The Black Ops 7 Season 5 Reloaded update introduces several weapon balance changes, headlined by the nerfs to AN-9 and Swordfish A1, alongside a buff to DS20 Mirage. The patch also includes changes to Skill Rating in Ranked Play and gameplay fixes across Multiplayer, Zombies, and Endgame.
Below we break down the important changes included in the BO7 Season 5 patch notes.
BO7 Season 5 patch notes release date and time
The weapon adjustments and various changes below drop with the launch of Black Ops 7 Season 5 on July 23 at 11am CT / 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm BST.
Weapon buffs and nerfs in BO7 Season 5
| Buffed | Nerfed | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| DS20 Mirage (plus its Dual Fire Kit attachment) M8A1 |
AN-94 Carbon 57 Swordfish A1 (plus its MFS Penta Burst Mod Prestige Attachment) |
Ryden 45K Coda 9 A.R.C. M1 Executioner’s Duet |
Black Ops 7 Season 5 rebalances several weapons, led by a nerf to the AN-94 assault rifle, which loses its four-shot body kill at maximum damage range to reduce its dominance. The Carbon 57 SMG’s Fabricator Mag now has a one-second delay before regenerating ammo after firing, while the Swordfish A1 marksman rifle and its MFS Penta Burst Mod receive increased burst delay and recoil to tone down their effectiveness.
On the buff side, the DS20 Mirage AR gains shared ammunition between its two fire modes, improved mobility with the Dual Fire Kit, and better close-range headshot potential. The M8A1 marksman also receives new neck damage multipliers to improve its time-to-kill. Additional fixes address issues with the Ryden 45K, Coda 9, A.R.C. M1, and Executioner’s Duet melee weapon.
BO7 Season 5 Ranked Play changes
Season 5 adjusts Ranked Play Skill Rating (SR) by increasing SR losses for Platinum, Diamond, and Crimson players to reduce rank inflation. Opponent Rank bonuses and penalties now only apply when facing players at least three rank tiers above or below your own.
The update also expands the BO7 Ranked Play map pool, adding the maps below to ranked modes:
Hardpoint
- Frequency
- Vertigo
- Blackheart
- Exposure
Search & Destroy
- Frequency
- Vertigo
- Colossus
- Exposure
- Scar
Overload
- Frequency
Black Ops Classic playlist update
BO7 Season 5 introduces the Black Ops Classic playlist, inspired by the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2 with simplified movement and classic maps and modes. It’s under the Featured section, along with other popular playlists like Moshpit and Nuketown 24/7.
Gameplay fixes across Multiplayer, Zombies, and Endgame in BO7 Season 5
Black Ops 7 Season 5 includes numerous gameplay fixes across all modes. In Multiplayer, the Iron Rain Scorestreak drops bombs faster and is no longer countered by Flak Jacket, alongside fixes for Scorestreak activation and objective markers.
Zombies receives extensive bug fixes for its round-based maps Kowakujo, Totenreich, Paradox Junction, Astra Malorum, and Ashes of the Damned. The update also addresses quest progression, Wonder Weapon issues, and exploits. Rogue Run mode is rebalanced with fewer zombies, improved armor, and quality-of-life changes, while several weapons receive overheating and alternate-fire buffs.
In Endgame, LMGs and the XM325 now overheat less quickly, and multiple bugs affecting progression, weapon camos, and overall stability have been fixed.
For the full list of changes, check out the official BO7 Season 5 patch notes page.
