Modern Warfare 3 launch patch notes detail campaign fixes and multiplayer updates

Sledgehammer Games has released the launch day patch notes for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Republished in full below, they primarily cover various changes made to the game’s multiplayer component since last month’s beta tests.

The update also fixes a number of campaign gameplay bugs, stability and performance issues.

Modern Warfare 3 was officially released today for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

The game is a direct sequel to last year’s Modern Warfare 2. Development is being led by Sledgehammer, in collaboration with Infinity Ward, while Treyarch is in charge of its Zombies mode.

According to a new report, Modern Warfare 3 and some of its creators suffered from a rushed development cycle that saw its campaign made in about 16 months.

Over a dozen developers told Bloomberg that the project started life as an expansion to last year’s Modern Warfare 2 before Activision decided to transform it into a full-blown sequel, claims which the publisher has denied.

“Sold as a pre-order bonus and given about as much thought, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3‘s single player offering is a short, shallow waste of time that feels less like a video game and more like a contractual obligation,” according to VGC’s review.

Alongside the release of the game’s first patch notes, Sledgehammer said: “Today’s launch is only the beginning, and we look forward to providing a consistent stream of content updates, bug fixes, and gameplay adjustments in the year ahead.”

Modern Warfare 3 launch patch notes

CAMPAIGN

STABILITY & PERFORMANCE

• Offline play will no longer be prevented after first setting up an Activision account.
• Save data integrity has been reviewed and checkpoint loading errors have been solved.
• Fixed multiple UI-related crashes that occurred while navigating menus.
• Resolved several crash bugs when loading into some missions.
• Fixed an issue in which some players experienced an excessive load time after the opening title splash.
• Fixed several graphical bugs that resulted in hitching after a melee kill.
• Fixed a graphical bug that resulted in assets loading in low quality.

GAMEPLAY BUG FIXES

• Resolved a bug that resulted in low audio, audio skipping, and missing dialogue in some cutscenes.
• Addressed areas in multiple maps in which players could use vehicles and helicopters to access out of map locations.
• Enemies should no longer stay in cover more often or longer than intended.
• Fixed a bug in which certain command inputs unintentionally reset loadout selection.
• Players can now toggle the Optic for the silenced M4 and the Cronen Squall.
• Fixed a bug in which players became immune to damage from Gas and Equipment.
• Fixed a bug in which Supply Boxes will not open on first attempt.
• Fixed a bug in which weapons were missing from orange Supply Boxes.
• Fixed enemy clipping through objects in the environment on death or in combat.
• Fixed warning message for areas where the player could only crouch.

MULTIPLAYER

UIX

• Visual Changes
  • Added a stroke to player nameplates to improve visibility.
  • Adjusted font and contrast of the score event text on the HUD to be less obstructive.
• New Features
  • Added a HUD element that displays the player’s current streak after each kill.
  • Match event popups now feature the respective player’s equipped Calling Card.
  • Skillful player achievements, such as Kingslayer, Collateral, etc., will now display a Medal splash on the player’s HUD.
  • Tac-Stance toggle state is now indicated by a widget in the lower-right area of the HUD, replacing the previous prompt while aiming down sights.
  • Match Stats are now available during gameplay via a new tab in the Scoreboard, allowing the player to compare current performance to their career average.
  • Detailed Statistics are now viewable while choosing an Attachment in the Gunsmith.
• Bug Fixes
  • Players will no longer be unexpectedly prompted to choose a Loadout after earning multiple rewards.

MAPS

• Added spawn anchors to many maps in order to influence the flow of combat in the direction of each map’s intended design.
• In Team Deathmatch, team-owned areas are now more favored by spawn selection and resistant to enemy pressure.
• In Domination, spawn selection is now more resistant to enemy pressure on flags, improving consistency by favoring owned flags.
• Estate
  • Added frontline logic to prevent unintentionally frequent spawn flips.
• Favela
  • Decreased the priority of spawn points near the Shacks and Construction Site.
• Highrise
  • Decreased the priority of spawn points in the Actibase and Phonic Tunnels.

GAMEPLAY

• Adjusted footstep volume to further distinguish enemy and friendly players.
• Added an option to double-tap the aim down sights button to activate Tac-Stance.
• Refreshed Default Loadout options with a widened range of content.
• Movement
  • Sprint input while sliding will now cancel the slide animation.
  • Decreased aim down sights time penalty while jumping by 20%.
• Settings
  • Added an option to double-tap the aim down sights button to activate Tac-Stance.
  • Added new options to Slide/Dive Behavior.
    • Tap to slide, disables the dive.
    • Tap to dive, disables the slide.

