (+8%).
    • Decreased aim down sights spread slightly.

» Light Machine Guns «

  • RAAL MG
    • Decreased aim down sights time from 470ms to 390ms (-17%).
    • Decreased sprint to fire time from 375ms to 320ms (-15%).
    • Decreased tactical sprint to fire time from 496ms to 416ms (-16%).
  • 556 Icarus
    • Increased maximum damage from 28 to 34 (+21%).
    • Decreased head damage multiplier from 1.4x to 1.1x (-21%).

» Marksman Rifles «

  • SP-R 208
    • Increased maximum damage range from 15m to 20m (+28%).
    • Decreased aim down sights time from 370ms to 340ms (-8%).

» Handguns «

  • Basilisk
    • Increased maximum damage range from 5m to 7m (+35%).
    • Increased near-medium damage range from 6m to 15m (+140%).
    • Increased far-medium damage range from 17m to 23m (+32%).

PROGRESSION

  • Corrected unlock requirement descriptions for multiple Weapon Attachments.
  • Revised conditions for multiple unlocks that caused Attachments to be unavailable at the expected Weapon level.
  • Associated weaponry will now be properly included in the Camo unlock splashes.
  • Player Rank
    • Increased Level cap from 55 to 250, enabling players to reach Prestige 5.
      • At each Prestige, a new animated icon is unlocked.

CUSTOMIZATION

  • Increased animation rate of the Priceless and Interstellar Completionist Camos.

MAPS

  • Derail
    • Swapped Attacker and Defender initial spawn positions in Control.
  • Estate
    • Improved bullet penetration through the staircase in the Lodge.
    • Adjusted collision to prevent players can accessing an unintended location near the Front Entrance of the Lodge.
  • Highrise
    • Improved ambient audio reverberation in the Mechanical Room.
    • Deprioritized spawn points distant from the objective in Hardpoint.
  • Karachi
    • Players will now spawn on the correct side of the map assigned to their team in Cutthroat.
  • Quarry
    • Added collision near the Offices to prevent players from reaching unintended locations.
    • Addressed an issue that caused players to spawn in unfavorable conditions in the Hardpoint game mode.
  • Skidrow
    • Enemy player nameplates are no longer visible through certain surfaces in the Apartments.
  • Terminal
    • Added additional spawn points in Free-for-All mode to improve player experience.
    • Improved ability to gauge spawn selection quality in all Modes.
    • Relocated a spawn point that placed players outside of the playable area.
  • Scrapyard
    • Reviewed objective capture points to prevent players from capturing from unintended locations in Hardpoint and Control modes.
    • Added additional spawn points in Free-for-All mode to improve player experience.
  • Sub Base
    • Improved ambient audio reverberation in the Power Station.
    • Swapped Attacker and Defender initial spawn positions in Control.
  • Orlov Military Base (Ground War)
    • Improved AI Bot ability to navigate the environment in Invasion mode.
  • Operation Spearhead (War)
    • Added collision near the Hotel to prevent players from exiting the playable area.
    • Added collision near the Corner Shop to protect players in their spawn area.
    • Addressed an exploit involving environmental turrets that allowed players to reach unintended locations.

MODES

  • Ground War
    • Pre-game lobby countdown timer will no longer reset when a player leaves.
  • Search and Destroy
    • Increased Player XP earned for several score events.
      • Kill: 500 XP
      • Assist: 200 XP
      • Shield Assist: 400 XP
      • Headshot: 1,000 XP
      • Plant: 1,000 XP
      • Defuse: 1,000 XP (+ 250 XP for Last Alive)
      • Ninja Defuse: 1,250 XP (+ 250 XP for Last Alive)
  • War
    • Players who join an in-progress match can no longer be placed on a full team.
    • Decreased tank escort phase time limit from 6m to 5m.
    • Joining an in-progress match during the ending cinematic sequence is no longer possible.

EQUIPMENT

  • Throwing Star (Lethal)
    • Addressed an issue that allowed one-hit kills without a Headshot.
  • EMD Grenade (Tactical)
    • Prompt to remove tracker will no longer persist after death.

FIELD UPGRADES

  • Deployable Cover
    • Previous deployments will now be destroyed upon new deployment as the maximum has been limited to 1.
  • Trophy System
    • Mosquito Drone (Killstreak) will no longer be targeted.

KILLSTREAKS

  • Juggernaut Recon
    • Addressed an exploit that allowed players to fire Loadout Weapons with unlimited ammo.
  • Precision Airstrike
    • Players will now properly look through the binoculars in third-person view.
  • Remote Turret
    • Implemented safeguard measures to prevent players from becoming stuck with the tablet in hand.

VEHICLES

  • NSTV
    • Increased traction control to improve handling on muddy surfaces.
  • Razor Tank
    • Decreased maximum forward speed by 14%.
    • Increased maximum reverse speed by 20% to match forward speed.
    • Increased turn speed by 40% to allow for tighter turns.
    • Increased ability to accelerate on sloped surfaces.

ZOMBIES

SEASON 1 CONTENT

Story Act and Mission

  • Act IV and a new Story Mission are immediately available for all players at the start of Season 1.
  • A massive gateway has appeared in the Exclusion Zone. Investigate the area and engage in new end-game content.

Dark Aether Rifts

  • Dark Aether Rifts bring rewards to those who brave their challenges.
    • These otherworldly labyrinths are located inside the Dark Aether, where players and their squad have a limited time to complete a series of increasingly chaotic objectives to earn exceptional rewards. Find Sigils to enter the Dark Aether Rifts and face a new level of challenge!
  • Dark Aether Rifts are unlocked by solving a hidden quest, which activates after completing the new Season 1 Story Mission.

Wonder Weapon: V-R11

  • The V-R11 has been added to Modern Warfare Zombies.
    • Shoot zombies and transform them into humans, or blast humans to mutate them into friendly zombies.
    • Players receive a buff when shot.
    • The V-R11 has been added to the Mystery Box in Modern Warfare Zombies.
    • V-R11 Weapon Cases are now available via loot.

Acquisitions and Schematics

  • Dog Bone
    • Consume the Dog Bone to summon the strongest friendly Hell Hound companion. The pet Hellhound will follow you and attack nearby threats until its health runs out.
  • Golden Armor Plate
    • Consuming the new Golden Armor Plate replaces the Armor Carrier with Plates that automatically repair over time, in addition to providing the user additional damage resistances.
  • Aether Blade
    • The Aether Blade is a special Throwing Knife with infinite ammo and a boomerang-like combat style. After striking an enemy, the Aether Blade locates the next nearest enemy to hit before returning to its Operator.

Prestige Challenges

  • Season 1 allows you to level up past Rank 55 into Prestige Ranks that persist across seasons.
  • Beginning in Season 1, reaching Rank 56 will unlock Prestige 1. Achieving this unlocks rewards and a set of challenges in Modern Warfare Zombies — complete those challenges to unlock multiple exclusive Calling Cards.
  • For more details on Prestige Challenges, visit the Challenges and Seasonal Progression section of the Season 1 Announcement Blog.

Season 1 Battle Pass Weapons

  • The XRK Stalker, RAM-7, and Stormender are available in Modern Warfare Zombies loadouts once unlocked via the Season 1 Battle Pass.

Global Changes

  • Season 1 updates are not limited to just Zombies! Please reference the Global Section above for weapon balancing changes and more.

MAPS

Urzikstan

  • Various visual map fixes.

WEAPONS

» Wonder Weapons «

  • The Scorcher
    • The Scorcher’s launch ability will automatically fire when a player reaches their maximum charge under low ammo conditions.

» Assault «

  • DG-58
    • Addressed an issue that prevented camos from applying in the customization tab in loadout menus.

» Weapon Cases «

  • All Weapon Cases
    • Closed a duplication exploit.

MISSIONS

Hostile Takeover

  • Addressed an issue that prevented some safes from progressing this Mission.
  • Adjusted the description of this Mission in the Mission Select menu to state that Greene wants Players to hit “Terminus” instead of “Deadbolt.”

Merc Cleanup

  • Mercenaries killed from long distances inside Merc Camps will now progress this mission.

Shocked

  • This Mission now requires players to shock five separate Special zombies instead of shocking the same Special zombie multiple times.

Storm the Castle

  • The required mission item will always drop when the Warlord is killed.

GAMEPLAY

Contracts

  • Defend Ground Station
    • Addressed an issue that prevented the timer for the Defend Ground Station contract from appearing if players previously completed the same contract in a single session.
    • Mercenaries will now continue to fight Players after completing the Defend Ground Station contract.
  • Eliminate Bounty Target
    • HVTs lured far away from their original spawn location in an attempt to exploit their behavior will now return faster to their spawn and heal more.
  • Outlast
    • Enemies no longer spawn if players are not progressing the contract.
  • Raid Weapon Stash
    • Enemies no longer spawn if players are not progressing the contract.
  • Spore Control
    • Adjusted Spores to prevent them from spawning on a player, resulting in an instant death.

Acquisitions

  • General
    • Addressed an issue where players could store more Acquisitions in the stash than intended.
  • Aether Tools
    • Addressed an issue that prevented Aether Tools from applying if a player was driving a vehicle.
  • Ammo Mods
    • Addressed an issue that prevented Ammo Mods from applying if a player was driving a vehicle.
  • Perk-A-Colas
    • Tombstone Soda
      • Addressed an issue where Tombstones could spawn under the map.
      • Addressed an issue where Tombstones could spawn in the center of the map instead of where a player previously died.
      • Addressed an issue where sometimes players would not obtain their essence when interacting with a Tombstone.
      • Closed various duplication exploits associated with Tombstone Soda.
  • Ammo Mods
    • Brain Rot
      • Players will now receive essence when a Brain Rotted Zombie kills other Zombies or dies.

Looting

  • Various fixes for locations on the map where players could not loot items.

Exfil

  • Launch
    • More formidable enemies have been added to the Exfil experience in all zones.
    • Addressed a rare issue that prevented the Hilltop Exfil helicopter from landing.
  • In-Season
    • All exfils will increase the number of enemies spawned, with the Final Exfil receiving a significant boost to enemy count and enemy types.

General

  • Ammo Caches will now always fully refill applicable player ammo reserves.
  • Addressed an issue that allowed players to die instantly if they ran and slid into a Dog House.
  • Players will no longer be able to hide inside a Dog House.
  • Closed an out-of-bounds location that allowed players to stay alive outside the playable space.
  • Addressed an issue where Player selected Operator skins would change upon entering a vehicle.

ENEMIES

Zombies

  • Disciples
    • General
      • Addressed multiple issues that allowed Disciples to behave erratically, such as becoming stuck high in the air or on objects.
    • The Stormcaller
      • Addressed an issue that allowed The Stormcaller to die instantly from the Blood Burner’s Aether Pulse.
  • Hell Hounds
    • Hell Hound flame particles will disappear if a Hell Hound does not spawn.
  • Zombies
    • General
      • Adjusted spawns to prevent Zombies from spawning on top of fences.
      • Adjusted pathing to address exploits or incorrect pathing.
    • Light Armored Zombies
      • Addressed an issue that allowed Light Armored Zombies to receive more headshot damage than intended.

EQUIPMENT

Lethal Equipment

  • Experimental Gas Grenade
    • Damage against Aether Worms has been reduced.

