Black Ops: Cold War and Warzone patch notes for the Season 1 update

Black Ops - Cold War and Warzone patch notes: What's been introduced in the December 15th update?

Here's what's been added to Black Ops - Cold War ahead of the Season 1 release - minus Zombies changes and additions for brevity - copied verbatim via Activision's official blog.

Note any content marked with an asterisk (*) is available at the start of the season.

BLACK OPS - COLD WAR (GLOBAL)

Battle Pass

• Up to 100 tiers of unlockable items available in the Battle Pass System at the start of Season One, including two free weapons (Mac-10 at Tier 15, Groza at Tier 31), plus new Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, War Tracks, 1300 COD Points, 2XP Tokens, and more.
• Black Ops Cold War Battle Pass System progress can be earned in Black Ops Cold War, Warzone, and Modern Warfare at the start of Season One.
• Unlocked Vehicle Skins will be unique to each game (Black Ops Cold War and Warzone).

Progression

Cross-game progression

• Player progression will be synchronized across Black Ops Cold War, Warzone, and Modern Warfare at the start of Season One based on your current Season Level in Black Ops Cold War.
• All previous unlocks from Black Ops Cold War and Modern Warfare (weapons, Perks, Scorestreaks, or Killstreaks) will remain unlocked.
• 1,000 new Season Levels available at the start of Season One after completing Military Ranks.

Season One progression

• Level 50: New Prestige, Emblem, Prestige Key, Weapon Blueprint, Battle Pass Tier Skip
• Level 100: New Prestige, Emblem, Prestige Key, Battle Pass Tier Skip
• Level 150: New Prestige, Emblem, Prestige Key, Battle Pass Tier Skip
• Level 200: New Prestige, Emblem, Prestige Key, Battle Pass Tier Skip, Prestige Master Calling Card, all Season Challenges unlocked
• Level 250-1,000: New Prestige Key every 50 levels

Challenges

Season Challenges

• Unique sets of 20 Season Challenges added for both Multiplayer and Zombies.
• Challenges are unlocked every 10 Season Levels, with all Season Challenges unlocked by Level 200.
• Once unlocked, players can continue to earn progress toward completing these Challenges during future seasons.
• New Calling Cards available for completing all Season Challenges, plus a Master Calling Card for completing the full set each season.

Operator Missions

• All Operator Skins come with Operator Missions in Season One.
• Play MP, Zombies, and Warzone to earn additional XP rewards and Operator Skin variants.

Stability

• Added various stability fixes.

UI

• Addressed various UI issues

MULTIPLAYER

• The Pines (6v6)* - Coming to Core and Hardcore map rotation at the start of Season One.
• Raid (6v6)* - Coming to Core and Hardcore map rotation at the start of Season One.
• Nuketown '84 Holiday (6v6)*
• Coming to Core and Hardcore map rotation at the start of Season One.
• Available in Nuketown '84 Holiday 24/7 playlist at the start of Season One. Hardcore Nuketown '84 Holiday also available in Quick Play.
• Replaces Nuketown '84 during Season One holiday event.
• Gunfight Maps (2v2)* - Coming to Gunfight mode at the start of Season One:
• Game Show
• ICBM
• U-Bahn
• KGB
• Nuketown '84 (6v6)
• Adjusted spawns to reduce spawning in longer lines of sight to reduce spawn-trapping.
• Added spawns in and around mid-map to reduce spawn-trapping.

Game Modes

Gunfight*

• Available at the start of Season One.
• 2v2 showdowns. First duo to win six rounds wins the match.
• Includes four new maps: Game Show, ICBM, U-Bahn, and KGB.

Prop Hunt*

• Available at the start of Season One.
• One team of Hunters scours the map for the other team disguised as Props throughout the environment.
• Map list includes The Pines, Cartel, Checkmate, Moscow, Nuketown '84 Holiday, and Garrison.

Hardpoint

• Additional spawns added for all Hardpoint zones on Crossroads Strike.
• Adjusted spawns for Hardpoint zone 2 on Moscow.
• Addressed an issue where players could capture a Hardpoint outside of the yellow house on Nuketown '84.

Domination

• Addressed an issue where zone borders would show as contested before the round started.
• Addressed an issue where the announcer would incorrectly state an "almost won" line to the losing team.

Free-For-All

• Players will now join matches already in progress less frequently.

