Adrian has been writing, critiquing, and thinking about games since he first picked up an N64 controller many years ago. These days he writes reviews, news, and features for Game Rant and believes games should be held to the same artistic standards as books, movies, and television shows. When he's not writing for Game Rant, Adrian writes even more reviews for Sirus Gaming and likes to get nerdy about tech and retro games at HackerNoon. Outside the gaming world, he spends plenty of time enjoying movies or listening to every genre of music under the sun. Follow him on Twitter for nonsense tweets likely related to Dragon Ball Z, or check out Breadhouse Records for some tunes. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has received a substantial new update that nerfs four weapons while buffing nine others, giving the multiplayer meta a new look just days after launch. The October 28 update marks the first major weapon-balancing patch for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 as Infinity Ward preps the game for Season 1. Weapon balancing has already been a major talking point throughout Modern Warfare 4's short lifespan. During the beta, Infinity Ward made sweeping adjustments to the game's time-to-kill (TTK) after players raised concerns about how quickly gunfights ended, introducing longer engagements to the second beta weekend. The developer said Modern Warfare 4's new TTK was generally preferred across all skill levels, though some weapons still struggled to compete with others. Infinity Ward made further adjustments ahead of launch, but acknowledged that balancing the game's weapon classes would remain an ongoing process. Modern Warfare 4 Buffs SMGs While Nerfing Several Powerful Weapons According to Infinity Ward's October 28 patch notes, Modern Warfare 4 has received its first broad weapon-balancing update, with notable nerfs to the Han 86, Oden, APOC-338, and FiNN LMG. Meanwhile, nine other weapons have received buffs, including Modern Warfare 4's powerful M4, the Kastov 762, Patriot XMR, Type 73, and all five SMGs available at launch. Most SMGs now deal more consistent damage when hitting enemies' arms and hands, while the PPSh-41 also benefits from faster aiming and improved movement. The changes aren't entirely straightforward, however, as the Han 86 receives a damage-range increase alongside its reduced upper-body multipliers. The update also included attachment-specific adjustments affecting the Hyeon Burst and Warlord shotgun. Some of the decisions are particularly interesting given the early discussions surrounding Modern Warfare 4's weapon balance. The M4, already a familiar choice among players, has received a modest 3% increase to its maximum damage range, while the Kastov 762 gets a more substantial 11% improvement. Meanwhile, the Oden loses some torso and neck damage bonuses, and both the APOC-338 and FiNN LMG have been weakened at medium range. The result is a patch that strengthens certain assault rifles while making some heavier weapons less effective. Whether those decisions create a healthier multiplayer meta or simply push players toward the same few guns remains to be seen. As of now, Infinity Ward appears to be continuing the more cautious balancing philosophy it established during the beta rather than dramatically changing how Modern Warfare 4 plays. The developer says its primary goal with this patch is to normalize damage across different hit locations to make TTK more consistent overall, while also improving SMG performance as a whole. Previously, SMGs dealt slightly less damage when bullets struck an opponent's arms or hands, making close-range engagements less predictable. Removing those penalties should help the weapons perform more reliably, particularly against moving targets. The October 28 update also addresses several issues beyond weapon balancing. Infinity Ward fixed a bug that let the Quick Fix perk keep regenerating health while taking damage, then reduced diving velocity by 23% to temporarily address a movement exploit, and also made some camo challenges easier to complete. Changes to DMZ and other multiplayer fixes round out the patch, with more adjustments expected as Modern Warfare 4 approaches Season 1. Whether the latest buffs and nerfs improve weapon balance remains to be seen, although players probably shouldn't expect the current meta to remain untouched for long. All Weapon Buffs and Nerfs in Modern Warfare 4's October 28 Update Weapon Buffs Kastov 762: Maximum damage range increased by 11%. M4: Maximum damage range increased by 3%. Patriot XMR: Recoil control penalties reduced by 25% for the EXP Haste 80L Light Barrel and 20% for the FJX Fury IV Skeleton Grip. ISO Nightshade: Arm and hand damage multipliers increased from 0.95 to 1.0. PPSh-41: Aim-down-sights time reduced from 300ms to 280ms, movement speeds slightly increased, and arm and hand damage multipliers raised from 0.95 to 1.0. VEL 46: Arm and hand damage multipliers increased from 0.95 to 1.0. Wz.55 Striga: Maximum damage range increased by 7%, first mid-damage range increased by 2%, and arm and hand damage multipliers raised from 0.95 to 1.0. X-58 Nyx: Headshot damage multiplier increased by 4%, arm and hand damage multipliers increased, and the Void Apex Attachment received 5% and 3% buffs to maximum and mid-damage range, respectively. Type 73: Minimum damage increased by 5% when using the Assault Apex Attachment. Weapon Nerfs Han 86: Neck and upper torso damage multipliers reduced by 9%, although maximum damage range increased by 7%. Oden: Neck and upper torso damage multipliers reduced by 8%, while lower torso damage decreased by 9%. The Sentinel Apex Attachment also received damage-range reductions and an additional muzzle-velocity penalty. APOC-338: Midrange damage reduced by 3%, mid-damage range shortened by 4%, and minimum damage reduced by 6%. FiNN LMG: Mid-damage range shortened by 6%, while upper-arm damage multipliers decreased by 9%. Attachment Adjustments Hyeon Burst: Hyperburst Apex Attachment's full-auto maximum damage reduced by 8%, but maximum damage range increased by 26%. Its first mid-damage range was removed. Warlord: The 12G Slug Rounds attachment received a 10% reduction to mid-damage range 1.