Tactical Equipment

  • Decoy Grenades
    • Reduced the number of Decoy Grenades that can be stacked or equipped from 3 to 2.
    • Reduced Decoy Grenade duration from 8 seconds to 6.

KILLSTREAKS

Juggernaut

  • Addressed an issue where players could destroy an Exfil helicopter by calling in a Juggernaut suit crate on top of it.

Sentry Turret

  • Players can no longer kill themselves or others when placing down a Sentry Turret.

CUSTOMIZATION

Camos

  • Borealis (MWIII) and Bioluminescent (MWII) Update.
    • Increased the animation rate of the Borealis and Bioluminescent Completionist Camos

UIX

  • Player health and stamina are now represented by dynamic bars on the HUD.
  • Addressed an issue that prevented pings on looted items in caches from disappearing automatically.
  • Addressed an issue where players who attempted to equip a Mission Reward in the Gear tab would sometimes equip the wrong item.
  • Addressed an issue where objective titles would occasionally not display while loading into a match.
  • Addressed an issue where objective text would occasionally display outside its panel while loading into a match.
  • Addressed an issue where players would be returned to the lobby screen when selecting “Activate Armory Unlock” on a locked Tactical or Lethal equipment item.

PROGRESSION

Achievements

  • The First Step
    • Players can now unlock “The First Step” for reaching level 55 in Modern Warfare Zombies. Previously, players would need to enter the Multiplayer menu to obtain the achievement.

Camos

  • Completionist Camos
    • Golden Enigma (MWIII) & Golden Ivory (MWII) Update
      • We’ve released a fix that allows Players to complete the Golden Enigma and Golden Ivory Completionist Camos with Blueprint weapons and Custom Mods.

AUDIO

Battle Chatter

  • “Friendly Fire” Operator chatter will play less frequently.

STABILITY

  • Adjustments have been made to better ensure players keep their loadout and rucksack inventory if they do not successfully deploy into a match.
  • Added various crash and stability fixes.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

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Navigate to:

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  • Best PS5 SSD Deals
  • Best PS5 Video Game Deals (Physical)
  • When Should I Buy a PS5?

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  • Final Fantasy XVI (PS5) for $44.23
  • Mortal Kombat 1 (PS5) for $58.99
  • Marvel’s Midnight Suns Enhanced Edition (PS5) for $27.81
  • Dying Light 2 Stay Human for $29.90
  • A Plague Tale: Requiem (PS5) for $35.95
  • Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 (PS5) for $49.75
  • Call of Duty Modern Warfare III – PS5 for $43.99
  • NBA 2K24 Kobe Bryant Edition – PS5 for $34.99
  • ASSASSIN’S CREED MIRAGE – DELUXE EDITION (PS5) for $39.99

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PlayStation Deals: Budget to Best

It doesn’t need to have a massive discount to be a good deal, so we thought it would be a great idea to pick out our absolute favorite PS5 and PlayStation offerings that would be relevant to buy no matter the time of year, or the sales going on. From the latest DualSense controllers, to the very best PS5 SSDs on the market, we’ve got it all right here.

More PS5 Budget to Best Picks

  • Pulse 3D Wireless Headset for $99.00
  • DualSense Charging Station for $29.96
  • WD_BLACK 1TB P50 Game Drive SSD for $179.99
  • PowerA Twin Charging Station DualSense for $19.99

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Get 20% Off the Razer Kaira Pro Gaming Headset

There’s no shortage of PS5-compatible headsets. If you’re constantly having to turn down the volume when you play, you might want to pick up one of these, then you can listen to your games as loud as you darn well please. And if you’d like to see even more options that are worth buying, check out our collection of the best gaming headsets.

More PS5 Gaming Headset Deals:

  • SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless Gaming Headset for $92.26
  • Astro A10 Gaming Headset Gen 2 for $54.00

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When Should I Buy a PS5?

Availability has significantly improved for PS5 consoles this year. This means you no longer need to wait for specific sale events like Black Friday to make your purchase, as retailers such as Amazon are likely to offer the same console bundles during various sales throughout the year. Therefore, if you are in need of a PS5, there’s no real reason to delay your purchase and you can take advantage of any available sale.

If you’re desperate to pick up a console before the likes of Spider-Man 2, go ahead and buy one as they’re now regularly available. However, it’s worth noting that during sales Black Friday, there may be new unique bundles and promotions for the PS5 that are not offered at any other time of the year, such as the God of War Ragnarok bundle for $499 that is now out of stock and not available at the time of writing.

With how expensive gaming is getting in 2023, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.

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Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

There’s something about over-the-top, old-school shooters that you just won’t find in AAA FPSs today, and that’s perhaps best exemplified by the likes of the Tribes series. Sure, they might not achieve the same visual perfection, but when you’re skiing across maps and using a jetpack to capture a rival team’s flag while performing midair drive-bys on anyone who tries to stop you, who really cares how slick the textures look? Hi-Rez Studios’ upcoming Tribes 3: Rivals aims to revive the whimsical and hilarious bloodsport that soaked up countless hours in my youth, but with a tighter focus owing to matches with significantly fewer players. After a couple nights going hands-on with an alpha build, playing a shooter that breaks the mold from modern shooters of the day can be a great time, but with somewhat claustrophobic maps and tiny teams, I worry it may be veering a bit too far from what made its predecessors so beloved.

The best thing Tribes 3: Rivals has going for it is that it doesn’t feel like every other modern first-person shooter, and instead of sprinting around tight corners with automatic weapons, you’re gliding down hillsides to pick up speed, then boosting into the air with your jetpack to fly across the map while firing silly Hasbro-looking weapons that shoot brightly colored projectiles. Advancing cautiously or hiding behind the environment in hopes of avoiding enemy fire will almost always get you killed in a matter of seconds, and even having played other Tribes games before, it took me a couple hours of getting hopelessly destroyed by the competition before I was able to break myself of bad habits learned from more mundane shooters and embrace pure chaos once more.

Gaining and maintaining momentum at all times and learning how to handle mostly inaccurate weapons made worse by said momentum definitely take some getting used to. But that learning curve is definitely worth the trouble, because Tribes 3 does a great job at recreating the excessively fast and disorderly combat that has few dull moments. And like previous titles, capture the flag remains the primary game mode, which makes all that focus on movement even more valuable when you’re stealing a flag or chasing after a would-be thief in a footrace where every second counts. Every match has at least one or two nail-biting moments where whoever can keep their skis sliding along the fastest will win the day. Moments like that are just downright good fun.

Tribes 3: Rivals also makes some bold redesign decisions that deviate pretty significantly from the series’ established formula.

But Tribes 3: Rivals also makes some bold redesign decisions that deviate pretty significantly from the series’ established formula – namely, that matches only have five players on each team: a massive reduction from the 32-player matches in Tribes: Ascent and 128 players in Tribes 2. This means maps are smaller and the action is much less chaotic, which felt pretty out of place for the next entry in a series that has historically been a huge fan of massive multiplayer headcounts. That’s not to say that matches were particularly dull, though. Quite the opposite, I found a pretty consistent flow of intense encounters with other players that kept me on my toes, but the drastic change in tone and scale definitely still felt a bit out of place.

It’s clear that Hi-Rez hopes the series can reinvent itself with these changes, and there are without a doubt some advantages to smaller team sizes. For example, I definitely felt like my personal contribution mattered a whole lot more, and my ability to play a role in the success or failure of my team was great. There’s also the matter of matchmaking and lobby wait times, which are sure to be reduced with you only needing 10 players to start a match versus 32 players from the last game – and with old-school shooters not usually drawing the same massive player bases as the likes of Call of Duty, that might end up mattering a whole lot to the game’s long-term health.

Tribes 3: Rivals is still in the early stages of its development, and so far there’s a whole lot to like about its unique, refreshingly over-the-top action. Only time will tell if this classic shooter will be able to reinvent itself and stand out with a modern audience.

Batman: Akrham Trilogy on Nintendo Switch pays tribute to voice actor Kevin Conroy who passed away in November 2022.

As reported by Eurogamer, once credits role on the first game in the trilogy, Batman: Arkham Asylum, a black and white drawing of Gotham appears with the text: “In memory of Kevin Conroy.”

Conroy starred as Batman himself in the Arkham trilogy, but was beloved beyond video games as the voice of the Caped Crusader in the 1990s Animated Series, The Killing Joke animated special, and more. He passed away on November 10, 2022 following a short battle with cancer.

Batman: Arkham Trilogy arrived December 1 as the games’ first release on Switch, though not the first time on a Nintendo console as Batman: Arkham City appeared on Wii U.

While IGN hasn’t reviewed the Switch versions, all three games were well-received upon their original launches, with Batman: Arkham Asylum setting a new precedent for superhero games. “Batman: Arkham Asylum is the greatest comic book videogame of all time,” IGN said in our 9/10 review at the time.

It’s sequel earned a 9/10 too, as IGN said: “Batman: Arkham City isn’t just better than Batman: Arkham Asylum, it’s better than most games on the market.” The final game received the same score: “Batman: Arkham Knight is an impressive game on almost every level, with non-stop variety and great action.”

Image Credit: Pacific Press/Getty Images
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Activision has published the Call of Duty: Warzone Season 1 patch notes as part of the launch today, December 6, and just like the update for Modern Warfare 3, Warzone’s update makes significant changes.

The battle royale gets the new Urzikstan map and a new battle pass as part of the game’s first big update following Modern Warfare 3’s release.

Urzikstan is a new large map that contains Warzone’s first controllable mobile point of interest, Urzikstan’s new drivable train, complete with forward and backward engine controls, a horn, and a handbrake in the caboose (rear carriage) for tactical braking.

Meanwhile, Ziplines are a brand new traversal mechanic that allow rapid horizontal navigation across Urzikstan. There’s a brand new one versus one Gulag, too.

Call of Duty: Warzone Season 1 Patch Notes:

MAPS

Urzikstan New Large Map

Positioned in Western Asia, nestled on the eastern border of the Black Sea and bordering Al Mazrah, Urzikstan is steeped in rich, turbulent history and only recently emerged from the oppressive rule of dictator Roman Barkov. Our map design acknowledges this history, weaving it into the landscape that now faces the looming threats from the Allegiance and the ultranationalist forces led by Viktor Zakhaev.

Central to our design philosophy is a deep respect for our community, as we focus on a balanced, fluid, and dynamic gameplay experience that harmonizes the intensity of dense urban warfare with the strategic openness of rural battlegrounds. With enhanced mobility being another key pillar of our design, Urzikstan is interspersed with a variety of new and returning traversal options, including vertical ascenders, horizontal ziplines, redeploy drones, and even a mobile point of interest – the driveable train.

Urzikstan is a testament to our commitment to our players, strategic balance, and innovative design, set against the backdrop of a region emerging from its tumultuous past, only to face brand new challenges.

Drivable Train New Mobile Point of Interest

  • Take control of Warzone’s first controllable mobile POI, Urzikstan’s new drivable train, complete with forward and backward engine controls, a horn, and a handbrake in the caboose (rear carriage) for tactical braking.
  • The new Drivable Train also includes individual carriages that contain a Buy Station, a UAV Tower, an Ammo Depot, and a guaranteed Legendary Supply Crate.
  • The Drivable Train will also start at different points along the train track in each match.
  • Since Call of Duty: Next, further improvements have been made to the vaulting and hop up points to provide easier access to mantle onto the train and the cart roofs.

