Warzone Season 2 update patch notes: Anti-cheat improvements, Mobility changes & XM4 nerf

Call of Duty’s battle royale gets another major update with Warzone Season 2, bringing anti-cheat improvements and quality of life changes. 

It’s been a rocky start to Black Ops 6’s era of Warzone, with players unimpressed by only getting the Area 99 Resurgence map while they wait for Verdansk in spring 2025, and lobbies plagued by cheaters. 

Aware of the issues, Activision has confirmed some of what we can expect with the update, so here’s everything we know about Warzone Season 2 including the release date. 

Warzone Season 2 release date

Warzone Season 2 goes live on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. This is the date the Season 1 Battle Pass expires, and new seasons always go live the same day as the last one ends. 

These updates typically launch at 9 AM PT / 5 PM GMT with preloading going live a couple of days before. 

New content delay explained

Activision

Activision announced, “We’ve made the decision to prioritize focus on gameplay tuning, adding more quality of life improvements, and addressing ongoing bugs. This means that in order to deliver meaningful improvements to our players, new content originally planned for Season 02 has been shifted to create bandwidth to address foundational issues. These improvements won’t come all at once – rather, they’ll be staggered across the season and with quite a few quality of life changes coming mid-season. Our priority is having the most solid foundation that Battle Royale can offer and are excited for players to see it all live.

Anti-cheat updates

Cheating has always been an issue in Warzone and things came to a head again with the Season 1 update but, with the devs admitting they “missed the mark,” they have promised more changes are coming in Seasons 2 and 3. 

In a December 16 blog post, the devs said they’ll update “our kernel-level driver and brand-new server-side protections.” We’ll know more about what’s coming as Season 2 approaches. 

New weapons

Activision

• Cypher 091: Full-auto assault rifle. Slower rate of fire balanced by great handling and excellent mobility.
• Feng 82: Full-auto light machine gun. Very slow rate of fire with great damage and handling.
• TR2: Semi-auto marksman rifle. Great rate of fire and respectable handling.
• PPSh-41: Full-auto submachine gun. Fast fire rate with impressive damage and high recoil. Moderate handling.

Special weapon attachments

• AEK-973 Marksman Rifle: Full Auto Mod
• Tanto .22 SMG: Binary Trigger 

Gameplay changes

Activision

Body Shield

• Victims are no longer automatically released mid-air.
• The outline of the victim, previously visible through walls, has been disabled.
• Players can no longer release a victim without executing them first.

The body shield was incorrectly releasing your victim when attempting to take someone with you to a plummeting death, resulting in your own death but not your victim’s.

Additionally, we are removing the griefing mechanic of repeatedly releasing, downing, and releasing the same target. Going forward, if you choose to body shield a player, it must now culminate in an execution.

Movement

Jumping

• Increased both jump speed and successive jump height with one unmodified successive jump.

We’re reverting some jump penalties to the values used last year. This marks the first step in our jump evaluation, and we’ll revisit this topic again in the future.

Parachute

• Increased the speed of the parachute cut animation, making cutting a parachute and readying your weapon significantly faster.
• Increased player velocity when landing from a cut parachute land, for smoother transition into full sprint.

The recovery time after landing from a parachute has often felt overly punishing, both for players trying to evade and those looking to engage. This adjustment aims to make the action more fluid and balanced, preventing it from feeling overly restrictive.

Perks

Reactive Armor Perk Slot 2

• Your armor will regenerate up to 50% if you have not taken damage in the last 5 seconds.

• Available via Event Reward

Adjustments

• Tracker
  • Pings have been replaced with an outline that is not visible through walls but will still appear on targets through smoke.
  • Tracker can now mark up to five targets simultaneously. Engaging a sixth target will remove the outline from the first target.

Tracker, Spy Camera, and Proxy Alarm have been adjusted to balance their usage. These changes address the over-reliance on intel systems that provide vision through walls. By scaling this back, we aim to align these mechanics with systems like UAVs while offering additional visual feedback. Our goal is to make highlight interactions more consistent, grounded, and balanced across engagements.

• Dexterity
  • The weapon handling component of Dexterity has been enhanced and is now a default perk for all Warzone players.

This will result in smoother weapon handling for jumping, sliding and diving as a default change to all players. 

• Mountaineer
  • This perk returns in Slot 1, replacing Dexterity. Fall damage reduction has been significantly improved compared to the current version with Dexterity, though it’s not as powerful as its iteration in Modern Warfare III.

