Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 patch notes: Hardcore, ranked mode, new maps, more

Modern Warfare 2 has delivered the first major content drop of 2023, including the return of a classic CoD map, hardcore mode, and ranked. Here’s everything we know so far about Modern Warfare 2 Season 2.

Modern Warfare 2 has enjoyed a successful launch since it arrived at the end of 2022, quickly becoming the best-selling CoD ever in the first weekend. Developer Infinity Ward didn’t rest on its laurels either, delivering a steady stream of major updates for players to enjoy in the game.

Season 1 introduced the new Battle Pass system, while the mid-season update added the new Chimera Assault Rifle and the fan-favorite Shipment map. Now, as we head into the new year, fans are beginning to look ahead at what MW2 Season 2 has to offer.

Here’s everything we know about Modern Warfare 2 Season 2, from the start date to the return of yet another classic map.

Contents

• Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 start date
• Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 maps, weapons & game modes
• Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 full patch notes

Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 start date

Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 officially gets underway on Wednesday, February 15. While the content drop was originally scheduled for February 1, Activision confirmed a two-week delay, pushing it all back to the new date midway through the month.

This is also the same date that Warzone 2 Season 2 begins, so there’s plenty to look forward to for CoD fans.

Modern Warfare 2 Season 2: Maps, hardcore, ranked, gun game, infected

Infinity Ward

Dome in Modern Warfare 3.

New maps

MW2 Season 2 adds four new maps.

• Dome (6v6)
• Valderas Museum (6v6)
• Al-Malik International (Battle Map)
• Zaya Observatory (Battle Map)

Al-Malik International and Zaya Observatory are Warzone 2 POIs on Al Mazrah. Al-Malik takes inspiration from the original MW2’s Terminal, while Zaya Observatory includes details from Dome.

Dome was a fan-favorite map in Modern Warfare 3, known for its close-quarters combat. The small map takes place in an abandoned NATO military outpost in an unknown location in the Middle East.

Valderas Museum was a playable map during the MW2 beta but mysteriously disappeared at launch. The map received polarizing reviews, as some community members wanted it back, while others were fine with its exclusion.

Hardcore Mode

While Tier 1 existed, providing a similar experience, many fans anxiously awaited news on the proper Hardcore playlist. Now, we know for certain it’ll be back in Season 2 as a Tier 1 mode replacement.

Hardcore removes your HUD, lowers health, and increases damage across the board. Every shot matters and every bit of intel can push you ahead of the rival squad.

Gun Game & Infected return

While Gunfight is missing yet another season, we do know two game types coming back to Modern Warfare 2 in the Season 2 update: Gun Game and Infected. The former has players rotating through new weapons with each kill, while the latter has players trying to survive against an increasing swarm of infected enemies.

These modes play just the same as they did before in previous CoD titles. Infinity Ward also confirmed Grid is returning at the start of Season 2. The game mode is Kill Confirmed but makes players bank in their enemy dog tags for points.

In season, Modern Warfare 2 reintroduces there other classic game modes. Drop Zone is Hardpoint with an added twist of a care package descending down into designated drop areas every 15 seconds.

All or Nothing is a race to get 20 eliminations in a Free-For-All party game mode, using throwing knives and a pistol with no ammo. Lastly One in the Chamber is a Free-For-All mode where every player gets a handgun with one bullet and each kill awards an additional bullet.

Ranked Mode

Modern Warfare 2 Ranked Play is officially set to arrive in Season 2. Developers confirmed the competitive mode will be launching on the very first day of the new season as well, meaning players can jump into the ranked experience from February 15.

The multiplayer mode uses CDL-approved modes, restrictions, maps, and modes. MW2’s Ranked Play features seven Skill Divisions, from Bronze to Iridescent, to the top 250. Players earn skill division skins based on their rank at the end of that season.

Activision

The Crossbow is already available through Modern Warfare 2’s campaign, so its arrival in multiplayer only makes sense.

New weapons

As for new equipment launching in the second season of Modern Warfare 2, five new weapons join the game’s arsenal.