Ziplines New Traversal Mechanic

  • In addition to the vertical ascenders, expect ziplines to allow rapid horizontal navigation across Urzikstan. Look for ziplines across the map, often allowing faster travel across otherwise more challenging topography, like water or tall structures.
  • If you watched Call of Duty: Next, Quality of Life improvements have already been made to this system enabling easier on/off access for the Operator using either type of transport line.

Major Points of Interest

  • Hadiqa Farms
    • Traits
      • Fewer buildings
      • Wide open fields
      • River access
      • Little verticality
      • Long range advantage
    • Minor POIs
      • Hamza Bazaar
      • Zohoor Ranch
  • Levin Resort
    • Traits
      • Abandoned tourist site
      • High ground advantage
      • Multiple vantage points
      • Inspired by Hardhat
    • Minor POIs
      • Rostova Shops
      • Kotovo Blocks
  • Low Town
    • Traits
      • Run down shacks
      • Close to water
      • Central to the map
      • Short range advantage
    • Minor POIs
      • Abtal Academy
      • Al-Sada Village
      • Old Al-Sada
  • Old Town
    • Traits
      • Dilapidated buildings
      • Stunning interiors in Bathhouse
      • Central to the map
      • Inspired by Seatown
    • Minor POIs
      • Seatown
      • Opal Palace
      • Nahr Bathhouse
  • Orlov Military Base
    • Traits
      • Missile silos, bunkers, and facilities
      • Built into mountainous terrain
      • Scattered barricades
      • PMC Military presence
      • Inspired by Countdown
    • Minor POIs
      • Drezna Sub Base
      • Kadurin Silo
      • Zlatyev Array
  • Popov Pop-off Power
    • Traits
      • Cooling towers, containment structures, industrial buildings
      • Large interior spaces
      • Highway and River access
    • Minor POIs
      • Sorokin Industrial
  • Seaport District
    • Traits
      • Docks, shoreline, and maritime buildings
      • Vantage points by land or by sea
      • Easy rotation opportunities
    • Minor POIs
      • Al-Abboud Condos
  • Shahin Manor
    • Traits
      • Isolated location
      • Multiple floors
      • Abundant loot
      • Focused on close-quarters-combat
    • Minor POIs
      • Raaha Island
  • Urzikstan Cargo
    • Traits
      • Waterways and cargo containers
      • Vantage points via tall cranes
      • Hot drop potential
    • Minor POIs
      • Talanov Outpost
  • Zaravan City
    • Traits
      • Heavy urban setting
      • Maze of streets and seemingly endless vantage points
      • Safer looting opportunities
      • Interiors prone to engagement
    • Minor POIs
      • Amara Riverside
      • Ghalia Seaside
      • Haifa Apartment Complex
      • Quadri Shopping Center
      • Tishrin Parkway
      • Urzikstan Community Center
      • Urzikstan University
  • Zaravan Suburbs
    • Traits
      • Rooftop gardens, concert hall, community center
      • Access to downtown without crossing water
      • Dense Roadway access
    • Minor POIs
      • Al-dahr Estates
      • Shorok Opera House
      • Souk Nuri

For an exhaustive look at Urzikstan, check out the new Tac Map Atlas.

Gulag New Map

This brand new 1v1 Gulag named “Silo” is characterized by its stark, symmetrical layout that lends to both striking visuals and balanced engagements. This symmetry not only enhances player immersion but ensures equal opportunities for both contestants to redeploy to the field. This new arena is also rich in loot, strategically placed to encourage exploration and adding an additional layer of resource management and strategy.

Here is a series of new features that elevate this Gulag in various ways:

  • Map Variants New Location Modifiers
    • Players now have a chance to encounter one of three possible Gulag map variants.
    • Each map variant offers 3 clear lanes allowing for simple 1v1 gameplay.
    • The overall gameplay of each map variant will remain similar but sight-lines and visuals will change match to match.
    • Map variants include:
      • A boxed center with various cover and pathways in. Crates and corners riddle the layout making it dangerous to rush without a plan.
      • An open layout with light cover and a circularly enclosed center with limited access.
      • A fairly open center with a boxed out area making the threshold from spawn to center very fast but providing rotational opportunity.
  • Public Events New Dynamic Events
    • A series of new Public Events have been introduced including:
      • Go Again
        • Get another chance if you lose your fight.
      • Cash Grab
        • More cash on the ground with a larger stack in the middle of the arena.
      • Locked & Loaded
        • Start with full armor and two upgraded guns.
  • Overtime Ascender New Win Condition
    • When Overtime kicks in, rather than vying for control of a Flag point, Players will now have to outplay their opponents for a chance to use the vertical Ascender that spawns in the center of the map.
  • Post Victory Looting New Gameplay
    • Upon eliminating their opponent, Players will be allowed to continue roaming and looting the Gulag until the moment they are redeployed to the field.

It’s important that the Gulag is as fun and varied in your 1000th Gulag fight as it was in your very 1st Gulag fight. With the Public Events system now coming to the Gulag, this gives Players extra second chance and regain opportunities, especially so with the extra cash of “Cash Drop” or the extra weaponry provided in “Locked & Loaded”.

MODES

Battle Royale

  • Battle Royale Returning Mode
    • This is the Battle Royale experience that Players have become ever so familiar with since Warzone’s launch in 2020. Players infil, scavenge for weapons, equipment, and other resources while preparing for the impending conflict. The map’s playable area gradually shrinks over time, forcing survivors into closer proximity – upping the ante. The ultimate objective? To be the very last squad standing when the smoke clears. It’ll take a combination of skill, strategic planning, and sometimes a bit of luck, to exfil with that victory.
    • New Map:
      • Urzikstan
    • Player Count:
      • 100
    • Match Length:
      • ~20 Minutes

The pacing of a Battle Royale match is critical to the experience and needs to represent the rhythm of a heartbeat: where the peaks and troughs are consistent and healthy throughout the game. Battle Royale is a game with distinct phases, this includes landing off infil and looting, then acquiring a loadout, all the way through to the final battles before exfil – but also importantly having a mid-game that doesn’t suffer a slump and is continuous in its engagements.
Historically Warzone has always had large player counts in its larger maps but as we have added additional respawn mechanics and changed circle sizes and timings we have found it impacted the time-to-action pacing of the game.
With the new Urzikstan map there are a number of considerations the team have made for the player count:
– New map size of Urzikstan, around 20% smaller than Al Mazrah.
– Faster match time at 20 minutes.
– New Gas Circle timers and sizing.
– More ‘second chance’ redeploy mechanics.
– Unsuppressed red dots revealing engagement locations.
– The Return of the “Big Game Bounty” Contracts Advanced UAV reward
– Updated “Bounty” Contract rewarding one UAV ping as a reward.
– New Gulag Public Event, “Go Again”, enabling more players to redeploy.
– The stability and performance of the game.
To summarize, regardless of the number of players, the time-to-action is one of our most important variables. Based on all of the above, we will be monitoring the time between engagements in Battle Royale throughout Season 1 and make pacing changes where necessary in future seasons.

Resurgence

  • Resurgence Returning Mode
    • A fan favorite, this Mode is a spin on the Battle Royale formula that emphasizes a faster-paced, more aggressive playstyle on smaller maps. Rather than being thrown into the Gulag, Players that are eliminated will redeploy after a short respawn timer – that is, as long as they have teammates that are still alive. This redeploy mechanic allows players to relinquish discretion and encourages taking greater risks, resulting in more frequent engagements. And true to the original experience, earning points will reduce this timer.
    • Returning Maps:
      • Ashika Island
      • Vondel
    • Player Count:
      • Ashika
        • Solos – 52
        • Duos – 52
        • Trios – 51
        • Quads – 52
      • Vondel
        • Solos – 72
        • Duos – 72
        • Trios – 72
        • Quads – 72
  • Urzikstan Resurgence New Limited-Time Mode
    • While Resurgence is hosted on entire Maps, this mode will adhere to the same ruleset while exclusively emphasizing several critical Points of Interest located throughout Urzikstan. These locations have been carefully handcrafted to accommodate the high-paced, loot-hungry playstyle that we’ve all come to expect from Resurgence.
    • Locations:
      • Urzikstan Points of Interest
        • Orlov Military Base
        • Popov Power
        • Zaravan Suburbs
    • Player Count:
      • Solos – 44
      • Duos – 44
      • Trios – 45
      • Quads – 44
  • Rotation Resurgence Returning Mode
    • With the wealth of maps on offer in Resurgence, Rotation Resurgence allows Players to drop into one of several possible locations that are carouseled on a fixed time interval displayed on the menu.
    • Rotation Interval:
      • 15 minutes
    • Returning Maps:
      • Ashika Island
      • Vondel
    • New Locations:
      • Urzikstan Points-of-Interest
        • Orlov Military Base
        • Popov Power
        • Zaravan Suburbs

Plunder

  • Plunder Returning Mode
    • Battle to earn the most cash in this returning game mode now set in Urzikstan. In Plunder, players loot cash from the map, complete contracts, and battle opponents to be the first team to earn $2 million. Reaching that cash threshold triggers a 3-minute overtime where cash values double. Be the top earning squad when time expires to win.
    • Respawn is enabled in Plunder, and players always deploy with their selected loadout. This makes Plunder ideal for leveling up weapons and exploring the map without the looming threat of an enclosing circle of gas. The free-form nature also makes for a variety of viable strategies.
    • New Map:
      • Urzikstan
    • Player Count:
      • 100
    • Match Length:
      • ~15 minutes

Lockdown

  • Lockdown Returning Mode | In-Season
    • Inspired by the Multiplayer mode Hardpoint, Lockdown will task multiple Quads with capturing and holding zones throughout Vondel. This primary objective replaces the traditional Battle Royale last-squad-standing.
    • This Mode is perfect for those who want to level up their weapons in a high-pace, objective-based mode. Lockdown allows for Custom Loadouts right at the start of the match.
    • Lockdown will be added to the Playlist rotation during Season 1.
    • Map:
      • Vondel
    • Player Count:
      • 36

PLAYLIST

For information about upcoming Playlists, XP events, and more, please check out the dedicated Warzone Trello Board.

WEAPONS

As many players have already experienced, MW3 offers several dozen weapons that cover a diverse range of options spanning various categories. It’s important to remember that Warzone won’t suddenly shift overnight to favor only DMRs and Shotguns. Instead, our hope is to witness a more balanced ecosystem where additional categories, such as Battle Rifles, become viable choices thanks to the new offering of weapons. In essence, MW3 weapons aim to be user-friendly, offering versatility across various damage ranges and maintaining a high level of mobility. While we acknowledge the importance of MW2 Weapons retaining their viability, there are specific cases where further updates may be required to ensure a fair and exciting gameplay experience for all.

New Weapons

The following Weapons launched with Modern Warfare III and are new to Warzone as of Season 1 launch.