• Veteran
  • Now provides significant damage reduction against the effects of Gas Grenades.

Equipment

• Munitions Satchel 
  • Now only provides 1 additional item, down from 2, to address overstocking and spamming equipment.

• Tacticals & Lethals
  • Maximum deployed tacticals and lethals reduced to 2 each, down from 3, to make more purposeful trap plays.

• Impact Grenade
  • Default stack size increased from 2 to 3.
  • When equipped with a Munitions Satchel, the max stack size increases to 4.

Impact Grenades occupy a unique niche between Semtex and Frag grenades. A direct hit significantly boosts its damage while also bypassing some of the mitigation provided by Bomb Squad, making it a more skill-based option. We’ve made the choice to retain its max stack size at 4, due to it underperforming quite significantly in metrics previously. Perhaps this makes it more IMPACTFUL. 

• Thermobaric
  • Inner radius increased from 25 to 50.
  • Inner damage increased from 190 to 220.
  • Outer damage increased from 48 to 55.

The Thermobaric grenade has been adjusted to improve its usability by increasing the inner radius, making it easier to deal higher damage. The slight damage boost complements this change.

• Frag Grenade
  • Inner damage decreased from 250 to 240.
  • Middle damage decreased from 170 to 120.
  • Outer damage increased from 48 to 55.

Frag grenades are a staple in combat, known for their reliability. Following adjustments in Black Ops 6, they’ve become easier to use. These changes aim to align their damage output with their ease of use, and we will continue to monitor their effectiveness.

• Experimental Gas Grenade
  • Slightly increased the trigger height of the gas effects to better match visuals.
  • Movement reduction from gas decreased:
    • Without resistance: from 60% to 50%.
    • With resistance: from 60% to 25%.
  • Gas damage against resistant targets reduced from 8 to 5.

Gas grenade usage has increased, and these changes ensure proper counters are in place. The Veteran perk remains the best option to counter negative equipment effects. These adjustments aim to balance the grenade’s effectiveness while keeping counters viable.

• Stim Shot
  • Strafe slide velocity with stim slightly reduced.

The combination of stim and omni-directional slides exceeded normal velocity thresholds. This adjustment brings it back in line with regular gameplay metrics.

• Spy Camera
  • Updated the outline visual to no longer display through walls.
  • Effect duration increased from 7 seconds to 10 seconds.

• Proxy Alarm
  • Updated the outline visual for better clarity.

Killstreaks

• Advanced UAV
  • Advanced UAVs now display elevation arrows to indicate player altitude.

• Bunker Buster
  • Gas damage against targets with gas resistance has been reduced from 8 to 5.

Field Upgrades

• Loadout Drop Marker
  • The bounce factor for Loadout Drop Markers has been reduced by 50%.

It’s not uncommon to see Loadout Markers bouncing far from their intended drop location. By halving the bounce factor – which was previously comparable to that of a smoke grenade – we aim to maintain the grenade-like behavior while minimizing the frustrating, unintended movement. We’ll continue to monitor player feedback on this adjustment.

• Portable Decontamination Station
  • The ability to re-enable closed Buy Stations during the final circle by placing a Decontamination Station nearby has been removed.

Quality-of-life changes

• Buy Stations
  • All Buy Stations, including deployable and standard ones, now close at the beginning of the “Final Circle” announcement.

• Deployable Boxes
  • Utility boxes, such as munition boxes, armor boxes, and others, can no longer be placed in the gas.

We’ve noticed an increase in buy backs during the final circle, sometimes even after the gas has completely consumed the map. While we appreciate resourceful plays, the tactic of a team camping a Buy Station to secure a win doesn’t align with our vision for “last team standing wins”. To address this, we’re making changes to encourage more meaningful and intense engagements in the final moments – the way we believe most matches are meant to end.

We remain committed to identifying and addressing other “cheese” strategies in the game. Regardless of how long a mechanic has been around, we’re dedicated to refining systems to enhance the game’s competitive integrity.

• Score Events 
  • Added a new “Splat” score event in Battle Royale, which triggers when a player is eliminated while parachuting or skydiving.

• Experience Balance
  • Battle Royale
    • Player XP increased by +7%.
    • Weapon XP increased by +10%.
  • Resurgence
    • Player XP decreased by -8%.
    • Weapon XP increased by +10%.
  • Plunder
    • Player XP increased by +22%.
    • Weapon XP decreased by -13%.

Player and Weapon XP rates have been adjusted in Warzone to bring each mode closer in line with one another.