Search and Destroy

• The bomb waypoint will now fade when in line of sight.

Control

• Overtime Defense will now be given to the team that has fewer total deaths during the previous 4 rounds.
• Removed several defender spawns that were too close to the A zone on Garrison.

VIP Escort

• Addressed an issue where the VIP's third-person model would not match their first-person view during Exfil.

Fireteam

• Addressed an issue where the Cruise Missile HUD effects would play while in the Fireteam Spawn overhead menu.
• Addressed an issue where the Fireteam Spawn overhead HUD effects would be present during Best Play.
• Fixed a rare crash in Fireteam: Dirty Bomb related to the Sentry Turret.

Custom Games - CDL Control

• Reduced capture time from 60 seconds to 45 seconds.
• Addressed an issue where the lives remaining UI would not properly display the correct number of lives.

Featured Playlists*

• Raid the Mall - Available at the start of Season One. Includes a moshpit of 6v6 modes on Raid and The Pines.
• Gunfight - Available at the start of Season One.
• Prop Hunt - Available at the start of Season One.
• Nuketown '84 Holiday 24/7 - Available at the start of Season One. Includes a moshpit of 6v6 modes on Nuketown '84 Holiday.

Weapons

New Weapons*

• Mac-10 SMG available for free at Tier 15 in the Battle Pass System at the start of Season One.
• Groza assault rifle available for free at Tier 31 in the Battle Pass System at the start of Season One.

Assault Rifles

• AK-47
• Reduced headshot multiplier.
• Reduced damage for 20" Spetsnaz RPK Barrel.
• Krig 6
• Reduced headshot multiplier.
• FFAR 1
• Increased damage ranges.
• Reduced recoil.

Submachine Guns

• Milano 821
• Increased effective damage ranges.
• KSP 45
• Increased effective damage ranges.
• Bullfrog
• Increased effective damage ranges.

Tactical Rifles

• M16
• Reduced maximum effective range.
• Reduced fire rate.
• Tactical Rifle Charlie
• Reduced headshot multiplier.
• Reduced maximum effective range.
• Reduced fire rate.
• Reduced damage for 19.8" Task Force Barrel.
• Attachments
• Adjusted Barrel attachments that improve fire rates for tactical rifles.

Light Machine Guns

• M60
• Increased ADS speed.
• Increased weapon swap speeds.

Sniper Rifles

• Sniper Rifle Charlie
• Increased damage multiplier for upper chest to allow for a one-hit kill without attachments.
• 22.6" Tiger Team Barrel will now increase one-hit kill zone to upper arms.
• Recoil adjusted for higher shot power.

Pistols

• Magnum
• Increased effective damage ranges.
• Increased fire rate.

Shotguns

• Hauer 77
• Decreased damage ranges.
• Decreased damage range for 25.2" Task Force Barrel.
• Shotgun Bravo
• Decreased damage ranges.
• Decreased fire rate.
• Decreased damage range for 24.8" Task Force Barrel.
• Attachments
• Adjusted Barrel attachments that improve fire rates for shotguns.

General

• Reduced the amount of player knockback when being damaged by bullet weapons.

Perks

• Flak Jacket - Reduced explosive damage mitigation.
• Forward Intel - Increased viewable mini-map area.
• Ninja - Removed protection from Field Mic detection.
• Spycraft - Added full immunity to Field Mic detection.

Equipment

• Frag Grenade - Slightly increased damage.
• Molotov - Slightly increased damage.
• Stimshot - Reduced heal speed.

Field Upgrades

Field Mic

• No longer detects users who are crouch-walking, ADS walking, or swimming.

Gas Mine

• Increased damage.
• Removed detonation delay.
• Reduced how much a player will be slowed when affected by the gas.

Scorestreaks

H.A.R.P.

• High-Altitude Reconnaissance Plane shows both enemy positions and their directions on the mini-map.

Cruise Missile

• Addressed an issue where the Cruise Missile HUD effects would display after a Cruise Missile killcam.
• Addressed an issue where using a Cruise Missile from a Care Package could clear score earned toward the player's equipped Cruise Missile Scorestreak. RC-XD
• Addressed an issue that allowed the RC-XD to push teammates.

