MW4 patch notes: October 23-25, 2026

The three launch-week updates. Later notes: October 28, October 29, October 30 and November 5-7 notes. Balance figures: weapon tuning page.

October 25, 2026

Infinity Ward was still only considering weapon tuning on this date; no balance numbers were announced. The changes below belong to October 25.

GLOBAL

• Full Korean language users on Xbox and PC can launch Black Ops 7 from MW4 again.

UI/UX

• Gunsmith displays stats for locked Attachments again.
• Prestige resets properly clear Loadouts.
• Corrected Optic Rail Placement menu visuals.
• Slowed the Resource Management Trait description scrolling for readability.
• Corrected Battle Rifle misclassifications for Patriot XMR, Oden and Cronen Squall; these belong to Assault Rifles.
• Boss Board hovering over eliminated Lieutenants no longer hides Intel requirements and elimination indicators.

MULTIPLAYER

• Reverted the Search and Destroy bomb-stretching fix because it prevented bomb pickup in certain positions. Another fix is planned.
• XP-rate adjustments begin: kill XP increases from 100 to 300 in Search and Destroy and Collateral.
• Collateral bombs no longer disappear after interaction.
• Fixed brief freezes during a match’s first Loadout edit.
• Restored Frontline and Hijack opening announcer introductions.

DMZ

• Critical Extraction no longer permits bypassing the Hospital Elevator objective.
• Reduced Drill Charge damage against enemy Colossus.
• Fixed Sedans missing from their Tac-Map locations.
• Enemy AI no longer clips through the Crashed Drone.
• Corrected oversized Last Stand Minimap icons.
• Saved Builds from modified Blueprints no longer incorrectly cost the original Blueprint’s full price.
• Blocked deployment attempts with unresolved Overflow Stash items. Operators must reconcile Overflow Stash before deploying again.
• Fixed several Breaking New Ground onboarding mission issues.

KNOWN ISSUES

Infinity Ward directs players to its live issue tracker and CODUpdates for ongoing investigations.

RECENTLY UPDATED

• Closed various DMZ exploits.
• Addressed AFK kicks while spectating in some Multiplayer modes.

October 24, 2026

These fixes were listed on October 24. The Search and Destroy defuse fix below precedes the October 25 rollback above; reading the dates together explains why bomb behavior changed again.

GLOBAL

Stability

• Addressed crashes and stability problems across all modes.

UI/UX

• DMZ Stash options no longer appear mid-screen incorrectly.
• Fixed unexpected front-end menu closures.
• PC Split binding displays the custom Ping keybind, clarifying inventory-stack splitting.
• Finishing Move effects stop after returning to Create a Class.
• DMZ Weapon Builds no longer incorrectly appear usable in Core Multiplayer.
• Applying certain DMZ camos or reticles no longer deducts cash incorrectly.
• Loadout edits no longer display non-Melee weapons in the Melee slot.
• Gunsmith correctly resets attachments when Prestiging.

Weapons

• Prevented an incorrect M4 attachment causing muzzle visual problems.
• Corrected floating bullets inside empty or partly used La Sombra Venenosa magazines.

MULTIPLAYER

• Improved Hijack spawn locations and respawn timing.

Bug Fixes

• Portable Radar now displays the Minimap in Hardcore.
• Fixed Search and Destroy defusing from unintended distances or positions.
• Deathstalker no longer travels outside Rooftops boundaries.
• Collateral properly equips Favorite Operators.
• Clarified that Player Prestige and Weapon Prestige are unavailable during matchmaking searches.

DMZ

• Fixed additional trapping spots among Hajin’s rocks.
• Party Leaders can no longer pull teammates out without consent, incorrectly marking their Active Duty Operators MIA.
• Dark Zone Obtain Code objectives no longer mark the wrong enemy.
• Fixed an FOB out-of-bounds location.
• Corrected some looted Dog Tag and Bounty data.
• Exfil helicopters no longer disappear with players aboard.
• Reduced excessively frequent Shopping Mission AI reinforcements.
• Page 19’s Philanthropist Order tracks Weekly Mission Challenges completed before unlocking it.
• Closed various exploits.

KNOWN ISSUES

• Disabled regional lobby-search map animation temporarily while investigating hitching.
• Investigating Multiplayer spectator kicks.
• Extracting with looted Dog Tags on PC may cause DMZ network errors.

RECENTLY UPDATED

• Addressed static or incorrect player-model animations that could misrepresent enemies.
• Added further PC crash and stability fixes.

October 23, 2026

This launch-day section covers October 23 changes only. The separate October 21 pre-launch notes are outside this digest. Status statements below describe what Infinity Ward reported on October 23, rather than promises that subsequent hotfixes never changed those systems.

GLOBAL

Stability

• Fixed crashes and stability issues across all modes.

UI/UX

• Military Camos and Apex Attachments no longer incorrectly relock after Weapon Prestige.
• Corrected inaccurate camo requirements.
• Changed an erroneous DMZ Challenge requirement from Longshots to Headshots.
• Previous Multiplayer Killstreak indicators no longer carry into DMZ.
• Removed duplicate Night Vision Goggles rewards from Underground Chapter menus.
• Camo unlocks no longer show the Shared Attachment icon.
• Realigned Notification Panel presentation at 16:10.
• Restored missing pre-game World Map animations.
• Improved Events Panel usability and presentation.
• Added Melee and Launcher weapon-level icons.
• Clarified the matchmaking-search restriction on both Prestige systems.

Weapons

Infinity Ward was reviewing weapon performance and considering tuning for the following week. Multiplayer and DMZ have bespoke weapon tuning; this statement announces investigation, not an implemented numerical buff or nerf.

Apex Attachments

Infinity Ward explained that the Beta included early seasonal-event Apex and weapon attachments so the team could evaluate their fun, balance and performance. Those attachments will return soon, according to the October 23 statement. It gives no individual return date.

MULTIPLAYER

Bug Fixes

• Portable Radar works in Free-for-All again.
• Removed invisible collisions obstructing Deathstalker deployment near Summit’s Barracks.

DMZ

• Addressed stability problems, including disconnects.
• Lieutenant Intel purchases update tracked Orders correctly.
• Fixed inconsistent FOB Upgrade Challenge tracking.
• Corrected Bounty tracking issues.
• Lieutenant Hunt progress and completion no longer appear for unrelated squads.
• Corrected the displayed under-eight-minute Dynamic Operation completion requirement.
• Fixed rock trapping locations on Hajin.
• Corrected Numb the Pain and Pro Trait effect descriptions.
• Fixed hostage-carrying animations when descending pipes.
• Fallout enemy helicopters no longer remain stuck midair.
• Restored missing bullet-effect audio.
• Restored Little Bird helicopter audio.
• Eliminated Operators no longer drop extra Killstreaks incorrectly.
• Disposable Parachutes have three uses. Gas Masks, including Durable Gas Masks, no longer immediately break upon entering radiation zones.

KNOWN ISSUES

Infinity Ward was investigating driverless or stuck enemy AI cars in DMZ. Prospective fixes had been released and were being monitored; the note did not declare the investigation complete.

RECENTLY UPDATED

• Parties of up to four can queue together in Free-for-All.
• DMZ players can reclaim UAV Towers controlled by enemies. The source says: “In DMZ, players can now steal back UAV Towers from enemy control.”

Sources

• Infinity Ward: MW4 launch patch notes, October 23-25 sections, checked October 30, 2026. Fixes are paraphrased under their original dates.