The MW4 Season 1 patch on November 5, 2026 buffed ten weapons including the Axion, M4 and Rezi 12, nerfed the Hyeon Burst Hyperburst Apex, VEL 46 and APOC-338, lowered Hardcore health from 30 to 22 and added a 120Hz mode on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Warzone got faster bullets, less flinch and faster weapon swaps.
Updated November 7, 2026. Covers updates up to November 5, 2026.
This is a plain-English summary of the official MW4 Season 1 patch notes and Warzone Season 1 patch notes. Exact values are taken from those notes. For new content rather than balance changes, read the MW4 Season 1 guide.
Which MW4 weapons were buffed and nerfed?
| Change | Weapons |
|---|---|
| Buffed | Axion (muzzle velocity 415 to 470 m/s), Wz.55 Striga, Rezi 12, Oris 8.6, M4, Patriot XMR, Krait P68, PPSh-41, ISO Nightshade, Type 73 Apex |
| Nerfed | Hyeon Burst Hyperburst Apex (max damage 30 to 23), VEL 46, APOC-338 |
The Hyperburst Apex nerf is the biggest single change: its top damage per bullet fell by almost a quarter. If it was your main weapon, try the buffed M4 or Axion. The Axion's faster bullets make it noticeably easier to hit moving targets at range.
What changed in MW4 multiplayer outside of weapons?
- Hardcore: max health dropped from 30 to 22, so fewer bullets are needed to win a fight.
- Argonaut: health raised from 800 to 1,200, so it takes more to bring down.
- Crossfire: spawn protection was added, and it takes 50% less bullet damage.
- Proximity Mine: arms in 0.75 seconds instead of 1.5.
- Claymore: arms in 0.75 seconds instead of 1, with a wider trigger area.
- Consoles: a new 120Hz Performance Mode on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- Fixes: Hijack spawns, Hardpoint capture, Theater mode and DMZ item duplication exploits.
What changed in Warzone's gunplay?
- Bullet velocity is faster across weapons.
- Flinch and recoil shake are reduced.
- Weapon swaps and movement while aiming are faster.
- Vehicles have critical damage points that take 30% more damage.
- Bomb Glider damage is reduced to below 300.
- Launchers destroy a Counter UAV with one rocket.
Map, movement and loadout changes are in the Warzone Season 1 changes guide.
What were the MW4 launch hotfixes?
Between launch on October 23 and the season update, Infinity Ward shipped several smaller fixes, listed in the launch patch notes:
- October 28: the first weapon tuning pass evened out damage by hit location and buffed SMGs. Dive speed was cut by 23%.
- October 29: XP gains were increased.
- November 2: the dive speed cut was reverted, the Sedative Inhaler's duration doubled to 120 seconds, and the JOKR's infrared mode was turned off for now.
Is the Warzone Agent app bannable?
Yes. The Season 1 notes say Activision began enforcement against "Warzone Agent", a third-party lobby-shopping app. Players running it are blocked from online modes until they close it, and they can be banned. Treat any app that changes matchmaking, reads game memory or promises easier lobbies as a ban risk.
What known issues are there right now?
Activision's known issues page lists loadouts failing to save for some players and several DMZ Prestige bugs. A bug that hid Combat Record and Leaderboard stats in MW4 is marked as fixed. The Warzone notes also list menu freezes after using Double XP tokens. If you hit one of these, restart the game before contacting support.
When is the next MW4 update?
The next big update is Season 1 Reloaded, which Activision has confirmed but not dated. Smaller hotfixes can arrive any day, usually without much warning. We update this page when new official notes are posted. Every Call of Duty guide is on the Call of Duty hub.
Patch day checklist. Recheck your saved loadouts after every update, play a few casual matches with your main weapon before you judge a change, and read the notes before your next competitive session. RankSurge is independent and is not affiliated with Activision.
Frequently asked questions
What weapons were nerfed in MW4 Season 1?
Three: the Hyeon Burst Hyperburst Apex, the VEL 46 and the APOC-338. The Hyperburst Apex change is the largest, cutting its maximum damage from 30 to 23 per bullet. Activision's November 5, 2026 patch notes list the exact values for each change. If you used the Hyperburst Apex, the buffed M4 or Axion are the closest replacements for a fast-killing primary weapon.
What weapons were buffed in MW4 Season 1?
Ten weapons were buffed: the Axion, Wz.55 Striga, Rezi 12, Oris 8.6, M4, Patriot XMR, Krait P68, PPSh-41, ISO Nightshade and Type 73 Apex. The Axion's muzzle velocity rose from 415 to 470 meters per second, which makes long-range shots easier. The rest received damage, range or handling improvements listed in the official Season 1 patch notes.
Did Hardcore change in MW4 Season 1?
Yes. The Season 1 patch lowered Hardcore maximum health from 30 to 22, so it takes fewer hits to win a gunfight. The same patch raised the Argonaut's health from 800 to 1,200, added spawn protection to Crossfire, and made Proximity Mines and Claymores arm in 0.75 seconds. Consoles also gained a 120Hz Performance Mode on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Can you get banned for Warzone Agent?
Yes. Activision's Season 1 notes say enforcement began against Warzone Agent, a third-party lobby-shopping app. Players using it are blocked from online modes until they close it and can be banned. Any app that changes matchmaking, reads game data or promises easier lobbies carries the same risk, so uninstall it rather than testing your luck.
When is the next MW4 patch?
The next major update is Season 1 Reloaded, which Activision has confirmed as a mid-season update but not dated. Smaller hotfixes arrive between seasons, often with little notice, and are posted on the official Call of Duty patch notes site. RankSurge updates this guide when new official notes are published, and lists the date it was last checked at the top.