General

• Quick Play will now display the player's last selected tab between Core and Hardcore by default.
• Addressed an issue where Friendly Fire penalties would be applied for self-kills in Hardcore modes.
• Addressed an issue where the camera could not access the entire map in Crossroads.

PC

Stability

• Added various stability fixes.
• Addressed an issue that could cause the game to occasionally crash when quitting the game.

General

• Updated recommended driver version for NVIDIA GPU to 457.30.
• Updated recommended driver version for AMD GPU to 20.11.01.

WARZONE

Maps

Rebirth Island

• An all-new Battle Royale experience for Warzone.
• Intense, close-quarters action with a 40-player count and similar play style to Mini BR.
• New Gulag available in traditional Battle Royale modes.

Verdansk - New Gulag

• Prepare to be dragged to an interrogation room, strapped to a chair, and thrown into an all-new arena: a makeshift replica of the original Nuketown map layout with both home interiors and backyard barricaded off, focusing the duel to a confined central arena.

Events

Rebirth Island Seasonal Event

• 16 new challenges for those dropping into Rebirth Island for the first time to earn Calling Cards, Charms, Emblems, Stickers, a special "Noxious" LMG Blueprint and more, along with additional secrets to uncover!

Modes

Rebirth Island: Resurgence

• Respawn every 30 seconds until the final circle, or the last squad is left standing.
• Killing an enemy provides you with extreme clarity on where the rest of that enemy team is located.
• The Gulag is closed during this event (likely for some deep fumigation).

Weapons

Black Ops Cold War weapons added:

• 6 Assault Rifles, including the new Groza AR in the Season One Battle Pass System
• 6 Submachine Guns, including the new Mac-10 SMG in the Season One Battle Pass System
• 4 Marksman (Tactical) Rifles
• 3 Light Machine Guns
• 3 Sniper Rifles
• 3 Pistols
• 2 Shotguns
• 3 Launchers, including the M79 Special launcher
• 1 Melee weapon

Weapons

Stitch (Warsaw Pact)

• Unlocked via Battle Pass Level 0.
• Legendary Operator Skin unlocked at Tier 100.

Vargas (Warsaw Pact)

• Black Ops Cold War Operator available in Warzone starting in Season One.

Song (NATO)

• Black Ops Cold War Operator available in Warzone starting in Season One.

Vehicles

Attack Helicopter

• Similar to the regular Helicopter but with one major exception: Mounted on both side rails is a belt-fed minigun that can be controlled by squad members.
• Available on both Verdansk and Rebirth Island at the start of Season One.

Progression

Career

• Added new Career menu to track progression from Military Ranks to Season and Prestige Levels.
• Progression menu removed from Barracks.
• See Global section above for full Cross-Game Progression and Prestige details.

Gunsmith

• Attachments unlocked for Black Ops Cold War weapons will be available through the Gunsmith, allowing players to modify weapons for use within Warzone.

Challenges

Daily Challenges

• Coming to Season One: Receive a set of 3 new Daily Challenges every day from across 3 categories: Reconnaissance, Combat, and Support.
• Swap Challenges in and out to suit your play style and optimize your progression.

Warzone Missions

• Mastery Challenges and Missions from previous seasons remain available.

General

• Removed the Juggernaut reward from Subway and Stadium Easter Eggs.
• "Strange Magic" / "Time of the Season" Watch will no longer be visible through walls.
• Players will be longer be able to clip inside of Loadout packages.
• Added collision to Airport to prevent an exploit.
• Addressed an issue where Park or Baker Operator Skin listings could show a repeating "Name" skin that could kick the player back to the menu when hovered over.
• Addressed instances where War Tracks could continue to play when exiting vehicle.

Warzone Season 5 is almost here! If you want to learn more about firepower from previously, we explain the best Welgun loadout, best Cooper Carbine loadout, best Gorenko Anti-Tank Rifle loadout, best STG44 loadout, best MP40 loadout, best Automaton loadout, best BAR loadout, best Combat Shotgun loadout, best Type 100 loadout, and best Kar98k loadouts.

As well as the above, here are some 'unofficial' patch notes from Drift0r on Twitter, to give you some additional early insight into the weapon tuning mentioned above:

Enjoy the new season!

If you need a hand with specific Warzone weapons, you can read how to get the best Grau loadout, best MP7 loadout, best Kilo loadout, best M4A1 loadout and the best M13 loadout.