Before Season 1, Modern Warfare 4 had already received a string of updates. Infinity Ward gathered them on a single official page, the launch patch notes, which grew from October 21 to November 2, 2026. It covers launch content, the first weapon tuning pass, perk and killstreak changes, DMZ economy and a long list of fixes. SequeLariCOD picked out what matters most and explained it in our own words. Only what the official page says goes in; the full link is at the end.
What arrived at launch
Multiplayer launched on October 23 with 20 maps: 12 core 6v6 maps, 3 Ground War maps (32v32), 4 Gunfight maps (2v2) and Kill Block. More than ten modes arrived too, including Hardcore, plus four new modes: Inflation, Hijack, Collateral and Combat Outpost. In total there were 33 weapons, 33 Operators and 17 killstreaks. Extra playlists followed in the next days, such as Shipment 24/7 and Gun Game, plus the Halloween modes Infected and Possession.
The first weapon tuning pass (October 28)
On October 28 the first weapon tuning arrived, touching 15 weapons. In short, long-range assault rifles such as the Han 86, Kastov 762 and M4 got a longer max damage range, and the Han 86 lost its neck and upper torso damage bonus. The ODEN got weaker on the torso, and its Sentinel Apex attachment lost range.
Several submachine guns (ISO Nightshade, PPSh-41, VEL 46, Wz.55 Striga and X-58 Nyx) now deal full damage to arms and legs. The PPSh-41 also aims faster, and the X-58 Nyx's headshots are worth more. Among LMGs, the APOC-338 and FiNN LMG lost some power, while the Type 73 with the Assault Apex attachment gained a point of minimum damage. The Warlord shotgun with slug ammo had its mid range reduced.
Each of these changes, with the numbers from the notes, is in the weapon's Changes tab and on our Updates page, grouped by official note. That way you can compare them with what changed again in Season 1.
The dive that came and went
A curious case: on October 28 the team flagged a movement trick where players dove right after a sprint jump to gain speed. As a quick fix, dive speed was cut by 23%. On November 2 that temporary cut was reverted and the original speed came back, and the notes say animation issues were still to be fixed later.
Perks and killstreaks
The notes list perks by tier and some tweaks. Blood Rush now triggers Tactical Sprint when you press sprint; Battle Hardened now cancels most effects of stun and flash grenades; with Quick Fix, taking damage now interrupts health regeneration; and flash and concussion grenades got slightly shorter range and duration.
For killstreaks, the UAV costs 5 eliminations (4 with Hardline) and got tougher, with health going from 100 to 150. The game also launched the Smart Streak Meter: objective actions, such as capturing a point in Domination, count toward your next streak. The Wheelson's aiming and pathing were reworked.
Multiplayer modes
Search & Destroy and Collateral now give more XP per elimination (100 to 300), and other modes also got an XP boost, without numbers in the notes. Free-for-All now shows the Final Killcam instead of Best Play. There were also spawn improvements in Shipment and Hijack and fixes to stop out-of-map spots on Coal, Mumbai, Sentry and Silkworm.
DMZ: more cash, fewer UAV towers
In DMZ, the extraction mode, UAV towers now spawn in random spots and in smaller numbers (40% fewer), with no guarantee of one per area. The economy also changed on October 30: dynamic ops, side ops and mission steps now pay much more. Other tweaks include the Sedative Inhaler lasting 120 seconds instead of 60, the Truce Flag cooldown going from 180 to 60 seconds and Disposable Parachutes with 3 uses. The notes also list fixes in Hajin, where players got stuck on rocks.
Interface, audio and stability
The Gunsmith added optic rail placement and reticle customization, including thermals, and weapon builds are now saved manually. Pre-match menus have fewer timers, and map preloading starts earlier. Audio added destruction sounds on maps and mix tweaks for some killstreaks. Every date includes fixes for crashes and for servers that froze mid-match.
What the notes do not say
The page does not give the download size, a full platform list or details on accessibility features, and does not mention ranked play. It also does not say when some reverted fixes would return, such as the bomb fix in Search & Destroy. When the source does not say, we do not fill it in.
Safety reminder: the notes mention several exploits the team closed. Using out-of-map tricks or unauthorized programs can get your account penalized. Play fair and see the tips on our Play safe page.