• ISO Hemlock (Assault Rifle)
• KV Broadside (Shotgun)
• Crossbow
• Dual Kodachis

The Hemlock AR, KV Broadside, and Dual Kodachis will all be available at Season 2’s launch and will be available as free unlocks within the Battle pass.

Infinity Ward confirmed that the Crossbow will be available within the launch window, and the Tempus Torrent will be available at midseason. The developers also teased a lethal equipment Shuriken coming midseason as well.

Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 full patch notes

Thanks to the official Call of Duty blog, we have all the patch notes for Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 for you to check out below in complete detail.

BATTLE PASS

An all-new Battle Pass arrives with Season 02, which includes 3 new weapons and plenty of rewards for forging your path. On top of new rewards, we have improved the overall polish and usability of the Battle Pass for Season 02. Check out the Call of Duty blog for a closer look at the Battle Pass!

EVENTS

 New Event

The Path of the Ronin will present Players with a variety of Challenges spanning several weeks based on the Seven Virtues of Bushido: 

• Integrity
• Respect
• Courage
• Honor
• Compassion
• Sincerity
• Loyalty

Each of the seven Challenges comes with a reward for completion, which can include an Operator Skin, Weapon Blueprint, Weapon Charm, and more. The first three of these Challenges will go live on season launch, with two more each following week. Complete them all in Warzone 2.0 or Modern Warfare II to receive the new Crossbow Weapon.

PROGRESSION

At the start of Season 02, the Prestige Rank cap will be increased to Prestige 10, with the level cap increased to 450. Specifically, players can unlock the following new Prestige Ranks:

• Prestige 6: Unlocked at Level 300
• Prestige 7: Unlocked at Level 350
• Prestige 8: Unlocked at Level 400
• Prestige 9: Unlocked at Level 450 (maximum level that can be achieved in Season 02)

WEAPONS

• ISO Hemlock: Assault Rifle
  • This powerful and enhanced rifle from Expedite Firearms is designed to take both 5.56 and subsonic .300 BLK ammunition, providing battlefield-advantage in any situation.
  • Can be acquired for free via the Season 02 Battle Pass.

• KV Broadside: Shotgun
  • Bringing the power of the 12 gauge to the Kastov Platform, the KV Broadside is the fastest-firing semi-auto firearm in the shotgun class. Destroys targets at close range with impunity.
  • Can be acquired for free via the Season 02 Battle Pass.

• Dual Kodachis: Melee
  • A powerful melee weapon that can quickly move towards a target with a longer-range attack. Each swipe has an impressive range and faster forward motion towards enemies compared to the Knife melee weapon, though this comes at a slight cost, a slower strafe and sprint speed.
  • Can be acquired for free via the Season 02 Battle Pass.

• Crossbow: Marksman Rifle
  • Silent and agile, this high-performance crossbow fires 20.0” bolts with exceptional lethality. Exclusive customization, distinct functionality, and unique ammunition types put this weapon in a class of its own. Standard 20.0” bolts are recoverable, and are undetected by trophy systems.
  • Can be acquired by completing all seven Path of the Ronin Event challenges or purchased via Store Bundle.

Our goal for Weapon Tuning has always been to deliver an experience that provides Players with deep customization for their favorite weapons: building a unique loadout for a precise personal playstyle. After examining Weapon Tuning in Season 01, we want to offer more value for Players by elevating the pros and reducing the cons of Tuning attributes. We are committed to making the system more rewarding for players going forward, without sacrificing overall weapon balance across the game.

The results of this adjustment will generally be felt as an increase in the overall impact of Attachments, with the effects of Attachment Tuning becoming more significant.

