Black Ops 6 update has massive implications for Call of Duty League

Call of Duty League pros have had a difficult time so far determining a map and weapon pool for Black Ops 6, but the most recent update helped make that task easier.

Fans don’t expect the 2025 CDL season to start until around December. In the meantime, organizations have already begun hosting scrimmage matches against each other and participating in pre-season tournaments, like FaZe Zooma’s $100,000 event.

Unfortunately, first impressions about the current state of the competitive scene have been mixed. Pro players can’t find a proper balance between ARs and SMGs, leading to a ban on the Model L and XM4.

In addition, fans and players alike don’t feel good about the map options, as OpTic’s Dashy and Shotzzy labeled BO6’s maps as “dogs**.”

Thankfully, the Nov. 4 update addresses a few of those concerns.

Activision

First and foremost, the update nerfs snaking, which refers to players rapidly switching between prone and crouching behind an object.

Snaking is considered to be overpowered, because it allows players to safely peek above an object and either gain intel or win a gunfight without getting punished. In MW3, pro players reached a gentlemen’s agreement that banned the movement tactic, but Treyarch did that work for them in BO6.

This update adjusts stance change cooldowns to reduce the effectiveness of repeated prone-to-stand movement, and the devs implicitly stated, “enough snaking.”

Meanwhile, Flashbang grenades had their duration decreased by 20%, which should prevent them from getting banned.

As for weapons, Treyarch pulled in minimum damage ranges and nerfed headshot multipliers, while buffing SMGs to improve their damage in mid-range engagements. As a result, SMG pro players should have an easier time competing with ARs.

To address the map issue, the development team revealed that Season 1 introduces three new maps at launch, and more later in the season.