MW3 Jan 23 update patch notes: AMR9 changes, Aftermarket Parts balancing, more

MW3’s January 23 patch brings sweeping changes to some of its most powerful weapons, as well as some Aftermarket Parts that have been tuned to be more worthwhile options as Conversion Kits to existing weapons. Here’s everything you need to know.

Though MW3’s Season 1 patch has received its fair share of flak for how its been implemented, devs have been quick about fixing and re-balancing the game.

The January 23 update isn’t the most massive update in terms of size, but it ushers in some important changes for the AMR9 that narrow in its identity as an SMG and some Aftermarket Parts that could create meta-defining loadouts.

Here’s are the full patch notes for this small yet meaningful update:

MW3 Jan 23 update full patch notes

Activision

Weapons, Attachments & Equipment

Holger 556

• JAK Signal Burst
  • Increased gun kick control benefit by 10%.
  • Increased recoil control benefit by 10%.
  • Decreased burst fire delay from 120ms to 90ms (-25%).

Sidewinder

• JAK Thunder LMG Kit
  • Decreased bullets required to reach maximum rate of fire from 25 to 15 (-40%).

AMR9

• Base Weapon Stats changed:
  • Decreased maximum damage range from 16.5m to 14m (-15%).
  • Decreased near-medium damage range from 22.9m to 20.3m (-11%).
  • Decreased medium damage range from 38.1m to 35.6m (-7%).
  • Increased headshot damage multiplier from 1.2x to 1.3x (+8%).
  • Decreased lower-torso damage multiplier from 1.1x to 1x (-9%).
  • Decreased lower-arm damage multiplier from 1.1x to 1x (-9%).
  • Decreased hand damage multiplier from 1.1x to 1x (-9%).
  • Increased upper-leg damage multiplier from 0.9x to 1x (+11%).
  • Increased lower-leg damage multiplier from 0.9x to 1x (+11%).
  • Increased foot damage multiplier from 0.9x to 1x (+11%).
  • Increased rate of fire from 789rpm to 833rpm (+6%).
• JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
  • Decreased aim down sight spread by 75%.
  • Decreased hipfire spread penalty by 50%.
  • Overhauled firing mechanism to simultaneously fire two bullets per shot.
  • Added locational damage multipliers.
    • Head: 1x
    • Neck: 0.9x
    • Upper-Torso: 0.9x
    • Lower-Torso: 0.9x
    • Upper-Arm: 0.9x
    • Lower-Arm: 0.8x
    • Hand: 0.8x
    • Upper-Leg: 0.8x
    • Lower-Leg: 0.8x
    • Foot: 0.8x

Rival-9

• JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion
  • Decreased maximum damage from 30 to 26 (-13%).
  • Decreased medium damage from 29 to 24 (-17%).
  • Decreased minimum damage from 25 to 22 (-12%).
  • Increased headshot damage multiplier from 1.3x to 2x (+54%).
  • Increased neck damage multiplier from 1.1x to 1.5x (+36%).
  • Increased upper-torso damage multiplier from 1.1x to 1.5x (+36%).
  • Decreased burst fire delay from 80ms to 66ms (-18%).
  • Decreased sprint to fire penalty by 10%.
  • Decreased aim down sight time penalty by 7%.
  • Decreased hipfire spread penalty by 20%.

DM56

• JAK Signal Burst
  • Increased gun kick control benefit by 10%.
  • Increased recoil control benefit by 10%.
  • Decreased burst fire delay from 120ms to 90ms (-25%).

Breacher Drone

• Breacher Drone (Lethal)
  • Detonation upon impact within 5m will now occur with a decreased detection radius.

Bugfixes & Gameplay Changes

UIX

• Addressed an issue causing Camo challenges to appear multiple times during the After Action Report.
• Selecting the Carrack .300 11K Optic Attachment will no longer unexpectedly kick the player back to the menu.
• Revised multiple Attachment descriptions to better reflect their true effects.
  • XTEN ERX-10 Mini Optic
  • Tac 840C Stock
  • CDG T-25 Light Barrel
• Revised Fully Loaded challenge descriptions to clarify Attachment requirements.

Progression

• Broken Signal Camo for the TAQ Evolvere can now be progressed to completion.
• Electric Shock Event challenge will now track progress as intended.

Modes

• Supe’d Up (Limited-Time Mode)
  • Temp V abilities can now be earned more than once per life.
  • Adjusted columns displayed on the in-match Scoreboard.
    • Kills
    • Confirms
    • Denies
• Private Match
  • Adjusted several game rules to further align with the Competitive Settings v1.0 ruleset while a CDL game mode is selected.