» Assault Rifles «

  • SVA 545
    • This weapon system fires the first two rounds nearly at the same time, making this an incredibly lethal weapon in careful hands.
  • MTZ-556
    • Boasting an exceptional fire rate for a 5.56 weapon, this close-quarters assault rifle excels at close and mid-range.
  • Holger 556
    • Chambered in 5.56, this AR offers exceptional range and reliability for most engagements.
  • MCW
    • This remarkably adaptable assault rifle features phenomenal recoil control and versatility from a lightweight frame chambered in 5.56.
  • DG-56
    • With excellent recoil control and three-round burst fire, this bullpup AR dominates at mid- to long range.
  • FR 5.56
    • A three round burst bullpup AR. A well-placed burst can be extremely deadly at intermittent ranges.

» Battle Rifles «

  • BAS-P
    • A highly controllable and powerful Battle Rifle chambered in .277 Fury designed for all-round reliability and performance.
  • Sidewinder
    • A highly adaptable Battle Rifle chambered in .450 that delivers high damage at close to mid-range.
  • MTZ-762
    • A fully automatic Battle Rifle designed to send hard-hitting 7.62 rounds downrange at high velocity.

» SMGs «

  • Striker
    • A hard-hitting and controllable submachine gun chambered in .45 Auto. Reliable at close to mid-range.
  • WSP Swarm
    • Ultra combat and maneuverable, this 9mm SMG overwhelms targets with a fast fire rate.
  • AMR9
    • A fully automatic SMG chambered in 9mm, the AMR9 is a go-to for Operators who prefer to shred the competition from close to mid-range.
  • WSP-9
    • A fully automatic SMG featuring a slow rate of fire balanced by high damage, control, and mobility.
  • Rival-9
    • The Rival-9 is a lightweight, 9mm submachine gun built for agility and quick room clearing.
  • Striker 9
    • This compact SMG handles like a carbine while taking advantage of the low recoil and versatility of 9mm rounds.

» Shotguns «

  • Lockwood 680
    • This highly effective and versatile 12-gauge pump shotgun can be modified to excel in most scenarios.
  • Haymaker
    • Highly effective at close range, this mag-fed combat shotgun will clear rooms with rounds to spare.
  • Riveter
    • A full-auto, .410 shotgun built around an assault rifle receiver, the Riveter is a hole-punching machine.

» LMGs «

  • Pulemyot 762
    • Chambered in 7.62, this belt-fed heavy machine gun provides excellent suppressive fire, dealing a massive amount of damage at long ranges.
  • DG-58 LSW
    • A lightweight squad weapon for controlling zones and laying down suppressive 5.8x42mm fire.
  • TAQ Eradicator
    • Fully automatic LMG that utilizes a prototype firing method going from a closed to open bolt systems starting out at a blazingly fast rate of fire before quickly slowing down and becoming more accurate.
  • Holger 26
    • A highly modular light machine gun that can be adapted to most combat scenarios. Chambered in versatile 5.56 ammunition.
  • Bruen MK9
    • The Bruen Mk9 is a fully automatic, air-cooled light machine gun chambered in 5.56. Support your team and pin down the enemy with a high fire rate and overwhelming covering fire.

» Marksman Rifles «

  • KVD Enforcer
    • A Marksman Rifle chambered in 7.62. Lightweight construction results in excellent recoil control for rapid follow-up shots.
  • MCW 6.8
    • Chambered in 6.8, this highly modular Marksman Rifle features exceptional damage and reliability.
  • DM56
    • A titan of ballistic ingenuity, this Marksman Rifle boasts best-in-class rate of fire and exceptional controllability.
  • MTZ Interceptor
    • A high-powered Marksman Rifle chambered in 7.62. Control mid to long distances with this semi-auto weapon.

» Sniper Rifles «

  • Katt-AMR
    • This devastating .50 cal bolt-action sniper rifle delivers massive damage downrange with every shot.
  • Longbow
    • A lightweight, heavily modified sniper rifle designed for precision shooting and repeat shots thanks to recoil control and magazine capacity.
  • KV Inhibitor
    • This semi-auto sniper rifle chambered in .338 offers undeniable recoil control and stability for the discerning operator.

» Handguns «

  • COR-45
    • Semi-automatic ballistic pistol chambered in .45 Auto. Delivers excellent handling and recoil control.
  • Renetti
    • A burst-fire pistol with a staggering fire rate and controllability in the right hands.
  • TYR
    • This deadly revolver chambered in devastating 12.7x55mm hits like a cannon and leaves no survivors.
  • WSP Stinger
    • Keep your enemies close with this highly effective, room-clearing SMG with a blazing fire rate.

» Launchers «

  • RGL-80
    • An infantry-carried, revolving grenade launcher that fires 40mm projectiles that explode on impact.

» Melee «

  • Gutter Knife
    • Standard issue combat knife. Great for quick stealth takedowns.
  • Karambit
    • A small, curved talon-style blade. Extremely sharp and discreet for fast and deadly melee attacks.

General Adjustments

  • Backup Pistol Quality of Life
    • When you don’t have a handgun equipped in your loadout you’ll unholster a base attachment COR-45 while performing the following actions:
      • Ledge hanging
      • Climbing a ladder
      • Swimming underwater
    • If you do have a handgun or melee weapon equipped, you’ll use that instead.

We want players to always be able to fight back, no matter their situation. The Backup Pistol addition to the game means that whether you are swimming or climbing, you can engage with enemy opponents at all times. As an important note, a fully equipped loadout Handgun will remain the preferred choice in these circumstances.

  • Locational Damage Modifiers
    • Locational damage multipliers have been flattened to provide a more consistent time to kill. Headshot multipliers are broadly decreased and arms now match the torso.

In the past, arms have often had differing damage multipliers than the chest. This could often end up with an inconsistent time to kill when firing directly at a player aiming at you (since you were hitting arms, instead of their chest). By standardizing the multipliers to be more consistent with the “Bottom to Top Philosophy” shots landing in the same area will result in a more reliable experience.

  • Sniper Damage
    • KATT AMR will one shot to the head at any distance.
  • Riot Shield
    • The Riot shield slows movement when it is equipped as the player’s Secondary and is on their back.
  • Weapon Tuning
    • With the additional statistical knowledge you’re able to receive while swapping between modifications, providing an impressive amount of incremental weapon meta building, Weapon Tuning has been removed, a feature that appeared in Modern Warfare II. This change to Weapon Tuning applies to both MWII and MWIII weapons that utilize modifications.
  • Launcher Damage
    • All launchers have been adjusted in regards to their damage and interaction with vehicles. This includes:
      • Most launchers will destroy lighter vehicles in one shot.
      • The RPG-7, PILA, and STRELA-P will destroy most medium sized vehicles in two shots.
      • The JOKR will destroy almost all vehicles in one shot.
      • The RGL-80 and the STRELA-P will not cause most vehicles to immediately explode.
      • The PILA will not cause most medium and larger vehicles to immediately explode.
      • The RPG-7 and the JOKR will cause most vehicles to explode immediately.

We want to make sure that launchers have an impactful but fair application to countering vehicles in Warzone. Based on several variables such as projectile speed, time to fire, and reload speed we have tuned launchers to better meet the expectation on how it should behave when damaging vehicles.

GAMEPLAY

New Features

All Modes

  • Classic Red Dots
    • Firing unsuppressed weapons causes Operators to momentarily appear as a red dot on the minimap.

Red dots have returned to Warzone – those wishing to stay off the map when firing should consider equipping a suppressor to the weapons in their Loadout.

  • Reload Cancel / Segmented Reloads
    • You can now reload cancel if there are bullets in the magazine. When performing an empty reload it will utilize reload checkpoints to give the best of both worlds.
  • Improved Water Combat
    • Alongside the dedicated Backup Pistol, improvements have been made to water visibility such that it is now easier to see targets both when in and out of the water.

Battle Royale

  • Redeploy Weapons
    • Being bought back now grants a weapon that changes based on the current circle number, with the weapon improving with later circles.

This is a similar approach to the one found in Resurgence already. Gone are the days of being bought back in the end game with only a pistol.

Adjusted Features

All Modes

  • Loot
    • Ground & Supply Box Pool
      • Loot found throughout our maps will now include a mix of MW2 and MW3 weapons, equipment, perk packs, and more.
    • Rarity Quality of Life
      • Weapons, equipment, killstreaks, and more will now appear with a color-coded tooltip to indicate the value and rarity of the item, as well as if a weapon is from a “Custom Loadout”.
      • Rarity breakdown:
        • Legendary = Orange
        • Epic = Purple
        • Rare = Blue
        • Uncommon = Green
        • Common = White
    • Ground Spread Quality of Life
      • Players will now notice that the loot distribution and spread when opening a Supply Box or eliminating an enemy has received significant improvements to minimize loot overlap and facilitate loot identification.
    • Revive Pistol
      • The Revive Pistol has been removed from the loot pool but may make a return in a future season.
    • Legendary Audio Quality of Life
      • Guitar celebration returns when finding legendary loot because it just didn’t feel right without some iconic riffs!

We have balanced loot so that most everything can be found in general looting, with enough time. However, we have tried to make rewards from activities like strongholds, contracts, public events, and locations on the map (like hospitals, car garages, police stations, etc) targetable for a specific, desirable item or a type of item, like Plate Carriers.
So if your team is in need of a specific item, there is likely a place or activity you can go to have a higher chance of getting it. Some high tier items will be exclusive to general looting to encourage players to continue looting to find them. General gear and supplies should be plentiful, and players should have basic gear and a preferable weapon no more than 60 seconds into the match.

  • Backpack
    • Layout Quality of Life
      • Adjusted the backpack and in-game loadout layout. Weapons are now right aligned, underneath the newly added dedicated ammo. Gas Mask and Armor Plates are first on the list for rapid access to two areas highly interacted with.
    • Navigation Wrapping Quality of Life
      • The backpack and loadout will now navigate wrap when moving all the way to one side.
    • Dedicated Ammo Slots Quality of Life
      • Specific new Backpack slots cater to ammo, allowing quick and easy access. These slots will be automatically filled as Players find ammo. Additional ammo can still be stored in the all-purpose Backpack slots.
    • Gulag Entry Kit Quality of Life
      • The Gulag Entry Kit can be stowed, enabling “pickup to share” for team-coordination.
    • Identical Killstreak Auto Equip Quality of Life
      • Certain items will automatically equip from the Backpack into the active Loadout when a matching item is used.
        • i.g. If the player uses a UAV and they have another in their Backpack, it will auto-equip the UAV into their active Loadout.
    • Gulag and Redeploy Tracker Quality of Life
      • Backpack now displays if you have a Gulag Entry Kit or a Redeploy Pack available to use.
        • Not applicable in Plunder or Resurgence.
  • Navigation Pings Quality of Life
    • The ability to ping doors with a specific yellow warning ping has been removed to alleviate frustrations when trying to place navigation pings.
  • Killcam Pings Quality of Life
    • Players will now be able to observe all enemy pings while watching kill cam replays.
    • Important: This will be live shortly after launch and will be communicated accordingly.

No more wondering “How did they know I was there?!” when you had a giant red ping above your head.