• Tuning has been enabled for Laser attachments
• Tuning Sliders have been updated for numerous attachments
• Some beneficial Tuning attribute magnitudes have been increased
• Some harmful Tuning attribute magnitudes have been decreased
• Season 01 Pro-Tuned Blueprints have received performance adjustments

» Assault Rifles «

• M13B
  • Increased damage at mid range
  • Increased upper torso damage

• Kastov 762
  • Small damage reduction
  • Added additional long range damage falloff

• Lachmann-556
  • Increased semi auto rate of fire

• M4
  • Increased semi auto rate of fire

• STB 556
  • Fixed an issue with the Single Tap Mod Magazine attachment which caused the weapon to deal considerably less damage to the upper left leg

» Battle Rifles «

• Lachmann-762
  • Decreased full auto head and torso damage
  • Increased semi-auto upper torso damage
  • Increased semi auto rate of fire
  • Reduced full auto recoil
  • Increased damage on long range
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• FTac Recon
  • Decreased full auto upper torso damage
  • Sped up ads time
  • Reduced full auto recoil
  • Increased close range damage distance
  • Increased lower torso damage multiplier 
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• SO-14
  • Increased semi auto rate of fire
  • Increased long range damage
  • Reduced semi-auto headshot damage
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• TAQ-V
  • Decreased mid-range damage
  • Increased semi-auto torso damage
  • Reduced semi auto leg damage
  • Decreased full auto head damage
  • Decreased full auto head damage
  • Reduced semi auto rate of fire

» Handguns «

• X13 Auto
  • Reduced damage while using Akimbo
  • Increase lower body damage
  • Increased close range damage
  • Increase damage distances

» Launchers «

• STRELA-P
  • Removed activation distance for projectile
  • Projectile will now explode at any range

• RPG-7
  • Small increase to splash damage amount
  • Small reduction to splash damage range

» Light Machine Guns «

• RPK
  • Small reduction to ADS movement speed
  • Reduced mid and long-range damage
  • Reduced damage ranges
  • Small increase to ADS time

• RAAL MG
  • Increased recoil

» Marksman Rifles «

• EBR-14
  • Reduced long range damage
  • Increased upper torso damage
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• LM-S
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• TAQ-M
  • Slight increase to rate of fire
  • Increased upper torso damage
  • Added minimum damage against armor

» Melee «

• Increased non-lunging melee damage range, allows Players to hit equipment on the ground with melee while crouched
• Melee attacks with non-Melee Weapons will now require three hits to kill a fully armored enemy instead of two

» Submachine Guns «

• Vasznev-9K
  • Reduced mid-to-long range damage 
• Minibak
  • Reduced damage ranges
  • Reduced lower torso damage at close range
  • Reduced lower body damage at mid to close range
  • Added minimum damage against armor

• Fennec 45
  • Decreased damage overall 
  • Decreased headshot damage
  • Added minimum damage against armor

» Sniper Rifles «

• Signal 50
  • Reduced sprint out speed
  • Reduced movement speed
  • Reduced long range damage
  • Small decrease to bullet velocity 

» Attachments «

• Reduced ADS penalty for bipods
• Fixed an issue with choke attachments scaling hip spread incorrectly 

VEHICLES

• Personal Watercraft
  • A nimble seacraft capable of swiftly carrying up to two Operators across any body of water.

Adjustments

• Vehicle turrets now cool down faster if they don’t overheat
• Added War Track customization on the Armored Truck
• Added EV charging stations for the GMC Hummer EV
• Shooting windows no longer damages the vehicle itself
• Make vehicle exits less likely to fail beneath low roofs

Vehicle Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where players could get unlimited fuel by leaning out of vehicles
• Fixed an issue with the refueling bar not appearing under certain conditions
• Fixed an issue with vehicle armor not reducing explosion damage properly
• Fixed an issue where the Heavy Tank tracks weren’t animating properly
• Fixed various ways the Player could get out of bounds with vehicle collisions
• Fixed the low-fuel warning not clearing for passengers when there wasn’t a driver 

OPERATORS

• Daniel “Ronin” Shinoda
  • Ronin is the ex-Special Forces fighter known for his mastery of multiple fighting styles and unconventional warfare.

