M4 and MP5 nerfed in Modern Warfare Jan 28 update – patch notes

Call of Duty developers Infinity Ward have released a new update for Modern Warfare that includes weapon balancing changes, Deathmatch Domination Gunfight Custom, the return of Shipment 24/7 and more.

The Call of Duty community was surprised with a new update on January 28 that stunningly nerfed two of the most powerful weapons in the game – the MP5 submachine gun and M4A1 assault rifle.

The weapon balancing didn’t stop there; the M13 assault rifle was buffed in several of its specifications, while the new Crossbow, released in the major v1.13 update, was slightly nerfed in its ability to shoot down certain aerial killstreaks.

In addition to the weapon tuning, this patch introduced a new multiplayer mode called “Deathmatch Domination,” a new variant of Gunfight called “Custom,” a Playlist Update, and general fixes for some of the issues currently plaguing the game.

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A full breakdown of everything in this update can be found below, including the official patch notes.

Weapon balancing changes – MP5 and M4 nerfed

The MP5’s range was slightly reduced when equipped with the 10mm ammunition attachment, with its headshot multiplier also being reduced. The M4A1 received a small decrease to both its range and damage, the latter in order to reduce its headshot effectiveness.

The Crossbow was the third weapon to be nerfed with this update, as it now takes five Thermite Bolts to shoot down an enemy VTOL and six to take down a Chopper Gunner and Support Helo. Prior to this patch, players were able to shoot down a Support Helo with just three Bolts.

One weapon that was buffed – the M13 assault rifle. Its range was increased, horizontal recoil slightly decreased, and headshot effectiveness boosted with a slight damage increase.

What else is new – Deathmatch Domination, Gunfight Custom & Playlist Update

Aside from the weapon balancing changes, this patch also introduced a brand new multiplayer mode called Deathmatch Domination.

As its name suggests, the mode combines TDM and Domination and rewards players both for getting kills and capturing the objective, with both being necessary to clinch victory.

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Infinity Ward also added Gunfight Custom, the latest variant of the fan-favorite 2v2 mode. In this version, players are able to create their own loadouts before entering a match for the first time, instead of using random, pre-determined classes or picking weapons and equipment off the ground, which was the case in the O.S.P variant.

Speaking of Gunfight, Winter Docks, the holiday-themed version of the Docks map, was removed from the rotation. There was also a Playlist Update pushed through, returning Shipment 24/7 in the place of Shoot the Ship and adding Capture the Flag into the Quick Play Filter.

Modern Warfare January 28 patch notes

Playlist Update

• Added Deathmatch Domination!
• Added Gunfight Custom!
• Shipment 24/7 is back! (Replaces Shoot the Ship)
• Removed Winter Docks
• Moved Capture the Flag into the Quick Play Filter

GENERAL FIXES:

• Weapons:
  • MP5: Reduced headshot multiplier, Small reduction to 10mm range
  • M4: Small damage decrease to reduce headshot effectiveness, Small range decrease
  • M13: Range increase, Small reduction to horizontal recoil, Small damage increase to boost headshot effectiveness
  • Crossbow: Players are able to shoot down an enemy Support Helo with only 3 Thermite Bolts. This has been adjusted; 5 to take down a VTOL and 6 to take down a Support Helo and Chopper Gunner
• Fix for an exploit in Ground War via ATV
• Fix for missing character model on the LA OpTic CDL skin
• Shipment: Spawn tuning to reduce the frequency of instant deaths and spawn traps. Adjustments to spawn positions around the edge of the map for all modes. New spawn logic for Domination.
• When using keyboard and mouse, a controller button prompt will appear to access the Social Menu while matchmaking. On PC with a PS4 controller, the button prompt will appear as an Xbox prompt. This has been fixed.