  • Buy Station
    • Interact Distance
      • The interaction distance for Buy Stations within the Gas has been extended to 30 meters, up previously from 10 meters.
    • Icon Visibility Quality of Life
      • When a Buy Station is still accessible in the Gas, its icon will remain visible on the minimap and Tac Map. Upon being in the Gas for too long, the icon will then fade away once the Buy Station is no longer active.
      • The above notes apply to both stationary Buy Stations as well as Deployable Buy Stations.

Buy Station accessibility is important, so not only do we want to allow for more advanced and interesting Gas plays – we also want to make sure that players know if they can execute a Gas play before they attempt it with the newly improved UI.

  • Loadouts
    • Purchase Price
      • Buy Station cost has been reduced:
        • Solos: $7,500, down from $8,000
        • Duos: $10,000, down from $12,000
        • Trios: $12,500, down from $16,000
        • Quads: $15,000, down from $20,000
      • The purchase price will now scale based on the active Squad Size in the match, rather than the base Playlist Squad Size.
    • Squad Outline Quality of Life
      • The distinctive white visual design of the Loadout crate from 2020 makes its return!
        • Loadouts now have a colored outline that is unique to your squad, which serves two purposes: 1) It helps players identify which crate belongs to their squad, 2) and it disappears per player after player has interacted with it.
      • The outline refreshes when respawning indicating that players can use it again.

With several changes to the economy, increasing the amount of cash earned from contracts and introducing a new perk that multiplies that even further, we’re doubling down on easier access to your loadouts and the custom weapons found within. These prices will also scale dynamically should you lose a player, or be trying to solo v quads your way to victory.

  • Gas Mask
    • Manual Gas Mask Quality of Life
      • You can now manually choose when to equip the Gas Mask. When looking at a Gas Mask on the ground, Players are presented with two options:
        • Equip
          • Equipping the Gas Mask will begin the equip animation of putting it onto their face.
        • Stow
          • Stowing the Gas Mask will place it in the Backpack for Players to manually equip at a later time.
      • As a result of the above, the animation will no longer interrupt gameplay, and importantly Players will only hear the heavy breathing sound effect while in the Gas.
    • Gas Mask Overlay Quality of Life
      • Adjusted Gas Mask overlay to provide a clearer field of view to the action.
      • Decreased the intensity of the “cracked” state when near broken.

The forced Gas Mask animation of putting on and removing has been a common frustration shared from players and developers alike. We’re removing the automatic animations from the equation and putting the player choice entirely behind a manual “equipped or not” approach.

  • Gas
    • Circle Pacing
      • We’ve adjusted the overall possible centering of the first circle to encompass more play area than previously experienced. This will ensure that more of the map will be accessible to players at the start of each match to better allow for the all important looting phase.
      • Below is a summary of the adjustments made to gas circle timings:
        • Circle 1:
          • Circle close time reduced to 160 seconds, down from 215 seconds
        • Circle 2
          • Circle close time reduced to 140 seconds, down from 220
        • Circle 3
          • Circle close time reduced to 130 seconds, down from 170
        • Circle 4
          • Circle close time increased to 125 seconds, down from 110
        • Circle 5
          • Circle close time increased to 90 seconds, down from 70
        • All other circle timings remain unchanged.
        • Total Reduction
          • 140 seconds
        • Total Time Until Match End
          • 20 minutes and 20 seconds
    • Gas Damage
      • Increased to 10 damage per tick, up from 9.

With the introduction of the Irradiated perk there’s room to increase the base tick-damage as there’s ways to bring this much lower with the perk. This means about 15 seconds in the gas is possible without a mask

  • Redeploy Drone
    • Redeploy Drones will now remain stationary in the gas for up to 45 seconds.
      • Each circle will reduce this time by 5 seconds to a minimum of 30 seconds.
    • Drones will now move slightly faster when repositioning.
    • Drones will begin to leave after circle 5 as they are too deep in the gas and there is limited room to reposition to.
    • The Redeploy Drone’s catapult distance has been increased so Players can now traverse greater distances.

The Redeploy Drones have been a fantastic addition to the game but we felt that it was unclear when they were about to change position, and would frequently move when you were running to use them. With this change, the goal now is that if you can see a Redeploy Drone in a playable part of the map – it will be accessible to use.

  • Death’s Door (Low Player Health)
    • This refers to the audible and visual notification that the player is low on health and at risk of being downed.
    • Activation
      • The visual overlay when low on health now triggers at 40% Health, down from 55%.
    • Visibility Quality of Life
      • Increased transparency of the overlay, to be less obtrusive when at low health.
  • Parachutes
    • Operators from MWIII will now deploy into the Warzone with a new default Parachute texture, inspired by the urban nature of the new big map Urzikstan. This Parachute texture will be overridden if the player has customized their Parachute.
  • Spawn Protection Timer
    • The duration of spawn protection has been reduced to 2.5 seconds, down from 10 seconds
    • This applies to all modes except for Resurgence.

We’ve made this change in order to better create a sense of fairness, both for the redeploying player but also for those already on the ground.

Battle Royale

  • Infil Height
    • The height at which Players deploy to the field during Infil has been decreased to 402 meters, down from 483 meters.

Infil closer to the ground for faster time-to-action. In addition, redeployment heights throughout the match will be further decreased each circle so endgame hovering is less effective.

  • Second Chance Mechanics
    • The spawn rate for Gulag Entry Kits and Redeploy Packs has been increased.
  • Strongholds
    • Strongholds are no longer a guaranteed spawn each match, rather they have been linked to a new Public Event.
      • For details, see the Public Event section below.

In order to make each match unique, Strongholds have been moved to the public event system where there is a percentage chance of them becoming accessible during infil. We recognize that strongholds being present in every match leads to a clear golden path and not a unique experience from match to match. We are working towards additional features to make Strongholds fairer to contest and control, and will have more to announce in future.

  • Black Sites
    • A single Black Site will spawn at random at the beginning of each match.
    • The location will not be revealed on the map until your squad finds a Black Site key or it has been unlocked by another squad.
    • The Black Site boss will now drop a guaranteed Deployable Buy Station. The Advanced UAV is now one of several possible killstreaks that will drop.
    • Players may find Black Site keys via ground loot allowing you the opportunity to open a Black Site in any match.

Plunder

  • UAV Towers
    • UAV Towers are now in Plunder.
  • Cash Balance
    • We’ll be closely monitoring the balance of the cash economy in Urzikstan and will likely make adjustments to ensure a variety of strategies remain viable for winning.

PERKS

Highlight

The Perk system currently in Warzone continues, with Operators choosing from either a pre-set or a Custom Perk Package consisting of four Perks which become active once your Loadout is claimed. Perk Packs can also be found in ground loot, whether dropped by an eliminated Player or found in Supply Boxes.

In addition, a number of the Perks that exist in Multiplayer have been implemented as default movement behaviors in Warzone – without requiring any specific equipment. This will be further detailed in the section titled Movement below.

New Perks

  • Shrouded
    • Automatically drops a Smoke Grenade when entering the downed state.
  • Flex
    • Delay triggered explosives while sprinting, warns of nearby enemy equipment, and reduces combat noise.
    • Due to a known issue, this Perk currently appears as “Faculty” in the menu.
  • Resolute
    • When taking damage from gunfire, it grants a short bonus to movement speed.
    • When shooting at an enemy with Resolute equipped, players will see a small icon to indicate that the player has Resolute.
  • Stalker
    • Increased strafe and aim down sight movement speed.
  • Payout
    • Contracts pay out more in cash and the cost of UAV Towers is discounted.
  • Escapist
    • Increased downed, prone, and crouch speed.
  • Primed
    • Accuracy and time to aim down sight is improved while jumping.
  • Irradiated
    • While under the effects of the gas circle you move faster and take reduced gas damage.
  • Shrapnel
    • Explosive damage delays enemy health regeneration, slows enemy movement, and briefly disables tactical sprint.
  • Mountaineer
    • Reduces fall damage.
  • Mechanic
    • Reduced vehicle repair time, increased fueling speed, and reduced fuel consumption while driving non-aircraft vehicles.

General Adjustments

  • Overkill
    • This Perk has been removed entirely and replaced with a new a default behavior:
    • Players now have the option to equip two Primary Weapons at all times without requiring a Perk.

By eliminating overkill we have removed a long-standing friction where players needed to buy their “overkill” loadout, or buy multiple weapons from the buystation. With overkill on by default always – any loadout you create can be with the perks and weapons you desire. Your freedom of choice.

  • Perk Unlocks
    • All Warzone Perks are unlocked via player progression.
    • Perks used for Custom Perk Packages must be unlocked via the 1-55 level player XP progression path.
    • Perks unlocked by default at level 1 include:
      • Scavenger
      • Battle Hardened
      • Payout
      • Flex (Faculty)

We’ve taken a deep look at perks available in Warzone. This includes rebalancing or redesigning existing perks, creating new ones that are re-introduced to Call of Duty through MW3 and creating new ones bespoke to Warzone to give players more agency and choice over their playstyle.

Adjusted Perks

  • Ghost
    • Blocks detection by UAV, enemy radar sources, and Heartbeat Sensors – now updated to require movement to activate.
    • Can be acquired via loot as a Stealth Plate Carrier.
  • Birdseye
    • Your UAV Killstreak, Portable Radar, or UAV Tower shows the heading of the enemy for your squad.
    • In addition, enemy unsuppressed gunshots will show headings.
    • Detects Ghosted Players.Can be acquired via loot as a Comms Plate Carrier.
  • Survivor
    • Faster revive speed, reduced health regeneration delay, reduced cash lost on death, and enemies that down you are automatically pinged.
    • Decreases Health Regeneration time to 4 seconds, down from 7.
    • Can be acquired via loot as a Medic Plate Carrier.

Survivor and the Medic Plate Carrier make for an extremely powerful defensive option that competes with Tempered – depending on which you value most (health or armor).

  • Cold Blooded
    • This will negate the mark from Combat Scout.
  • Battle Hardened
    • Now reduces the effects of Frangible bullets and abilities.
  • Double Time
    • Increases Tac Sprint duration and reduces refresh time.
    • No longer increases prone and crouch speeds.
  • Scavenger
    • Once again provides an additional armor plate and cash in the scavenger bag.

New & Returning Plate Carriers

  • Plate Carrier Perks
    • Plate Carriers, previously referred to as Vests, found throughout the match will now be associated with one of the following four Perks:
      • Tempered Plate Carrier
        • Includes effects of the Tempered Perk.
      • Medic Plate Carrier
        • Includes effects of the Survivor Perk.
      • Comms Plate Carrier
        • Provides the player with effects of the Birdseye Perk.
      • Stealth Plate Carrier
        • Provides the player with effects of the Ghost Perk.

Previously, some Plate Carriers shared some common features with a corresponding Perk, but not all. We’ve cleaned up this interaction so that a Plate Carrier does exactly what a Perk does, and nothing else.

MOVEMENT

Highlight

Movement and rotation opportunities on Urzikstan have been key focuses of its design. In the new chapter of Warzone, Players will find themselves with several Multiplayer Perks that are simply enabled by default at all times:

  • Tac Pads: Improves slide distance and allows for full ADS while sliding, along with increased stance transition speeds.
  • Commando Gloves: Enables reloading while running.
  • Quick-Grip Gloves: Increases your weapon swap speed.
  • Climbing Boots (Partial): Increases climbing and mantling speed aspect.