AUDIO

Adjustments

• Proximity chat now fades out more effectively over distance
• Improved sound effect of reloading underwater 

Audio Bug Fixes

• Addressed a number of missing audio elements in the UI
• Fixed an issue where ping sounds could be missing when pinging items or map locations from certain positions
• Fixed an issue affecting the sound effect for an enemy dropping cash onto the ground upon death
• Fixed several issues where specific materials were occluding incorrectly
• See other mode-specific audio fixes below 

SOCIAL

Adjustments

• Added a wide range of usability improvements across Social screens
• Improved sorting of Friends List to prioritize playable, joinable and online Players higher in List
• Added Party Finder option within Special Ops Raid lobby
• Added ability to send quick “Thank You” message to squad/teammate after some in-game actions (i.e. Being Revived, Being Bought Back, Picking Up Dropped Loot)
• Added a search bar option when inviting Players to Friends, Parties, and Groups  
• Added additional invite privacy settings
• Increased refresh frequency of Recent Players list to dynamically update list faster
• Added shortcut to manage Blocked Players
• Added mode-based Recent Players filtering
• Added offline Players as option for channel invites
• Added ability to report Groups for toxicity (i.e. Group Name, Group Description)
• Added notification stacking for high-volume notification types (i.e. Group Invites)
• Improve visibility changes across all game modes – assigned color + squad color integration

Social Bug Fixes

• Fixed a number of online status, party invite, friend invites and joinability related issues
• Significant fixes related to voice chat channels based on observed issues and player feedback
• Fixed navigational related issues forcing users back to home page when inviting friends or sending group invites
• Fixed an issue causing Emblems to sometimes revert to a placeholder image
• Fixed several bugs related to muting/unmuting other Players
• Fixed bugs related to inviting Player to game and social channels
• Fixed an issue that prevented Players from muting or unmuting self in select scenarios
• Fixed crash related to accepting old party invites from channels menu
• Fixed an issue that caused text-chat messages to sometimes appear blank
• Fixed an issue preventing Players from connecting or disconnecting from channels
• Fixed an issue causing players to be unable to change weapon in Player Showcase
• Fixed issues impacting ability to scroll to end of large Friends List
• Improved visibility of Code of Conduct related warning notifications and penalties within the Notification Center
• Fixed an issue that caused Recent Player List to sometimes appear incorrectly as empty or show all Players as offline
• Fixed multiple bugs related to Recent Players sorting and filters when specifying recent lobbies, squads and teams
• Fixed multiple bugs related to current speaker visibility and mute status
• Fixed an issue causing large Group member lists to not update or be scrollable
• Fixed an issue that prevented Players from selecting Group Privacy as “request to join”
• Limited number of Group notification pop-ups sent to Group Owners
• Improved Group Browser search options including filtering by labels and sorting 

UI/UX

Adjustments

• Improved navigation and organization of Camo menu including:
  • Clearer tracking of your progress
  • Discoverability of camos you have unlocked

• Improved view, rotation and zoom of Operators and weapons in preview
• Slight increase to animation speed of the Polyatomic Camo
• More polished Social tab, including improved channel swapping and player muting
• Added “My Bundles” section to the Customize tab that contains all Bundles a Player owns
• Quick Equip option for items from Battlepass, My Bundles, and Store
• Reticle previews in Store and Gunsmith
• Improved clarity of attachment blocking logic in Gunsmith
• Updated Loadouts UI to support Pro-Tuning changes
• Updated UI to reflect improvements to tracer packs
• Improved After Action Report UI 

UI/UX Bug Fixes

• Addressed some issues blocking camo progression across certain weapons
• Fixed some incorrect preview cards in the UI for Operators and Blueprints
• Addressed bugs impacting the After Action Report to show challenge and camo progress correctly
• Fixed bugs causing cosmetic items (i.e. gunscreens) to display incorrectly in the Gunsmith customization menu 

GLOBAL BUG FIXES

• Fixed an exploit involving use of the Sentry Gun and Recon Drone
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Portable Radar to not activate upon landing
• Fixed an issue where enemy markers persisted after use of the Spotter Scope
• Fixed some instances of Operators rendering incorrectly in the lobby
• Addressed some instances of Operators posing incorrectly in the lobby
• Fixed several issues impacting the Firing Range
• Fixed an issue where Players could lose their second weapon upon equipping a Riot Shield from a dead enemy
• Fixed issues with certain weapons not updating in the Gunsmith case preview or having their decals and stickers blocked
• Fixed an issue where the Loadout menu would not show an icon for the primary weapon
• Fixed several issues that caused the Playstation™ Store icon to display inconsistently 

PC SETTINGS

Gyro Aiming

We’ve included several additional settings to help players to fine-tune their playstyle while using Gyro Aiming.

