Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Season 1 Patch Takes Aim at Aftermarket Parts

Activision has released an update for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 that makes significant balance changes to weapon customisation.

The target here is to balance the Aftermarket Parts feature, which gives players a way to interact with weapons they've already mastered. It lets players convert weapons into entirely new guns, a step beyond the capability of regular attachments. To access the kits, you’ll need to complete in-game challenges that become available once the supported weapon reaches max level.

In a post on the Call of Duty website, co-developers Sledgehammer Games and Treyarch said the design team aimed to create Conversion Kits “that offer players fun and unexpected experiences with familiar Weapons.”

“A part of this goal is to maintain a balance where Conversion Kits enhance a Weapon's capabilities without overshadowing its original role,” the developers continued. “Based on your feedback and a review of recently released Aftermarket Parts, we've implemented significant changes for you to experience today. Looking ahead, we've refined our approach to balancing Aftermarket Parts to ensure they're powerful, worth the grind, and most importantly, fun!”

Meanwhile, the update contains a small change to Zombies mode to add Warlord randomization.

Modern Warfare 3 launched in November 2023, with Season 1 Reloaded launching earlier this month.

Here are the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Season 1 Patch Notes in full:

GLOBAL

CUSTOMIZATION

• Operator Skins and Blueprints that are not actively available in the Store can now be purchased directly via the Armory.
  • Note: This does not include limited-time, upcoming, or discounted items.

MULTIPLAYER

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.

WEAPONS & ATTACHMENTS

Many balance adjustments in today’s update target Aftermarket Parts. In the following section, you’ll find insights from our Design team that aim to explain the intent behind some changes.

One goal of our Design team is to create Conversion Kits that offer players fun and unexpected experiences with familiar Weapons. A part of this goal is to maintain a balance where Conversion Kits enhance a Weapon's capabilities without overshadowing its original role. Based on your feedback and a review of recently released Aftermarket Parts, we've implemented significant changes for you to experience today. Looking ahead, we've refined our approach to balancing Aftermarket Parts to ensure they're powerful, worth the grind, and most importantly, fun!

» Assault Rifles «

• 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%).

Although the JAK Signal Burst possesses lethal 1-burst kill potential, its recoil often limits its effectiveness at the most common engagement ranges. Additionally, its burst delay caused difficulty in landing a follow-up burst to confirm kills. Today's changes target these weaknesses, making this Aftermarket Part a more favorable option.

» Battle Rifles «

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

The JAK Thunder LMG Kit is all about committing to a gunfight and letting the rate of fire accelerate to deadly RPMs. Today's change gets this Weapon to its maximum damage potential significantly faster. Let loose! Equip the JAK BFB or Billeted Brake Attachments and pre-fire to your heart's content for maximum effectiveness.

» Submachine Guns «

• AMR9
  • 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
    • 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
    • Decreased aim down sight spread by 75%.
    • Decreased hipfire spread penalty by 50%.

Upon release in Week 6, the JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit did not function as designed. With this update, this Conversion Kit has been reworked to truly fire two bullets at once (it is no longer a 2-round burst), noticeably improving its time-to-kill. Additionally, we've significantly reduced the aim down sight spread and recoil of this Conversion Kit, allowing better control in close-mid range engagements where the Ettin is intended to shine.

AMR9 (Submachine Gun): JAK Ettin Double Barrel Conversion Kit, Cronen Intlas MSP-12 Optic, Wolfhound Carbine Stock, Sakin ZX Rear Grip, 100 Round Drum Magazine.

• 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%.

True to its namesake, the JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion is most lethal when accurately landing shots to the head and upper-torso. Today's changes increase its lethality and decreases the burst fire delay in order to improve its ability to duel at a distance. We intend for this Aftermarket Part to play more like an agile, mid-range Assault Rifle than a Submachine Gun; we expect that it may be out-performed by the base Rival-9 at close range. Equip damage range, bullet velocity, and recoil control Attachments to highlight its strengths.

» Marksman Rifles «

• 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%).

EQUIPMENT

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

Previously, the Breacher Drone could not detonate upon impact with a player within the initial 5 meters of its flight. Now, it can detonate with a reduced detection radius within this range, addressing reports of the drone “passing through” enemies. Functionality beyond 5 meters remains unchanged.

ZOMBIES

WARLORDS

Warlord Randomization

• Dokkaebi's week-long spotlight has ended, and now a random Warlord will be selected at the start of each match.
• Players can view which Warlord is active via the Tac Map. Plan accordingly!
• Players can also progress the Act 4 Mission 'Storm the Castle' by eliminating any Warlord when this mission is active.

Warlord: Dokkaebi

• Players will no longer be able to eliminate Dokkaebi in one shot with multiple weapons.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.