MW3 Zombies season one patch notes: New story act, new Schematics, and more

The new Zombies experience for Modern Warfare 3 may have taken some getting used to for fans of the original game mode, but MW3 Zombies offers enough progression and steady content to feel fulfilling. And with the launch of season one, MWZ players will have even more to enjoy.

In season one, the captivating story will continue, new challenges will emerge, and fresh items will provide players with additional avenues of fun and efficient zombie slaying.

Here are all the major changes coming to MW3 Zombies when season one goes live on Dec. 6.

New MWZ story act

Season one introduces a new story act, Activision announced.

A new “anomaly” appears, prompting the operators of Operation Deadbolt to push inside the Dark Aether and face “their first major encounter.” The new story act and the mission kicking it off will be available right when season one launches. Players will also have to contend with a new warlord, electronics expert Dokkaebi and her “fleet of self-programmed autonomous drones.”

New Schematics

Three new Schematics for powerful Acquisitions are available in season one:

• Dog Bone (Legendary): A Dog Bone summons a friendly Hellhound companion that will follow you and attack nearby companions, up until it runs out of health. Prior to using a Dog Bone, friendly Hellhounds could only be summoned by taking meat to a doghouse.
• Golden Armor Plate (Legendary): Replaces your armor carrier with plates that automatically repair over time and provide additional damage resistances.
• Aether Blade: A lethal piece of equipment that is equal parts throwing knife and boomerang. It has infinite ammo and strikes another enemy before returning to the player’s hands.

Aether Rifts and Rift Runs

Players will be able to open Dark Aether Rifts and go on Rift Runs in season one of MW3 Zombies. Squads will have to navigate through “otherworldly labyrinths” in 30 minutes or less to earn “exceptional rewards.” Rifts can be opened by finding Sigils around the map.

“Dark Aether Rifts are unlocked by solving a hidden quest, which activates after completing the new Season 1 Story Mission,” the patch notes say. “These otherworldly labyrinths are located inside the Dark Aether, where players and their squad have a limited time to complete a series of increasingly chaotic objectives to earn exceptional rewards. Find Sigils to enter the Dark Aether Rifts and face a new level of challenge!”

V-R11 Wonder Weapon

The new V-R11 Wonder Weapon turns zombies into human NPC allies who will fight at your side and draw the attention of nearby zombies. Against enemy NPC combatants, the V-R11 Wonder Weapon will turn them into friendly zombies, similar to the ones that briefly join your cause when using the Brain Rot ammo mod.

New weapons, Prestige challenges, and more

The new guns added in MW3 season one, the RAM-7 and XRK Stalker, are also now available in Zombies once acquired in the battle pass. On top of that, Prestige mode is here, allowing players to level up past 55.

“Beginning in season one, reaching Rank 56 will unlock Prestige One,” Activision said. “Achieving this unlocks rewards and a set of challenges in Modern Warfare Zombies — complete those challenges to unlock multiple exclusive Calling Cards.”

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