• Advanced UAV
  • Advanced UAVs now display elevation arrows to indicate player altitude.

• Warzone Barracks
  • The button layout in the Warzone Barracks has been reorganized to match the structure used in Multiplayer and Zombies.

• Ammo Caches
  • Ammo Cache Depots now function like Munition Boxes, dropping additional ammo and equipment on the ground.

• Pinging Buyback Flares
  • Players can now ping the flares from buybacks to better alert their teammates.

• Match Stat Tracker
  • The font used in the match stat tracker has been adjusted for improved readability, especially at lower resolutions.

• Detailed Weapon Stats
  • New stats have been added, and the layout has been redesigned to prioritize data clarity and accessibility.

Some stats adjusted by the attachments were not represented. The new stats better reflect reality.

• Fade Distance
  • The fade distance for loadout and cash drop crates while parachuting has been reduced to 300 meters for improved visibility.

General

• Reload Speeds
  • Reload speeds have been improved across all weapons, with increases ranging from 5% to 20%, depending on the weapon class.
    • Modern Warfare 3
      • Assault Rifles (ARs): 15% faster
      • Marksman Rifles (MRs): 5% faster
      • Submachine Guns (SMGs): 10% faster
      • Sniper Rifles: 12% faster
      • Handguns: 5% faster
      • Battle Rifles: 10% faster
    • Modern Warfare 2
      • Assault Rifles (ARs): 12% faster
      • Marksman Rifles (MRs): 10% faster
      • Light Machine Guns (LMGs): 15% faster
      • Submachine Guns (SMGs): 22% faster
      • Sniper Rifles: 15% faster
      • Handguns: 5% faster
      • Battle Rifles: 10% faster
    • Black Ops 6
      • Assault Rifles (ARs): 5% faster
      • Marksman Rifles (MRs): 5% faster
      • Light Machine Guns (LMGs): 10% faster
      • Submachine Guns (SMGs): 10% faster
      • Sniper Rifles: 10% faster
      • Handguns: 5% faster
      • Reload speeds for Flip and Fast Mag attachments have been increased by an additional 5%.
• Bullet Penetration
  • Adjusted bullet penetration across most materials resulting in a more consistent experience for thicker walls in particular.
• Weapon Swap
  • Increased swap speed by 10%, effectively replicating the effect of the Quick Grip Gloves Perk from Modern Warfare.
• Sprint-to-Fire
  • Reduced sprint-to-fire penalty when jumping from 35% to 10%.
• Aim-Down-Sight
  • Reduced the aim-down-sight (ADS) jump speed penalty by 25%.

Assault Rifles

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Maximum Damage Range	Damage: 36 Range: 0-53.3 meters	Damage: 36 Range: 0-58.4 meters
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 33 Range: 53.3-71 meters	Damage: 33 Range: 58.4-76.2 meters
Minimum Damage Range	Damage: 28 Range: >71 meters	Damage: 28 Range: >76.2 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Aim Down Sight speed improved from 290ms to 270ms.
• Sprint to Fire time improved from 205ms to 190ms.
• Lower Torso multiplier increased from 0.88x to 0.9x.

AMES 85

• Leg multiplier increased from 0.9x to 0.95x.
• Headshot multiplier increased from 1.1x to 1.15x.

AS Val

• Default magazine reload speed is 5% faster.

Goblin Mk2

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 45 Range: 45.7-60.9 meters	Damage: 48 Range: 45.7-71.1 meters
Minimum Damage Range	Damage: 43 Range: >60.9 meters	Damage: 43 Range: >71.1 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Bullet Velocity increased from 800m/s to 820m/s.
• Default Magizine and Flip Magizine clip size increased from 20 to 25.
• Lower, Arm, and Hand multipliers increased from 0.8x to 1x.

GPR 91

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Maximum Damage Range	Damage: 32 Range: 0-43.1 meters	Damage: 32 Range: 0-36.8 meters
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 28 Range: 43.1-58.4 meters	Damage: 28 Range: 36.8-50.8 meters
Minimum Damage Range	Damage: 25 Range: >58.4 meters	Damage: 25 Range: >50.8 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Aim Down Sight speed slowed from 225ms to 240ms.
• Sprint to Fire time slowed from 160ms to 175ms.
• Leg multipliers decreased from 0.9x to 0.84x.

