MW3 November 21 update patch notes: SMG buffs, DG-58 & Holger 556 nerfs

The latest MW3 update delivers a massive list of weapon balancing changes, including SMG buffs and nerfs to the DG-58 and FR 556.

Sledgehammer Games has a clever way of cluing players in on what’s coming in future Modern Warfare 3 updates. As part of the beta update, the devs reassured fans that spawn improvements were in the works. Then, the November 15 patch update promised a long-awaited change to the slide delay.

And finally, on November 17, Sledgehammer Games confirmed an overhaul to weapon balancing coming soon. So far, ARs have reigned supreme in MW3. The Holger 556, DG-58, and MCW dominate multiplayer lobbies, leaving SMGs in the dust.

During an interview with Repullze, Sledgehammer Games acknowledged that the SMG class needed to be looked at and that the balancing update is finally here.

Activision

MW3 SMGs finally receive buff

Community members crowned the Striker as the best weapon during MW3’s beta. During the second testing weekend, Sledgehammer Games responded by nerfing the SMG’s damage ranges and extremity multipliers. When the game officially launched, it quickly became abundantly clear that the Striker and other short-range options took a backseat to ARs in the meta.

The devs listened to community feedback and responded: “The highlight of this balance pass is a reduction to the lethality of the FR 5.56 and DG-58. Both Weapons will now require two headshots to kill an enemy with a single 3-round burst fire. Additionally, these changes aim to improve the consistency and viability of Submachine Guns to the intended target for the class.”

Let’s take a look at how much of a difference the changes make on paper in MW3.

Modern Warfare 3 November 21 update patch notes

Here are the complete November 21 update 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

UIX

• 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.

Weapons

•  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.