The above provides the foundation of baseline movement in Warzone, this can be taken further by layering on perks that amplify movement even more. As a reminder, the gear is equipped at all times and never lost.

New Movement

  • Tactical Stance
    • A weapon stance that can be Toggled into, grants faster mobility at the cost of accuracy.

Returning Movement

  • ADS While Sliding
    • Players can now aim down sights and shoot while sliding as a default behavior.
    • As an improvement, players can optionally toggle tac stance while sliding.

Adjusted Movement

  • Jump Changes
    • Jump higher, faster and jump ADS quicker. Reduced the slow-down when landing from the first jump and reduced the sprint-out delay after jumping.
  • Slide Cancel
    • Players can cancel a slide by jumping, sprinting or crouching again. Does not reset tactical sprint and briefly pauses stamina regeneration.
  • Slide Distance
    • The distance that Players travel while sliding is now impacted by the incline of the surface.

CONTRACTS

Returning Contracts

  • Big Game Bounty
    • Players can activate this contract to place a bounty on a Player from one of the highest performing squads in the match.
    • Eliminating the target player will reward your squad with an instantly activated, 20-second long Advanced UAV.
    • This new contract will reveal itself after the second circle.
  • Scavenger
    • Pick up this contract and you will be directed to open 3 special scavenger caches. You will be given the location of these caches 1 at a time. These caches contain additional loot, a heightened chance for the supply sweep killstreak and Plate Carriers, with the final chest dropping a randomly selected Plate Carrier 100% of the time.

General Adjustments

  • Activation Laptop Quality of Life
    • Players will now activate Contracts by interacting with larger, more easily identifiable laptops found throughout the map.
    • Activating a contract is done instantly with no delay or animation.
  • Updated Contract Spawning
    • Increased the amounts of contracts spawned later into a match.
  • New Icons Quality of Life
    • Contract icons have been updated to be more legible and shield-like in appearance.
    • For better accessibility, icons are now colored yellow, previously green.

Adjusted Contracts

  • Bounty Contract
    • Bounty now gives a single UAV ping around the bounty target when the hunter team kills them.

Players engaging with Bounty Contracts are always at risk of being third-partied, so with that risk should come added reward for pushing a squad.

  • Intel Contract
    • The speed at which the point is captured will now increase for each additional squad member present.
  • Most Wanted Contract
    • Surviving this contract will spawn a High Value Supply Crate which will always include a Gulag Entry Kit.

Again with risk should come rewards, our goal here being that whether you are the Most Wanted target or you are pushing a Most Wanted target – the Supply Crate that drops on success is rewarding to all teams. This guaranteed Gulag Entry Kit also matches our philosophy of Contracts having clearly defined rewards that players know they can acquire.

  • Signals Intelligence Contract Vondel Exclusive
    • The passive income per player is now 10 payments of $750 for a total of $7,500 over 3 minutes and 20 seconds.
      • The previous total amounted to $5,000 per player

PUBLIC EVENTS

New Public Events

  • Restock Supply Sweep
    • Restock now starts a personal supply sweep for every player when activated.
  • Fly Buy
    • A new Public Event has flown into Urzikstan. At certain points in a match, there is a chance multiple Drones fly-in to drop additional Buy Stations into the Warzone.
    • When a Fly Buy public event is triggered, 5 or 6 drones carrying portable buy stations fly from the gas to random points inside the current circle where they drop a portable buy station.
    • The drones are neutral and can be shot down early, which drops the Buy Stations immediately.
    • The portable buy stations sell items identical to a typical buy station.
    • The public event will also have a chance of spawning in late game spawn circles after the Gulag has closed or Resurgence has ended, giving players a final opportunity to buy back teammates.
  • Strongholds
    • Strongholds now have a chance to appear as one of several possible events at the start of the match.
      • Black Sites and Abandoned Caches will remain in each match.
    • When this event triggers, 4 Strongholds will spawn, down from 5.
    • The time to capture a Stronghold has been reduced to 30 seconds, down from 90.
    • The original crate in strongholds that players captured and claimed their loadout has been updated and split into two parts.
      • UAV Station: Now when players enter a stronghold they will see a box with a laptop and satellite dish which now acts as the capture point.
      • Loadout Locker: The loadout crate has been replaced with a loadout locker. The locker can be found in the same space as the UAV station and will be positioned against a wall of the room.
    • Vacating the Stronghold will cause it to automatically neutralize the UAV after 30 seconds.
    • The Loadout Crate will be available only for the squad that currently controls the Stronghold.

Adjusted Public Events

  • Firesale
    • Item discount increased to 50%, up from 30%.

We felt that doing the mental gymnastics of trying to calculate 30% of a discount of $3,000 (Spoiler: it’s $2,100) could be simplified by simply updating to a 50% reduction (simply $1,500) which also gives additional value in rotating to a Buy Station.

EQUIPMENT

New Equipment

  • Breacher Drone Lethal Equipment
    • Explosive drone that explodes on proximity to an enemy or on impact.
  • Thermobaric Grenade Lethal Equipment
    • Cookable grenade. Creates a large explosion that stuns, leaves a fiery residue, and increases lethality of explosives for a period of time.
  • EMD Grenade Tactical Equipment
    • Applies a tracking device to enemies hit, revealing them on your team’s minimap.
  • Scatter Mine Tactical Equipment
    • Throw a field of mines across a wide area that detonates when enemies come within range.

Adjusted Equipment

» Lethal Equipment «

  • Drill Charge
    • Through Wall max damage increased to 160, up from 140.
    • Stick Max Damage increased to 200, up from 140.
  • Claymore
    • Max damage increased to 170, up from 100.
    • There is a known issue where Claymores will deal less damage than intended.
  • Frag Grenade
    • Close damage increased to 251, up from 140.
    • Mid range damage increased to 150, up from 105.
  • Semtex Grenade
    • Close damage increased to 200, up from 140.
    • Far damage increased to 105, up from 69.
  • Thermite
    • Tick damage increased to 37, up from 15.

» Tactical Equipment «

  • Smoke Grenade
    • Duration reduced to 7.14 seconds, down from 9.25.
  • Stim
    • Stim now grants a slight boost of movement speed on activation (7%).
  • Experimental Gas (Tear Gas)
    • This will now deal continuous damage to anyone standing in the gas cloud.
      • Deals 5 damage per second, 3 damage to those with resistance to gas damage.
    • If the player is wearing a gas mask it will instead do damage to the equipped mask, masks in their backpack, or any masks on the ground..
    • Since the damage caused by this tactical is gas, it can be countered with an equipped Gas Mask.

There’s been a long-standing disconnect between the Gas Mask and Tear GasGrenade having no interaction. We’ve pivoted this so that there’s one consistent language – GAS IS GAS. This means you can use a gas mask to avoid the effects, but if you’re without you’ll take tick damage as if you’re standing outside the circle. The Warzone version of the grenade is renamed to Experimental Gas to reflect the unknown nature of the deadly gas players encounter each game.

  • Shock Stick
    • Damage increased to 8 per tick, up from 6 .
    • Radius increased to 4.1 meters, up from 3.1 meters.
  • Snapshot Grenade
    • Highlight Duration increased to 1.65s up from 1.25s.
  • Battle Rage
    • Now also mitigates 10% of damage taken while under the effects.
    • The regen portion of the buff can be canceled early by taking damage. The damage reduction effects will remain for the duration.
  • Flash Grenade
    • Now only flashes targets looking at the device at the time of it exploding.

FIELD UPGRADES

New Field Upgrades

  • Heartbeat Sensor
    • Now categorized as a Field Upgrade
    • Pulse every 2.5 seconds, down from 3 seconds. (Faster!)
    • Range increased to 55 meters up from 49.

With Heartbeat sensor moving to the field equipment slot we’ve given it an increased range and faster ping rate – This move puts it, and the newly enhanced Portable Radar as effective recon devices, while still allowing you to use your tactical slots for the active engagement.

Adjusted Field Upgrades

  • Portable Radar
    • Radar Pulse increased to 76.3 meters radius, up from 38.1 meters.
  • Armor & Ammunition Boxes
    • The delay on equipment boxes has been removed – they will now be interactable as soon as they are deployed.

KILLSTREAKS

New Equipment

  • Guardian
    • A stationary turret that projects sound to disrupt and stun players in a line. Lasts for 50 seconds.
  • Mosquito Drone
    • An automated drone that hovers in an area before descending on a target dealing damage.
    • Will show up on the map with an icon and can be shot down.

VEHICLES

New Vehicle

  • Coyote
    • Available in Urzikstan during Battle Royale and Plunder modes is an impressive, lightly-armored new off road vehicle, known as the Coyote. This is an open-air and agile desert vehicle designed to grip the dunes and move quickly. The mounted machine gun is more than enough to take out the opposition in your path.

General Adjustments

  • Vehicle Start Time
    • The input delay when entering a vehicle has been decreased by 50%.
  • Helicopter Collision
    • The damage profile on helicopters has been updated to better reflect the perceived collision while close to other objects.

UI/UX

  • Combat Record
    • Players will launch Season 1 with a fresh Combat Record, which will immediately begin showing statistics for Battle Royale.
    • The Combat Records will roll out in the following phases:
      • Season 1 – Battle Royale
      • Season 2 – Resurgence
      • Season 3 – Plunder
    • Please note that statistics for all modes will begin tracking on Season 1 launch and will be retroactively reflected when the Combat Records go live.
  • Icon Fade Quality of Life
    • All in-world icons will now fade away when the Player aims down sights for better visibility during engagements.
  • Improved Headshot Hitmarker Quality of Life
    • Headshot hitmarkers have been improved for better readability.
    • This includes a new sound effect.
  • Updated Icons Quality of Life
    • The entirety of the Tac Map has been updated to better serve you, with a variety of easily distinguishable new icons.
  • XP / Score Events Quality of Life
    • All Score events are now yellow
  • Supply Box Visuals Quality of Life
    • All Supply Boxes have received a visual adjustment to convey value more clearly.
      • Common – Military Green and Black
      • Legendary – Orange and Black
      • Reusable – Navy Blue
      • Favorite – Custom Weapon Color Magenta
  • Armor Plate Color Quality of Life
    • The color of Armor Plates, both on the HUD and hit markers is now blue unless affected by the Tempered Perk, in which case it will appear as orange.
  • Nameplates
    • Allied nameplates have had their visibility improved with a clearer outline of the players name.
      • This change mirrors the improvements made in MW3 Multiplayer at launch.
  • Perk Package Icons Quality of Life
    • Perk Packages whether equipped or stowed now display the icons of the included Perks in the package for quick readability.

KNOWN ISSUES

Below is a list of issues that we are aware players will encounter at the launch of Season 1.

  • The new Perk called Flex currently appears as “Faculty” in the menu.
  • Resurgence Rotation map visual is not appearing in the UI to show what map is currently active.
    • Players can temporarily work around this by seeing the active map in the matchmaking screen.
  • The AAR will show the default Calling Card instead of the Calling Cards equipped by the Player.
  • A Player detonating a bomb drone may encounter an error in some instances.
  • Although detailed in the patch notes above, Killcam pings will not be active until later into launch week.
  • If a player crashes out of Private Match and is given the option to rejoin, they will not connect.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

One month after a major round of layoffs impacted roughly 100 Bungie employees of 1,200, those remaining at the Destiny developer say the cuts, as well as other cost-cutting measures, came alongside an apparent scramble by studio leadership to avoid a total Sony takeover.