• It’s now possible to adjust ADS Sensitivity specifically when using the Gyro Aiming (Gyro ADS Sensitivity Multiplier) and it’s also possible to adjust sensitivity per zoom level independently from the controller settings (Gyro Custom Sensitivity Per Zoom).
• These new settings will help players to fine-tune their aiming experience when using Gyro Aiming.
• We also added several settings to address some movement issues while using Gyro Aiming. These new settings (Gyro Steadying Threshold and Gyro Steadying Initial Scale) will help reduce the impact of small movements while aiming.

SPECIAL OPS

ATOMGRAD RAID

Looking for Teammates?

• Added new Party Finder option within the Raid lobby

Raid Bug Fixes

• Atomgrad Global: fixed armor to correctly shift from backpack to held armor

Raid Episode 1

• Fixed an issue where a Player could lose their Sentry Gun after cycling weapons
• Addressed specific points where Players could leave the playable area
• Addressed issues where the Graphic Price Loading Screen was not awarding correctly or appearing for Players after completing the Atomgrad Raid

COOPERATIVE

New Modifier

• Added One in the Chamber modifier to the Low Profile mission

Adjustments

• Added messaging to all Players when any Player selects “Restart Mission” or “Restart From Checkpoint”
• Added text splash when killing a Juggernaut 

Cooperative Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue that could prevent “The Rebel” weapon Blueprint from unlocking after collecting 100 Stars
• Fixed an issue where players couldn’t drop backpack items when quickdraw was activated
• Fixed an issue where the COD Points widget in the Special Ops menu would display as zero

Low Profile Mission

• Fixed an issue where exfil started earlier than expected after a checkpoint restart
• Fixed an issue where enemy vehicles would occasionally spawn with no occupants 

Defender: Mt. Zaya Mission

• Fixed a cash exploit
• Increased radius for Juggernaut key pickup interaction prompt

High Ground Mission

• Fixed an issue where player could obtain both roles
• Fixed an issue where lock-on sound could continue playing 

MULTIPLAYER

PLAYLIST

• Infected
  • Operators must avoid the chosen infected player at all costs. Every survivor eliminated joins the Infected team until none remain or until the five-minute time period elapses. 
• Gun Game
  • Every ranged elimination awards a different weapon, while melee eliminations put your opponent one weapon back on the 18-weapon rotation. Finish the job with a Throwing Knife to win. 
• Grind
  • Kill Confirmed with an added twist: Enemy dog tags are stackable and must be banked at one of two fixed locations. 
• Hardcore 
  • The initial Hardcore playlist will feature a mix of traditional modes with the classic ruleset veterans of the franchise are familiar with, including decreased health that cannot be replenished outside of Stim shots, as well as a limited HUD.

• Dome (6v6)
  • This small to medium-sized map is built for fast-paced combat with three main buildings surrounding a central street area. One of these is the iconic domed structure, which has a small catwalk that provides incredible views over most of the map’s outdoor spaces.
• Valderas Museum (6v6)
  • The other Core map launching at the start of Season 02 is Valderas Museum, returning since first appearing in the Modern Warfare II Beta.
• Zaya Observatory (Battle Map)
  • Zaya Observatory will be available in Ground War and Invasion modes, where the combat area will be expanded to fit all of Al Mazrah’s tallest natural point of interest.
• Al Malik International (Battle Map)
  • Located at the southern tip of Al Mazrah, this modern airport mixes traditional and modern architecture to host both business and leisure activities, and will be available in Ground War and Invasion Modes.

GENERAL

• Audio
  • Enhanced occlusion in all Core 6v6 Multiplayer maps
  • Improved Dog Tag pickup effect to be more discernible among other game sounds in Kill Confirmed and Grind
• Perks
  • Ghost: Reduced bonus perk cost by 50% and ultimate perk by 25%

That’s all we know about Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 for the now, but we’ll keep you updated here as further details emerge.

Also, check out the free Ronin Combat Pack that will be available exclusively to PlayStation Plus Subscribers from February 22.