Call of Duty: MW3 Gets Huge New Update With Multiplayer and Zombies Changes

MW3's newest update is one of its biggest yet.

By Logan Moore - November 21, 2023 01:34 pm EST

The latest update for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has today released across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. Since launching earlier this month, Activision has been quick to let loose a number of different patches for MW3 to continue improving its latest first-person shooter. Now, that trend has continued with what is perhaps the biggest update that Modern Warfare 3 has seen so far.

Available to download at this very moment, the newest Modern Warfare 3 update looks to implement a variety of balance changes. These tweaks have predominantly been made on the multiplayer side of things as a number of different weapons have now been nerfed or buffed. Additionally, this update also makes a ton of improvements to MW3's Zombies game mode. While none of these overhauls are too major, Zombies has received a couple of bug fixes to go along with some adjustments with Zombie spawning.

You can get a full look at everything altered in today's MW3 update via the patch notes attached below.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Patch Notes

GLOBAL

STABILITY & PERFORMANCE

Resolved a crash that could occur while viewing Weapon Challenges.

UIX

Bug Fixes
- Closed an exploit that allowed players to equip Weapon Camos they have not yet unlocked.
- Addressed an issue that prevented players from equipping the Borealis Weapon Camo once it has been unlocked.

COSMETICS

Dragonfly Blueprint for the M4 (MWII) will now appear as expected across all platforms.
Addressed an issue that prevented the appearance of the Io Operator (MWII) from dynamically changing as expected.
Adjusted the Ghoulie Camo (MWII) to prevent it from becoming overwhelmingly bright in dark environments.

MULTIPLAYER

Wins will now progress Armory Unlocks without first completing Daily Challenges.
- Today's update includes UI modifications to reflect this previously-implemented change.
Bug Fixes
- Players will no longer experience graphical corruption when transitioning between the Field Upgrades and Social menus.
- XP requirements in the Progression menu will no longer display as negative values under certain conditions.
- Attachments that are incompatible with the current selection can no longer be equipped to a Weapon.

PROGRESSION

Challenges
- Updated the description of the Gilded Camo challenge for the MTZ-556 (Assault Rifle) to accurately reflect the intended requirements.
- Weekly Challenges requiring Triple Kills and Quad Kills will now properly track completion.

MAPS

Derail
- Adjusted environmental fog to increase contrast, improving visibility.
Estate
- Decreased grime on windows of the Lodge to improve clarity.

WEAPONS

Holger 556 (Assault Rifle)
- Decreased headshot damage multiplier from 1.4x to 1.3x.
- Decreased neck, upper-torso, arm, and hand damage multipliers from 1.1x to 1x.
- Increased sprint to fire time from 210ms to 231ms (+10%).
DG-58 (Assault Rifle)
- Decreased maximum damage from 44 to 40 (-9%).
- Decreased medium damage from 35 to 33 (-6%).
- Decreased neck damage multiplier from 1.4x to 1.1x.
- Increased burst delay from 100ms to 120ms (+20%).
FR 5.56 (Assault Rifle)
- Decreased maximum damage from 44 to 43 (-2%).
- Decreased near-medium damage from 40 to 36 (-10%).
- Decreased minimum damage from 36 to 33 (-8%).
- Decreased headshot damage multiplier from 1.5x to 1.4x.
- Decreased leg and foot damage multipliers from 1x to 0.9x.
- Increased aim down sights time from 240ms to 260ms (+8%).
- Increased sprint to fire time from 210ms to 231ms (+10%).
Striker (Submachine Gun)
- Increased maximum damage range from 9m to 19m (+114%).
- Increased near-medium damage from 33 to 36 (+9%).
- Increased far-medium damage from 27 to 33 (+22%).
- Decreased aim down sights time from 240ms to 230ms (-4%).
AMR9 (Submachine Gun)
- Increased lower-torso, lower-arm, and hand damage multipliers from 1x to 1.1x.
- Decreased sprint to fire time from 294ms to 206ms (-30%).
Striker 9 (Submachine Gun)
- Decreased maximum damage from 32 to 27 (-16%).
- Decreased aim down sights time from 275ms to 225ms (-18%).

PERKS

Ordnance Gloves
- Removed undocumented reduction to the cook duration of Frag Grenades.

ZOMBIES

GAMEPLAY

Missions
- Storm the Castle
  - Warlord kill credit is now squad-based, and the required mission item will now spawn when a member of your squad kills the target.
- Interceptor
  - Destroy Mercenary Convoy now accurately tracks completion.
  - Picking up a Keycard from a mercenary at the convoy will always count toward mission completion.
Perk-A-Colas
- Tombstone Soda
  - Tombstones will no longer appear in the next session if a player exfils while in last stand.
General
- Essence can no longer be stowed.
- Addressed an issue where newly stowed items, acquisitions, or schematics would be replaced, and therefore lost, with previously sold items that underwent a swap item menu interaction.
- Closed various exploits related to the use of Cymbal Monkeys.
- Closed an exploit that permitted duplication of scorestreaks.

ENEMIES

Zombies
- Zombie spawn priority has been adjusted to favor increased ground spawning.
  - Players can expect fewer ambient Zombie spawns on rooftops and higher elevations.
Terminus Outcomes
- All Mercenaries
  - Mercenary damage against Player Armor has been reduced.
- Shielded Soldiers
  - Shielded Soldiers now have a slower fire rate when engaged.

Pack-A-Punch
- Addressed an interaction and UI issue that would incorrectly show Pack-A-Punch Level III as Pack-A-Punch Level IV.

STABILITY

Various stability fixes.