As it currently stands, Bungie is (on paper) a fully independent subsidiary of Sony. But its board of directors has been divided since the takeover in July of 2022. Among its current members are PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst, Sony senior VP Eric Lempel, Bungie co-founder Jason Jones, Bungie CTO Luis Villegas, and Bungie CEO Pete Parsons. The board as a whole is split between Sony and Bungie representatives, with Parsons serving as a tiebreaker vote. But speaking to IGN under condition of anonymity, multiple current and former Bungie employees described a department meeting that took place shortly after the layoffs, in which leaders hinted that this shared power may not last forever.

Sony did not respond to IGN’s request for comment on this piece. Bungie declined to comment.

Declaration of Dependence

While the exact details of Sony’s deal to acquire Bungie remain unknown to the public or employees, sources say they were told by leaders that the current split board structure is contingent on Bungie meeting certain financial goals. If Bungie falls short of its revenue goals by too great an amount, Sony is allowed to dissolve the existing board and take full control of the company. And with Destiny 2 expansion The Final Shape delayed into the next fiscal year and Bungie still investing heavily on Marathon, many employees understand that Bungie is struggling to meet the necessary targets to keep its last vestige of freedom. Such a takeover wouldn’t necessarily be shocking given its 2022 acquisition, but it would nevertheless be a stunning development for a company that has historically prided itself on its independence.

It was with this threat looming that Bungie leadership – not Sony, according to Parsons – made the choice to lay off roughly 100 employees last month. But the cost-cutting at Bungie isn’t limited to just personnel. Multiple current employees confirmed to IGN that the company has implemented numerous other cost-cutting measures recently, including a studio-wide hiring freeze, reduced travel budgets, elimination of holiday bonuses, keeping its annual Bungie Day virtual, delaying its weeklong company “Pentathalon” event to next December, and reducing numerous morale events such as cooking and knitting classes from monthly to quarterly. Bungie is also pausing or fully ending benefits like annual employee compensation adjustments to meet market rates, its new hire lunch program, employee donation matching, its peer recognition program, and gift cards for employees birthdays. And yearly studio performance bonuses this year will only be the contractually obligated 80% minimum, after being above 100% for good performance several previous years running.

Along with the recent layoffs, this has resulted in a massive decay in morale within the company, according to IGN’s sources, one of whom told us that the mood within the studio has been “soul-crushing” over the last month. And it doesn’t sound like management is making any significant efforts toward improving the atmosphere, either. According to those still with the company, employee frustration and sadness in the days and weeks following the layoffs was met with a surprising amount of indifference or even outright flippancy or hostility from management. Several people we spoke to told us that leaders had reiterated, across multiple meetings, that they couldn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be more layoffs, with two specifically recalling chief people officer Holly Barbacovi outright stating that layoffs were a “lever” the company would pull again.

“We know we need Final Shape to do well,” one source told IGN. “And the feeling at the studio is that if it doesn’t we’re definitely looking at more layoffs.”

Others said they were rebuffed repeatedly and discouraged from even discussing the layoffs whenever they tried to ask questions. Employees in one department recalled a post-layoffs Q&A session where a department head was asked if leadership taking salary cuts to prevent layoffs had been considered, only to respond that Bungie was “not that type of company.”

What’s more, sources we spoke to pointed out that many of the Bungie employees who were laid off were beloved community leaders within the studio, including many who had spearheaded employee inclusion and support efforts. Several people we spoke to expressed anger at the layoff of Bungie general counsel Don McGowan, who played a key role in Bungie winning an historic suit against a player who harassed a Bungie developer. Others laid off included a noticeable number of members of Bungie’s DE&I clubs, including co-heads of Pride@Bungie, Women@Bungie, and Accessibility@Bungie. When combined with other recent resource cuts, these dismissals have led to fears these clubs might be shut down. While researching this article, IGN noted that the public news articles announcing Women@Bungie and Accessibility@Bungie on its official blog were no longer accessible on the Bungie website, though it’s unclear exactly when or why this happened, or if it’s just an unintentional, recurring bug with the blog.

“I’m angry. I’m upset. This isn’t what I came here to do,” one person said. “It feels like many higher ups aren’t listening to the data and are like, ‘We just need to win our fans back, they still like us.’ No. They don’t…We got rid of some of our most knowledgeable beloved folks who have been here for 20+ years. Everyday I walk in afraid that I or my friends are next. No one is safe.”

Bungie, Eroding

Another anxiety sources discussed with us was that many of the reductions made at Bungie recently were part of a broader move toward outsourcing. Multiple individuals across various departments told us they’d heard discussions within their teams of plans to increase outsourcing both before and in the wake of the layoffs.

One team where those discussions have already become reality is in Quality Assurance [QA]. While outsourcing QA is extremely common practice industry-wide, Bungie historically has also enlisted an army of in-house, embedded QA testers working within individual teams. It’s a set-up the studio has prided itself on for years now, but QA sources within the studio are now afraid that strategy is on its way out. We previously reported that Bungie’s QA team saw a rash of mysterious departures in the months before the layoffs, and also noted a team-wide culture shift toward a general pool of testers consisting of both in-house and outsourced individuals. Former and current QA department members at Bungie tell us that in the last year, the team has seen increasing workloads and responsibilities, with more and more disciplinary actions taken for seemingly minor infractions. They also perceive growing hostility from team and company leadership, including a meeting in which QA was said to be referred to by leaders as “non-developers.” In total, sources tell us that over 10% of Bungie’s internal QA department was either fired or laid off between early October and early November, including both the reported layoffs and the departures leading up to them.

In a year that will go down in gaming history due to the sheer number of layoffs and studio closures, Bungie’s situation nonetheless stands out, and not for good reasons. It’s a well-known, long-standing studio that, despite historic culture problems, had managed to cultivate an increasingly positive community of fans around a beloved game while improving its own internal culture by gradual degrees. But in the wake of an acquisition that shocked many Bungie employees we’ve spoken to, and which seemed out of character with the studio’s independent streak, it feels to many like that’s all falling apart. Beloved colleagues have been laid off, benefits are vanishing, and many feel the “more people-oriented” (as one source put it) culture of recent years is being torn to pieces by the very Bungie leaders that touted it for so long. And seemingly all so those same leaders can retain a vestige of control over a company that’s already been sold away anyway.

“Folks still there are very much feeling ‘us vs them’ between leadership and workers,” one person said. “That trust has been eroded.”

Given their recent actions, the question of whether or not Sony will finally manage to swallow Bungie whole in a few months seems less and less important than the question of what Bungie’s current management will do to lead the company forward today.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Hi PlayStation Blog readers! Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will be out tomorrow on PS5, letting you to play as a Na’vi and explore a brand-new continent of Pandora: the Western Frontier. The team at Massive Entertainment – an Ubisoft Studio, in collaboration with James Cameron’s production company Lightstorm Entertainment and Disney expanded the world of Avatar, offering players the opportunity to discover new regions, clans, fauna and more.

True to the Avatar ethos

The goal for the teams at Massive and Ubisoft has always been to build upon the existing Avatar lore, allowing players to experience never-before-seen parts of Pandora firsthand. In order to do that the dev team worked closely with Lightstorm to comply to the logic of the Avatar universe. There were cultural Na’vi guidelines to abide by such as no written language nor monetary system. In addition to this, Na’vi follow Eywa’s three laws: You shall not set stone upon stone, neither use the turning wheel, nor use the metals from the ground. There were also broader guidelines for world building: Pandora being a metaphor for Earth must feel alien, yet familiar. Everything should be grounded in science, that is why the team refers to “science-fact” rather than ” science-fiction”. Finally, the world must feel epic in scale, and always combine elements of wonder and danger.  

The Aranahe Hometree is found in the Kinglor Forest.

New regions with new biomes

With these guidelines in mind, as well as a close collaboration with the Avatar filmmakers, the dev team was able to create never-before-seen regions of Pandora. The Kinglor Forest is a lush rainforest brimming with life and dense vegetation, the closer in looks to the environments seen in the first Avatar film.

The Kinglor Forest, a lush rainforest full of wonders and dangers.

Other regions were designed to contrast this familiar landscape, such as the vast and windswept Upper Plains and the foggy and mysterious Clouded Forest.

The Upper Plains, open grasslands swept by the winds.

The Clouded Forest, cluster pines biome.

New Na’vi Clans & cultures

Within these regions dwell new Na’vi clans with their own unique cultures.

The Aranahe clan of the Kinglor Forest is stylish, sophisticated, and intellectual. They have survived by valuing the needs of the community over the wants of the individual, and frown upon those who would question these ancient ways. The clan is led by Ka’nat and his daughter Etuwa, though the two do not always see eye-to-eye.

The Aranahe Clan, the master weavers.

The Zeswa of the Upper Plains are nomadic and travel with a group of giant, docile, and empathic creatures called the Zakru, whose lifecycle is intimately connected with the clan’s. The clan is led by Nesim, a forceful and instinctual warrior. Her sister Minang acts as a counterweight to her warrior instincts, but she too is shaken by the cruelty of the RDA.

The Zeswa Clan, the nomadic fierce warriors.

The Kame’tire of the Clouded Forest believe that all wounds eventually scab over and heal, so too all impurities of the spirit can be redeemed. They are taciturn and extremely reserved but extraordinary caretakers. While they may not go into battle for what they love, they will conceal, heal, and protect that which has value. The clan’s leader Anufi has slipped away from the clan, finding it easier to relate to the dead and the ancestors. In her absence, her advisor Mokasa is effectively in control, though his motives are suspect.

The Kame’tire Clan, the secretive healers.

New fauna

The dev team of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora created 46 new creatures for the game, which range in size from tiny insects to huge, thunderous animals. Anatomy and function of animals rely heavily on real-life Earth references, while still being rooted into Pandora’s natural structure.

As an example, the Echo Stalker lives in the Clouded Forest, a misty and mysterious region where creatures developed particular behaviors around hiding, as well as unique detection abilities. The Echo Stalker is a blind animal using echo-location to hunt. It’s the regional evolution of the Viperwolf, created by James Cameron’s teams for the rainforest of the first Avatar film. The bat was also an obvious terrestrial reference for this predator.

Be mindful of the noise you make in the Clouded Forest or the blind Echo Stalker might well hear you.

Another example is the Soundblast Colossus, a massive herbivore that lives in the Upper Plains. If attacked, it generates a powerful sound blast that can injure surrounding predators, knock out the player and serve as a warning for nearby preys. As its special attack shows, the Soundblast Colossus was specifically designed to take advantage of the strong winds sweeping the Upper Plains.

The massive Upper Plains creature that is the Soundblast Colossus could surprise you with its Windblast defense. Only the strongest predators dare to hunt it.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is out tomorrow. PS5 players who purchase the game will receive the Aranahe Warrior Pack for free.

You can purchase the game at PlayStation Store in multiple editions to start your own journey on Pandora:

  • The Standard Edition with the base game
  • The Gold Edition with the game and Season Pass, including two upcoming story packs ‘The Sky Breaker” and “Secrets of the Spires”, the “Familiar Echoes” bonus quest, a unique banshee, and more.

