MW4 28 October update: first weapon tuning, SMG buffs and a Quick Fix nerf

Infinity Ward’s 28 October update is the first real weapon balance pass for Modern Warfare 4. The studio says the aim is a more consistent time to kill by evening out hit-location damage, plus a lift for SMGs, which mostly comes from removing their arm and hand damage penalty. The same patch reins in Quick Fix, temporarily slows diving and closes several DMZ exploits.

Assault rifles

• Han 86: max damage range up from 1120 to 1200, but neck and upper torso multipliers drop from 1.1 to 1.0. Longer reach, fewer lucky upper-body shots.
• Kastov 762: max damage range 950 → 1050.
• M4: max damage range 990 → 1020.
• Oden: neck and upper torso multipliers 1.2 → 1.1, lower torso 1.1 → 1.0. The Sentinel Apex also loses range (max 870 → 820, mid 1810 → 1740) and now carries a small muzzle velocity penalty.
• Hyeon Burst (Hyperburst Apex): full-auto max damage 37 → 34, but its max damage range grows from 970 to 1220 and the first mid-range step is removed.
• Patriot XMR: smaller recoil control penalties on the EXP Haste 80L 14" Light Barrel (8% → 6%) and the FJX Fury IV Grip, Skeleton (5% → 4%).

SMGs

All five SMGs below have their upper arm, lower arm and hand multipliers raised from 0.95 to 1.0, so limb hits no longer cost a bullet as often.

• ISO Nightshade and VEL 46: limb multiplier change only.
• PPSh-41: ADS time 300 → 280 ms plus small bumps to strafe, crouch, movement and sprint speed.
• Wz.55 Striga: max damage range 440 → 470, mid range 825 → 840.
• X-58 Nyx: head multiplier 1.25 → 1.3; the Void Apex gains range (max 437 → 460, mid 788 → 815).

LMGs and shotguns

• APOC-338: mid damage 38 → 37, mid range 1980 → 1900, min damage 35 → 33.
• FiNN LMG: mid range 1720 → 1620 and upper arm multipliers 1.1 → 1.0.
• Type 73 (Assault Apex): min damage 19 → 20.
• Warlord (12G Slug Rounds): second mid range 900 → 810.

Gameplay and fixes

• Quick Fix: health regeneration now stops when you take damage. Infinity Ward says it was making players tankier than intended.
• Diving: dive speed is cut by 23% as a stopgap after an exploit that gave players a speed boost. A proper fix is in the works.
• A Riot Shield out-of-bounds exploit has been closed.
• UAV visibility on Sentry is better, and Gun Game no longer forces everyone into the Reece Operator.
• Challenge tracking fixes for Melee Kill, Backstab and Takedown; Point Blank and Longshot range cut-offs are more forgiving.
• Nine UI fixes, including missing camo progress counters and military camos showing as locked after weapon Prestige.

DMZ

• Possum can no longer be used while the squad that downed you is nearby, or before four minutes have passed. It also no longer revives players who abandoned their Operator, and a black screen after a full squad wipe is fixed.
• Fixes for Free Loadout items vanishing after 3D Printer backpack additions, weapons disappearing or dropping when moved between slots and backpacks, the 3-Plate Armor Vest missing at DMZ level 37, and the Airbase Access Card upgrade being blocked during a story mission.
• Several more DMZ exploits closed (not detailed).

Still known issues

The official list now includes Patriot XMR Platinum camo progress not showing correctly (it still counts), some Calling Card challenges not tracking, a Best Play selection issue, and players who enter Classic Prestige from the DMZ menus being unable to create new multiplayer classes until relocked loadouts are deleted.