Model L

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Maximum Damage Range	Damage: 36 Range: 0-55.8 meters	Damage: 36 Range: 0-62.2 meters
Medium Damage Range	Damage: 30 Range: >55.8 meters	Damage: 30 Range: >62.2 meters
Minimum Damage Range	Damage: 25 Range: >58.4 meters	Damage: 25 Range: >50.8 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Leg multipliers increased from 0.85x to 0.88x.

XM4

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Maximum Damage Range	Damage: 29 Range: 0-39.3 meters	Damage: 29 Range: 0-34.2 meters
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 26 Range: 39.3-53.3 meters	Damage: 26 Range: 34.2-48.2 meters
Minimum Damage Range	Damage: 24 Range: >53.3 meters	Damage: 22 Range: >48.2 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Leg multipliers decreased from 1x to 0.88x.

Attachment Adjustments

• 100 Round Magizine:
  • Aim Down Sight speed penalty increased from 15% to 30%.
• Buffer Stock:
  • Horizontal Recoil Control bonus decreased from 60% to 45%.
  • Vertical Recoil Control bonus decreased from 30% to 18%.
  • Gunkick bonus decreased from 32% to 20%.   

SMGs

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Maximum Damage Range	Damage: 36 Range: 0-12.1 meters	Damage: 36 Range: 0-13 meters
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 30 Range: 12.1-22.3 meters	Damage: 31 Range: 13.24.1 meters
Medium Damage Range 2	Damage: 28 Range: 22.3-31 meters	Damage: 28 Range: 24.1-31 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Aim Down Sight speed improved from 210ms to 200ms.
• Sprint to Fire time improved from 130ms to 120ms.
• Bullet Velocity increased from 550m/s to 570m/s.
• Leg multipliers increased from 0.9x to 1x.

Jackal PDW

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Maximum Damage Range	Damage: 41 Range: 0-11.4 meters	Damage: 41 Range: 0-10.1 meters
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 35 Range: 11.4-20.3 meters	Damage: 35 Range: 10.1-18.2 meters
Medium Damage Range 2	Damage: 30 Range: 20.3-27.9 meters	Damage: 30 Range: 18.2-27.9 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Upper Torso and Arm multipliers decreased from 1x to 0.93x.
• Lower Torso multiplier decreased from 0.9x to 0.83x.
• Bullet Velocity decreased from 530m/s to 500m/s.

Kompakt 92

• Aim Down Sight speed improved from 225ms to 210ms.
• Sprint to Fire time improved from 145ms to 130ms.

KSV

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Maximum Damage Range	Damage: 33 Range: 0-12.9 meters	Damage: 33 Range: 0-13.9 meters
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 28 Range: 12.9-23.1 meters	Damage: 28 Range: 13.9-24.8 meters
Medium Damage Range 2	Damage: 25 Range: 23.1-35.5 meters	Damage: 25 Range: 24.8-35.5 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Aim Down Sight speed improved from 220ms to 210ms.
• Sprint to Fire time improved from 130ms to 120ms.
• Bullet Velocity increased from 510m/s to 550m/s.

PP-919

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 34 Range: 12.7-22.8 meters	Damage: 34 Range: 12.7-21.3 meters
Medium Damage Range 2	Damage: 30 Range: 22.8-30.7 meters	Damage: 30 Range: 21.3-30.7 meters

Additional Adjustments

• Headshot multiplier decreased from 1.07x to 1.04x.
• Leg multipliers decreased from 1x to 0.82x.

LMGs

XMG

• Buffer Stock Attachment
  • Horizontal Recoil Control bonus decreased from 40% to 25%.
  • Vertical Recoil Control bonus decreased from 25% to 15%.
  • Gunkick bonus decreased from 25% to 15%.

Pistols

9mm PM

Attribute	Pre-patch	Post-patch
Maximum Damage Range	Damage: 50 Range: 0-6.3 meters	Damage: 50 Range: 0-8.8 meters
Medium Damage Range 1	Damage: 45 Range: 6.3-15.2 meters	Damage: 45 Range: 8.8-16.5 meters
Minimum Damage Range	Damage: 40 Range: >15.2 meters	Damage: 40 Range: > 16.5 meters

• Headshot multiplier increased from 1.2x to 1.3x.
• Upper Torso and Arm multipliers increased from 1x to 1.2x.
• Attachments
  • Extended Mag I
    • Magazine size increased from 12 to 15.
  • Extended Mag II
    • Magazine size increased from 15 to 18.

While you wait, make sure you’re using the meta guns in Season 1 Reloaded and have applied the best controller and PC settings.