CoD Update Shakes Up Warzone, Removes Black Ops 6 From COD HQ, and Brings New Weekly Rewards

If you've logged into Call of Duty over the past few days, you probably noticed a larger-than-usual download on PC, Xbox, or PlayStation. It wasn't tied to a major gameplay overhaul, though. Instead, the update quietly changed how the Call of Duty HQ works by removing Black Ops 6 from the launcher and making it a standalone download.

That explains why there weren't any traditional patch notes attached to the update. Black Ops 6 is no longer bundled inside the main Call of Duty HQ installation, although anyone who owns the game can still download and launch it separately. All of its legacy multiplayer, Zombies, and other content remains intact, but it now exists outside the central HQ.

The change also trims down the overall file size since Black Ops 6 is no longer included by default. At the moment, the Call of Duty HQ mainly revolves around Black Ops 7 and Warzone. Looking ahead, it's expected that another shift could happen once Modern Warfare 4 arrives, especially with rumors suggesting another major reset for the launcher.

Alongside that launcher update, Warzone also received gameplay adjustments that have already sparked plenty of discussion within the community.

The biggest changes focus on the Champions Quest. The helicopter involved in the event now flies 50 percent faster, its health has doubled, and decoding the bunker now takes 60 seconds instead of just 20.

According to Raven Software, those changes came after the team reviewed early completion data and found that squads were finishing the Champions Quest more often than intended. Their goal is to keep the mode feeling like a true endgame challenge, so several objectives have become more difficult while the developers continue monitoring player data and behavior.

Not everyone is convinced those changes solve the real problem, though. 

Many players argue that the high completion rate has less to do with the event being too easy and more to do with cheating. Others point out that legitimate attempts are often ruined by cheaters interfering with Champions Quest runs, making the challenge frustrating for squads trying to complete it fairly. Because of that, the balance update has become fairly controversial.

The latest Trello board also includes a few ongoing issues that are still being worked on. Warzone itself hasn't received any new entries since the previous update, but several global issues affecting other modes remain active.

One scheduled fix addresses a rare crash that can occur when you use the lean-in and climb-to-roof actions simultaneously during Endgame. Another issue in Zombies causes players to lose Gold Armor after saving and quitting when the Mannequin Turret Relic is equipped in Cursed mode.

Multiplayer also lost one of its maps for now. 

Standoff has been removed from every playlist while the developers investigate a problem. There's no exact timeline for its return, so you'll have to wait until the issue is resolved before it appears again.

Another problem that looked like it had already been fixed has resurfaced. Split-screen was originally moved into the Trello board's resolved section before being placed back under active issues, suggesting the stability problems weren't fully addressed. For now, split-screen remains temporarily disabled while work continues.

Thursday also means another weekly refresh, bringing Week 6 challenges to Black Ops 7 and Warzone.

This week's featured reward is the V-Locks 5.7 Carbine Chassis. The attachment transforms the V-Locks 5.7 pistol into a fully automatic weapon with improved range, giving it more of a compact SMG feel. Players can also earn an Endgame Restore Token during the event.

Unlocking the rewards works the same way as previous weeks. You only need to complete six challenges total, and you're free to mix objectives across Co-op and Endgame, Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone instead of sticking to a single mode.

Co-op and Endgame challenges include escaping Zone 3 or higher five times, earning 200 eliminations with an operator at Combat Rating 45 or above, getting 25 kills using Thermo Grenades or Point Turret equipment while using assault rifles, eliminating 500 Fear enemies, charming 25 Fear enemies with the Psych Grenade or Black Hat ability, and defeating 25 Scourges or Infesters.

Multiplayer objectives ask you to earn 250 eliminations with Season 4 weapons, score 30 assault rifle kills without taking damage, eliminate your nemesis with a headshot, secure 20 objective kills using lethal equipment, disable 10 enemy players or pieces of equipment with EMP tacticals, and earn 75 eliminations using semi-automatic weapons.

Over in Zombies, you'll need to collect 1,000 critical kills with any Season 4 weapon, survive to Round 15 in the Starting Room Challenge on Astro Malorum, complete two consecutive rounds without taking damage three separate times, eliminate 15 elite zombies, earn 500 assault rifle eliminations during a single match, and finish 150 lethal kills during TED tasks.

Warzone players have their own objectives, including earning 40 assault rifle eliminations, opening five legendary supply crates, getting five headshots, recording five eliminations in a single match ten different times, securing 10 kills while aiming down sights, and earning eliminations during the opening circle.

Completing any six challenges unlocks the V-Locks 5.7 Carbine Chassis and adds another tier toward the seasonal Damascus Slick camo progression. One final batch of weekly challenges is still scheduled to arrive with the last Season 4 update next week.

There's also a limited-time bonus running right now. 

Battle Pass owners receive double XP for the next week, marking an unusual event since similar Battle Pass-exclusive XP boosts haven't really been offered before. The Ranked Play Series event is also scheduled to begin next week as Season 4 wraps up.

Current playlists remain mostly unchanged.

Warzone continues offering Squad Gun Game, Black Ops Royale Quads, Battle Royale Quads and Solos rotating between Verdansk and Avalon, Resurgence Quads, Duos, and Solos across Havens Hollow, Rebirth Island, and Fortune's Keep, Casual Battle Royale and Resurgence, Endgame as a free-to-play mode through next season, and Warzone Ranked.

Multiplayer still features Standard Mosh Pit, Team Blueprint, Sharpshooter, Black Ops Classic, Chaos Nuketown 24/7 with its larger 10v10 format and increased score and time limits, plus the Face Off Mosh Pit. Party game fans can continue playing Prop Hunt, Infected, Party Games Mosh Pit, Free Run, and Knife Fight.

With only one major update left before Season 5 arrives, this week's patch is less about adding brand-new content and more about preparing the game for what's next. 

Between the COD HQ changes, the tougher Champions Quest, ongoing bug fixes, and another full set of weekly challenges, you've got plenty to work through before the season reaches its final stretch.