The Ultimate Edition with the game, Season Pass, Ultimate Pack, and digital art book.

Sivako!

Disney Lorcana: Into the Inklands is a brand new expansion headed to the trading card game in 2024 that will add locations for the first time alongside cards from such beloved properties as DuckTales, Treasure Planet, 101 Dalmatians, TaleSpin, and more.

Into the Inklands will be released first at local game stores on February 23, 2024, and will then arrive at mass market retailers on March 8, 2024. While it’s always great to get new character cards, the location cards are the big game-changer this time around.

While more details will be revealed on exactly how they work in the future, the team at Ravensburger has teased that fans will be able to collect such locations as Motonui from Moana, the Jolly Roger from Peter Pan, and Maleficent’s Castle from Sleeping Beauty.

What was shared, however, is that “some give bonuses when characters visit them, while others provide benefits just by being in play.”

In total, Into the Inklands will add over 200 new cards to Disney Lorcana, and some of the highlights shared are Pluto, 101 Dalmatian’s Perdita, DuckTales’ Scrooge McDuck, TaleSpin’s Kit Clouldkicker, and Treasure Planet’s Jim Hawkins and the RLS Legacy crew.

Lorcana’s lore will also grow with Into the Inklands, as narrative can be learned through the quotes and descriptive text on the cards. As for the story so far, Lorcana tells the tale of us players a.k.a. Illumineers as we are transported to this realm of Lorcana.

The First Chapter told that part of the story, and the most recent expansion, Rise of the Floodborn, followed what happened after we accidentally unleashed a flood of mixed ink that spread lore throughout the realm. The Illumineers then worked to return this lore to the Hall of Lorcana as a threat of an “ominous shadow storm” inched ever closer.

For more, check out how Goofy became Lorcana’s strongest card, the ‘Dark Magician’ Winnie the Pooh and more from Rise of the Floodborn, and the card that shows what would have happened if Beast never broke his curse.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Buying new video games, hardware, and accessories for your preferred console doesn’t need to make a massive dent in your wallet. In fact, deals happen all the time for items like these, so you can save money while investing in your favorite hobby.

TL;DR – Our Favorite Video Game Deals

These sales even occur outside of events like Prime Day, Black Friday, or publisher events like Nintendo’s eShop sale in the summer or PlayStation’s Days of Play. And while we’ll always keep you up to date on those sales and what’s included in them, here, we’ll provide you with year-round deals that are worth taking advantage of. Whether you play on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC, you’ll find the very best deals listed below.

How to Avoid Xbox’s Game Pass Price Hike ($44.99 for 3-Months of Ultimate)

By securing 3-months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $44.99, you can actually avoid the hiked up Game Pass price. We recommend securing your current subscription for as long as possible. You can stack up to a maximum of 36 months of Game Pass, meaning you have the option to accumulate 3-month subscriptions up to 12 times.

Admittedly, this approach might put a strain on your wallet, totaling $539.88 if you purchase the 3-month package from the link above. However, when you compare it to the new cost of Game Pass Ultimate for 36 months at $16.99 per month, amounting to $611.64, you’ll realize you’re saving $71.76 on your subscription for the next three years. Otherwise, secure your membership for at least a year to lock in at least some savings overall.

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Amazing PS5 SSD with Heatsink for Just $58

Could your PS5 use more storage? Prices have been plummeting since Sony started letting people upgrade their SSDs. Right now you can get a TeamGroup T-Force A440 Pro 1TB for $58. It’s hard to beat the recent Prime Day and Black Friday we had, and this doesn’t match the best 1TB deal at $50 during the former’s sale, but it’s pretty close.

More PS5 SSD Deals:

  • ADATA 2TB Premium SSD for $129.90
  • Crucial P5 Plus 2TB (No Heatsink) for $138.65
  • Silicon Power 4TB XS70 for $245.99
  • Silicon Power 2TB XS70 for $119.97
  • Silicon Power 1TB XS70 for $71.99
  • SAMSUNG 980 PRO 1TB SSD for $76.86
  • XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade 1TB SSD for $79.99
  • Corsair MP600 PRO LPX 2TB for $119.99

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Perfect Steam Deck or Switch SD Card for $28

The best Steam Deck SD card should be fast, reliable, and as future-proof as possible. Therefore, you’re going to want to opt for the latest in SD card tech, which is a micro SDXC UHS-I U3 A2 V30 memory card. That’s a lot of random letters, so to save you a bit of time we’ve left our top suggestions and deals here for your convenience.

More Micro SD Card Deals

  • 256GB Samsung Evo Select A2 Card for $14.99
  • 1TB Teamgroup Pro A2 Card for $54.99
  • 128GB TeamGroup Go A1 Card for $8.99
  • 128GB Amazon Basics A2 Card for $17.13

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Tears of the Kingdom Is On Sale Right Now (Save $17)

This is an excellent price for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, saving you $17.92. It’s available at Walmart for $52.07. Make sure to jump on this offer quickly, though, as prices fluctuate all the time. You can also pick up Dying Light 2: Stay Human for Xbox Series X at a discount on Amazon for $21.29, 65% off its usual price of $59.99 and the Dead Space Remake Digital Deluxe Edition is currently down to just $8 if you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Member. Check out those deals and even more below.

More Video Game Deals:

  • Marvel’s Midnight Suns Enhanced Edition (PS5) for $27.81
  • Atomic Heart (Xbox Series X) for $59.38
  • A Plague Tale: Requiem (PS5) for $35.95
  • Sonic Origins Plus (Nintendo Switch) for $34.80
  • Yakuza: Like A Dragon – Xbox Series X for $17.99
  • Mortal Kombat 1 – PlayStation 5 for $58.99
  • Diablo IV – Xbox Series X for $54.99
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – US Version – Nintendo Switch for $54.95

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Get 39% Off the Anker 737 Power Bank

If you’ve been looking to pick up a power bank to use with your favorite devices, you can never go wrong with options from Anker. To see even more excellent power bank options, check out our picks below.

More Power Bank Deals

  • Baseus 65W Power Bank for $45.99
  • Anker 537 Power Bank for $59.99

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Official Guide for $27 (Save $18)

With these, you’ll have a detailed overview of Hyrule, a helpful walkthrough to get you through the game, and much more. Not only that, but they have gorgeous covers as well, especially the Collector’s Edition. The Standard Edition has an MSRP of $29.99 but is on sale for $18.74, and the Collector’s Edition normally runs for $44.99, but you can get it for $26.85. Plus, if you want to complete the set, the Breath of the Wild guidebook is also down to just $23 right now as well.

With how expensive gaming is getting in 2023, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.

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Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Similar to PS5 and Switch consoles, the best time of year to buy an Xbox Series X is over Black Friday or the weeks following the sale. Not only that, but we’ve continued to see some impressive discounts over the past few days — especially for those looking for the best Xbox Series X deal going. The most impressive deal going right now (while it is limited to location and YMMV), is the Walmart Xbox Series X Diablo 4 bundle for just $349. For more Xbox deal updates, ensure you’re following @IGNDeals on Twitter/X.

Best Xbox Series X Deal: $349 at Walmart

This is a staggeringly good offer, and well worth considering if you can secure one from your local store. Our top tip on this: try changing your shipping to pickup if see your local store has one! There’s also the standard Xbox Series X available for $349 with similar caveats, so it’s worth trying on both to see if you can secure the best deal possible.

Please Note: As we’ve mentioned the Xbox Diablo 4 bundle is only available in select locations. If it’s not available for you, there’s also an Xbox Series X console (non-bundle) that’s also available for $349. It’s not as good as the Diablo 4 bundle, but it’s still better than any Xbox deal we saw during Black Friday (~$399)

Best Xbox Series S Deal

While we haven’t had any deals quite as good as we saw during Black Friday, these Xbox Series S deals are still mighty impressive as far as we’re concerned. Our favorite right now is on the Xbox Series S + 3-months Game Pass + an Extra Xbox Wireless Controller for just $289.99. Overall that’s a saving of about $80 overall – not bad at all.

Best Xbox Deals: Xbox Core Wireless Controller for $34.99

Need a second controller? Lenovo has the official Microsoft Xbox Core Wireless Controller for for Xbox Series X|S consoles for only $34.99 after you apply a $5 off coupon code “MXBOXWH” in your shopping cart. Only the Robot White color is available at this price. This was the lowest price we saw for an official Xbox Core wireless controller during Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Other notable gaming deals right now include Star Wars Jedi Survivor for $32.99, Assassin’s Creed Mirage for $34.99 and Dead Space Digital Deluxe Edition for $7.99 for those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

How to Trade in Your Old Xbox

If you’re looking to trade in your old Xbox consoles, you can do so at select retailers in-store and online. Often, the most widely available retailers are GameStop and Best Buy. However, you can also trade your used devices online at retailers such as Amazon and Microsoft.

Some retailers will offer you cash for your used goods, while others may provide you with a gift card that can be used in-store and online. This is a great way to offload your old gaming gear and get some money that you can put towards a newer console and games.

While trading devices in at retailers will often net you the lowest amount for your used consoles, there are also online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, and OfferUp that may fetch higher prices, but you’ll often be responsible for packing and shipping costs, or be required to meet someone in person for the transaction, the latter of which poses its own risks.

Where to Trade in Xbox Games

Similar to Xbox console trade ins, you can also trade your existing games in at specific retailers. The most widely available retailer accepting used video games is GameStop, but they are notorious for giving you pennies on the dollar for your pre-owned titles. However, if you’re looking for an easy way to offload some of your library for cash or in-store credit, this is a convenient option. You can always look up the expected trade-in value on GameStop’s website before heading into a store, so you know exactly how much you’ll receive. Additionally, you can trade in your used games online through Amazon in exchange for an Amazon gift card.

Best Xbox Holiday Gift Ideas for 2023

Buying gifts for Xbox owners can sometimes be a challenge. Whether they’re a newcomer to the platform or a seasoned veteran, there are a wide variety of options out there to choose from. Do you go for a wireless headset? Or maybe some brand-new video games? Or maybe you set them up with an Xbox Game Pass subscription? No matter what kind of gift you’re looking to buy, we’ve got you covered with some of the best options available right here and ready for the festive holiday season.

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Get an Xbox Series X or Series S and access to hundreds of games, including day one releases, with 24 months of Game Pass Ultimate included—all for one low monthly price.

Check Out These Amazing Xbox-Themed Gifts

For the devoted Xbox enthusiast, their passion for the gaming console can become a defining aspect of their every day life. Well, there’s no better way to express that dedication by adorning their space with an array of enticing collectibles. Imagine having a jaw-dropping Master Chief action figure or a stunning statue that comes equipped with the iconic Grappleshot and Energy Sword.

You can also transform your gaming sanctuary with Xbox-themed lighting, casting a warm, radiant glow as you unlock those coveted achievements, or proudly display the iconic Xbox logo itself. Additionally, don’t miss out on the sheer thrill of owning the NERF Halo Needler Replica, which stands as a remarkable gift choice for any fervent Xbox or Halo fan in your life. These additions can help you further immerse yourself in the captivating world of Xbox and make your gaming haven truly exceptional.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.