Warzone’s weapon roster is seeing a welcome shake-up with the latest Season 3 Reloaded update. After months of Black Ops Cold War guns dominating the battlefield, several fan-favorite weapons from current Warfare 2 and current Warfare 3 have been buffed to make them much more competitive. This move could lead to more variety in loadouts and change how players approach fights across Verdansk once again.
The return of Verdansk initially came with buffs primarily targeting Black Ops Cold War firearms, aiming to bring time-to-kill (TTK) figures closer to those seen in the original Warzone experience. However, this left iconic guns like the Cypher 091 and AK-74 as rare glimpses of diversity against staples such as the Grau and CR-56 AMAX. The developers promised that more weapons would receive attention down the line, and Season 3 Reloaded has begun delivering on that promise by improving many key MW2 and MW3 arms.
The mid-season patch notes published by Activision revealed an extensive list of adjustments spanning various weapon categories. Players quickly noticed the inclusion of numerous older but popular choices from current Warfare 2 and current Warfare 3. While not every gun from these titles saw changes, some of the most favored ones did.
Assault Rifles, such as the TAQ-56 (MW2) and Holger 556 (MW3), received increased damage across all distances. In particular, they now deal approximately 40 damage at mid to long ranges, dramatically lowering their TTK and putting them on nearly equal footing with some powerful Black Ops Cold War counterparts.
Submachine Guns (SMGs), among others, were also substantially improved. The WSP-9 from MW3 and MX9 from MW2 stand out with new damage values hitting around 45 and 38 respectively at close range (~11–12 meters). These buffs could breathe life into SMGs that struggled against dominant assault rifles lately.
Buffed MW2 & MW3 Weapons List:
Assault Rifles (ARs)
- BAL-27 (MW3)
- Holger 556 (MW3)
- M4 (MW2)
- TAQ-56 (MW2)
Submachine Guns (SMGs)
- HRM-9 (MW3)
- WSP-9 (MW3)
- MX9 (MW2)
- PDSW 528 (MW2)
Shotguns
- Lockwood 680 (MW3)
Light Machine Guns (LMGs)
- Pulemyot 762 (MW3)
- TAQ Eradicator (MW3)
- RAAL MG (MW2)
- Sakin MG38 (MW2)
Sniper Rifles
- FJX Imperium (MW2)
Thanks to these adjustments, you can expect to see more diverse weapon picks popping up throughout matches. That said, it’s important to note that none of these boosted current Warfare weapons are available in Ranked Play modes.
If you want full details straight from Activision’s patch notes for The Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War & Warzone Season Three Reloaded Update:
Official Season Three Reloaded Patch Notes – May Update
This update shifts power back toward some older favorites that had fallen behind since Verdansk’s initial comeback. Whether you’ll swap your usual loadout for one of these buffed classics might depend on how they feel after testing, but it’s good news if you’re looking for variety beyond BO6 staples like the Cypher or AMAX.
