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CoD operators do battle on a new map in MW3 season one.
Image via Activision

MW3 season one patch notes: 4 maps, 5 guns, ranked play, and more

It's MW3's first big one of many.

It’s never been a better time to grind Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 than in season one, which is certain to be chock full of some awesome new content for fans of MW3.

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While season one also includes big changes to Warzone and Zombies mode, MW3 multiplayer is the focal point of the update with some massive changes and content drops on the way.

Here’s everything that’s coming in MW3 season one’s patch notes.

MW3 season one patch notes

A screenshot of CoD operators fighting and defending an objective on a new map in MW3 season one.
Get ready to grind. Image via Activision

The MW3 season one patch notes are full of new content and changes. Read on below for everything in the new season.

Balance changes

MW3’s season one will bring a slew of balancing changes to existing weapons alongside the new guns, along with some new features, such as stamina and health bars in the bottom left of the in-game HUD.

For weapon changes, there are quite a few. In general, assault rifles are being slightly nerfed while SMGs are being buffed a bit to maintain a better balance between the two biggest archetypes in the game. The Riot Shield has also been given a 10 percent movement speed penalty while on the player’s back, but a melee damage increase to compensate.

Some of the most interesting changes, however, are to several Modern Warfare 2 guns. The M4, TAQ-V, Vaznev-9K, ISO 45, and several other guns from MW2 have also been buffed to help add more variety and bring them in line with MW3 weapons.

“Snaking” has also been nerfed, according to Sledgehammer, which said it “introduced a delay to stance transitions to combat a movement exploit commonly referred to by players as ‘snaking'” and it will continue to “monitor the impact of these changes and continue to address feedback where appropriate.”

The full list of patch notes can be found on CoD’s website.

Four new maps

Season one adds four new maps, including three six-vs-six maps and one for two-vs-two Gunfight.

At launch, the MW3 season one adds Meat and Greece (six-vs-six), and Training Facility for Gunfight mode. The fourth map, a six-vs-six map named Rio, will be coming in Season One Reloaded, likely sometime in January.

Five new weapons

Get ready to grind more camos and rank up more weapons. There are five, to be exact, coming throughout MW3‘s first season. Here’s what they are.

XRK Stalker (Battle Pass)

An image of new MW3 weapon, the XRK Stalker.
Sniper fans, let’s have some fun. Image via Activision

“Stalk your prey and lay them out with this tactical sniper rifle chambered in .50 Cal.”

RAM-7 (Battle Pass)

An image of new MW3 weapon, the RAM-7.
It’s back from MW 2019. Image via Activision

“Exceptionally compact, this bullpup assault rifle sports a lightweight, polymer frame and is chambered in versatile 5.56.”

Stormender (Battle Pass)

An image of new MW3 weapon, Stormender.
Another launcher option to annoy foes with. Image via Activision

“This state-of-the-art weapon system fires a localized EMP on a slight delay. Destroys tactical and lethal equipment and temporarily disables other electronic devices.”

HRM-9 (Mid-season)

An image of new MW3 weapon, HRM-9.
Run and gunners, rejoice. Image via Activision

“A light yet stable 9mm submachine gun for close-quarters combat and putting down enemies quickly.”

TAQ Evolvere (Mid-season)

An image of new MW3 weapon, TAQ Evolvere.
This one sounds fun. Image via Activision

“An advanced, multi-caliber LMG capable of firing 7.62 or 5.56 with minimal adjustments to the weapon. Versatile and exceptionally lethal in the right hands.”

Nine new Aftermarket Parts

An image highlighting four of the Aftermarket Parts coming to MW3 in season one.
The grind continues for these. Image via Activision

New Aftermarket Parts are coming, too. These Kits that fundamentally change a gun are being added for the AMR9, Sidewinder, Holger 556, TYR, Rival-9, and several others, all of which will be unlockable in various ways such as weekly challenges.

New vest

An image of the new Assassin Vest coming in MW3 season one.
Bravo Six, going quiet. Image via Activision
  • “Kills don’t display skulls. Immune to UAV and enemy radar effects (including while stationary). Duplicate effects do not stack. If equipped with Ghost T/V Camo, (Gear), you gain the effects of Hijacked IFF Strobe (Gear).”

An all-new vest may change the way you play in season one and beyond. The Assassin Vest allows for a tactical and lethal, plus all three gear slots. It removes the Field Upgrade in favor of a stealthy playstyle, though.

New killstreaks

An image of the Swarm and EMP killstreaks in MW3.
Swarm the skies or take out the enemy’s equipment. Image via Activision

Two new killstreaks are throwbacks from past entries in the series.

  • Swarm (15 Kills, 1,875 Points): “Deploys a large number of mosquito drones to provide blanket coverage over the entire area.”
  • EMP (13 Kills, 1,625 Points): “Electromagnetic pulse to disrupt enemy Killstreaks and equipment.”

Ranked Play and game modes

An image of two CoD operators wearing MW3 ranked play reward skins in a match.
A new skin to grind for. Image via Activision

Ranked Play is finally coming to MW3 but not at season one’s launch. It’s coming in the midseason Reloaded update sometime in January, and it will give players a new way and reason to grind multiplayer matches.

Returning modes in MW3 in season one include Gunfight and All or Nothing, but more modes are expected in-season as well, including an LTM called Vortex, which brings the Ray Gun to multiplayer, a Christmas-themed event called Santa’s Slayground, and returning modes like Infected, Headquarters, and Team Gunfight.

New Prestige levels and weekly challenges

An image of the Prestige rewards in season one of MW3.
Five Prestiges are coming in season one. Image via Activision

Prestige mode returns in season one, alongside a slew of new weekly challenges and unlockables, just like in season zero. The max level will rise to 250, and there will be unique rewards to earn, as seen in the image above.

New operators

Three new operators are joining MW3 via the battle pass. Their names are Nolan, Dokkaebi, and Abolisher (BlackCell battle pass exclusive).


The full list of MW3’s patch notes for season one can be found on the CoD website.


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Author
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Scott Duwe
Senior Staff Writer & Call of Duty lead. Professional writer for over 10 years. Lover of all things Marvel, Destiny 2, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and more. Previous bylines include PC Gamer, Red Bull Esports, Fanbyte, and Esports Nation. DogDad to corgis Yogi and Mickey, sports fan (NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Rangers, NY Knicks), Paramore fanatic, cardio enthusiast.