WEAPONS & ATTACHMENTS

• SVA 545 (Assault Rifle)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 19%.
  • Increased rate of fire from 632 RPM to 682 RPM (+8%).
  • Increased lower-torso damage multiplier from 1x to 1.1x.
  • Decreased recoil to veer less to the right.
• MTZ-556 (Assault Rifle)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 18%.
  • Increased maximum damage range from 23m to 27m (+17%).
• MCW (Assault Rifle)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 18%.
  • Increased recoil during sustained fire.
  • Decreased minimum damage from 24 to 21 (-13%).
• Striker (Submachine Gun)
  • Decreased maximum damage from 42 to 36 (-14%).
  • Decreased near-medium damage from 33 to 27 (-18%).
  • Decreased fear-medium damage from 27 to 25 (-7%).
  • Decreased minimum damage from 21 to 20 (-5%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 250ms to 240ms (-4%).
• Holger 26 (Light Machine Gun)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 13%.
• Pulemyot 762 (Light Machine Gun)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 16%.
  • Decreased maximum damage from 47 to 45 (-4%).
  • JAK Annihilator Bullpup Kit (Conversion Kit)
    • Increased bullet velocity by 29%.
    • Decreased rate of fire from 666 RPM to 571 RPM (-14%).
• MTZ Interceptor (Marksman Rifle)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 15%.
  • Increased hipfire spread during sustained fire.
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 330ms to 265ms (-20%).
• MCW 6.8 (Marksman Rifle)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 12%.
  • Increased hipfire spread during sustained fire.
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 260ms to 245ms (-6%).
• Longbow (Sniper Rifle)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 13%.
  • Swapped full-auto crosshair for expected semi-auto crosshair.
  • Increased flinch when shot by an enemy player to align with other Sniper Rifles.
  • Increased hipfire spread while moving and during sustained fire.
• KV Inhibitor (Sniper Rifle)
  • Increased bullet velocity by 5%.
  • Increased hipfire spread while moving.
  • Increased flinch when shot by an enemy player by 18%.
• WSP Stinger (Handgun)
  • Swapped semi-auto crosshair for expected full-auto crosshair.
  • Decreased maximum damage from 25 to 24 (-4%).
  • Decreased maximum damage from 27 to 25 (-7%).
  • Decreased maximum damage range from 12m to 6m (-50%).
  • Decreased upper-torso damage multiplier from 1.1x to 1x.
  • Decreased hipfire spread during sustained fire.
• Renetti (Handgun)
  • Swapped semi-auto crosshair for expected burst-fire crosshair.
  • Slightly increased recoil during sustained fire.
  • Decreased minimum damage.
  • JAK Ferocity Carbine Kit (Conversion Kit)
    • Swapped semi-auto crosshair for expected full-auto crosshair.
    • Increased aim down sight time 200ms.
    • Increased sprint to fire time from 80ms to 100ms (+25%).
• COR-45 (Handgun)
  • Decreased maximum damage range from 9m to 6m (-33%).
  • Decreased near-medium damage range from 20m to 10m (-50%).
• High Velocity (Ammunition)
  • Decreased bullet velocity multiplier from 1.2x to 1.15x.
  • Decreased Sniper Rifle bullet velocity multiplier from 1.3x to 1.17x.
• Low Grain Rounds (Ammunition)
  • Decreased damage range penalty.
  • Decreased bullet velocity penalty.
  • Decreased recoil control advantage.
• High Grain Rounds (Ammunition)
  • Decreased recoil control penalty.
  • Decreased bullet velocity advantage.
  • Decreased damage range advantage.
• Optics (Attachment)
  • Decreased aim down sights time penalty across multiple Optic types.
    • Dots & Holographics: 30ms to 0ms (-100%).
    • 2.5x: 70ms to 15ms (-79%).
    • 4x & Hybrids: 40ms to 20ms (-50%).
    • Scopes: 100ms to 50ms (-50%).
• Muzzles (Attachment)
  • Slightly increased aim down sight penalty for Flash Hider, Compensator, and Muzzle Break types.

PERKS

• Demolition Vest
  • Battle Rage (Tactical) will now only restock up to 1 use.
• Tactical Pads (Boots)
  • Increased slide velocity, replacing the slide distance advantage.
    • Note: Perk description will reflect this change in a future update.
• Tac Mask (Gear)
  • Added immunity to Flash Grandes (Tactical) thrown by the player’s self.

FIELD UPGRADES

• Trophy System
  • Mosquito Drone (Killstreak) will no longer be targeted and destroyed.
• Med Box
  • Updated description to better reflect functionality.
    • Deploy a box of medical supplies for you and your teammates to reduce healing delay.

KILLSTREAKS

• Enemy Killstreak activations will now invoke announcer voicelines as expected.
• Guardian-SC
  • Decreased volume of Guardian-SC’s owned by teammates.
  • Increased environmental audio occlusion.
  • Addressed an issue that caused a player’s HUD to disappear until respawn after being stunned.
• Counter UAV
  • Players within interior areas will no longer receive a “Not enough space to call in” error upon activation.
• Juggernaut Recon
  • Decreased magazine capacity from 20 rounds to 8 rounds (-60%).

VEHICLES

• NSTV
  • Increased traction to improve handling on slippery surfaces.