Warzone Season 06 patch notes: AN-94 and VST nerfed, Voyak KT-3 buffed, Ranked SR shake-up
By TourneyTime ·
The short version
Warzone Season 06 is a proper balance patch. Raven’s patch notes, dated 16 September 2026, go after the AR and SMG meta. The AN-94, VST, REV-46 and MK35 ISR are all nerfed, and a batch of less popular guns get buffs, led by the Voyak KT-3, Sokol 545 and several shotguns (Call of Duty). Dexerto’s weapon roundup has the same numbers (Dexerto), and Dot Esports reports the same headline nerfs, buffs and Ranked changes (Dot Esports).
Raven says it was happy to let the AN-94 have its moment at the top of the meta, and this pass brings it back in line with the rest of the AR category. The rest of the patch targets clear outliers and weak performers rather than overhauling everything.
This page covers balance, Ranked and gameplay changes. For the rest of Season 06, see our guides to the new weapons and how to unlock them, Haunted Hollow and Giant Infected, and Black Ops Royale leaving Warzone.
Biggest Warzone weapon changes
| Weapon | Change | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| AN-94 | Nerf | Max damage 41→38, max range 0–45m→0–38m; medium 37→34 (38–52m); minimum 33→31 (>52m); headshot multiplier 1.3x→1.2x; BR/Resurgence: recoil +12%, velocity 920→890m/s, ADS 235→245ms |
| VST | Nerf | Max damage 29→27, max range 0–13.5m→0–12.8m; medium 27→24; minimum 22→19; BR/Resurgence ADS 155→165ms |
| Voyak KT-3 | Buff | Max damage 39→42, medium 34→37, minimum 30→32; BR/Resurgence: recoil −8%, velocity 900→910m/s |
| Sokol 545 | Buff | Max damage 44→47, minimum 35→36 |
| M10 Breacher | Buff | Every damage range extended (max range 0–1.7m→0–2m); BR/Resurgence velocity 320→450m/s |
AN-94: the meta pick comes back down
The AN-94 is hit at every range. Max damage drops from 41 to 38, and that max-damage range shrinks from 45m to 38m, so it drops to medium damage much sooner. Medium damage goes from 37 to 34 and minimum from 33 to 31, and the headshot multiplier falls from 1.3x to 1.2x in all modes.
Battle Royale and Resurgence get extra nerfs on top: 12% more recoil, bullet velocity down from 920m/s to 890m/s, and ADS slowed from 235ms to 245ms. The 15” Benthic Barrel is weaker too. Its velocity bonus falls from 20% to 15% and its recoil control bonus from 25% to 15%.
Assault rifles: what else moved
| Weapon | Change | Details |
|---|---|---|
| DS20 Mirage | Buff | BR/Resurgence: recoil −10%, velocity 900→915m/s |
| EGRT-17 | Buff | Max damage 35→36; medium 31→32, medium range 42–60m→45–60m |
| M15 MOD 0 | Buff | Medium damage 26→27, minimum 24→25; headshot multiplier 1.31x→1.4x |
| MK35 ISR | Nerf | Max damage 39→38, minimum 33→31; BR/Resurgence velocity 920→910m/s |
| Voyak KT-3 | Buff | Max 39→42, medium 34→37, minimum 30→32; BR/Resurgence recoil −8%, velocity 900→910m/s |
| VX Compact | Buff | Medium damage 23→24; BR/Resurgence horizontal recoil −10%; 13” Promontory Barrel recoil control 20%→28%, velocity 10%→20%; Recoil Sync Unit vertical recoil control 10%→15% |
The Voyak KT-3 gets the biggest AR buff: +3 damage at max and medium range, and +2 at minimum range. After the AN-94 nerf, it’s the first rifle worth trying.
SMGs: VST and REV-46 down, MPC-25 and Strumwolf up
| Weapon | Change | Details |
|---|---|---|
| VST | Nerf | Max 29→27 (range 0–13.5m→0–12.8m), medium 27→24, minimum 22→19; BR/Resurgence ADS 155→165ms |
| REV-46 | Nerf | Max damage range 0–12.8m→0–12.2m (damage unchanged at 26) |
| MPC-25 | Buff | Max damage range 0–13m→0–13.5m; BR/Resurgence recoil deviation −8%, vertical recoil −10% |
| Strumwolf 45 | Buff | Max damage 47→48 |
The VST takes the biggest SMG nerf. It loses damage at every range, and its minimum damage falls from 22 to 19.
LMGs and shotguns
| Weapon | Change | Details |
|---|---|---|
| MK.78 | Buff | Minimum damage 28→29 |
| Sokol 545 | Buff | Max damage 44→47, minimum 35→36 |
| XM325 | Buff | Headshot multiplier 1.2x→1.3x; BR/Resurgence recoil −8% |
| Echo 12 | Buff | Medium damage range 1 2.55–6m→2.55–6.5m |
| M10 Breacher | Buff | Max range 0–1.7m→0–2m; medium 1 1.7–7.8m→2–8.3m; medium 2 7.8–8.9m→8.3–9.3m; minimum >8.9m→>9.3m; BR/Resurgence velocity 320→450m/s |
| SG-12 | Buff | Max range 0–3m→0–3.5m; BR/Resurgence velocity 320→450m/s (listed under attachment adjustments in the notes) |
Ranked Play: less SR at the top of the ladder
Raven describes Season 06 as a shorter Ranked season. It follows the Multiplayer Ranked schedule: three weeks of normal Ranked, then one week of Ranked Series. The changes are aimed at SR inflation in Diamond and above, and Raven calls them intentionally aggressive.
- All SR Challenges are disabled for Season 06. Raven says players were saving them up to build a bigger SR cushion later in the season.
- Deployment fees are higher in Diamond and above, so you can earn less SR per match. The SR needed for each division is unchanged.
- Top placement reward targets are lower: 5 top placements for the weapon blueprint, 25 for the Large Decal.
| SR | New fee | New max SR per match | Old fee | Old max SR per match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond I (5,400) | 75 | 200 | 65 | 210 |
| Diamond II (6,100) | 85 | 190 | 70 | 205 |
| Diamond III (6,800) | 95 | 180 | 75 | 200 |
| Crimson I (7,500) | 130 | 145 | 85 | 190 |
| Crimson II (8,300) | 135 | 140 | 95 | 180 |
| Crimson III (9,100) | 140 | 135 | 110 | 165 |
| Iridescent / Top 250 (10,000) | 170 | 105 | 120 | 155 |
| Iridescent / Top 250 (12,000) | 220 | 55 | 160 | 115 |
| Iridescent / Top 250 (15,000) | 270 | 5 | 220 | 55 |
Fees keep rising every 500 SR between 10,000 and 15,000. Near the top, a match is worth only 5 SR at most, down from 55.
Items now allowed in Ranked
These items are now allowed in Ranked loadouts:
- Weapons: NX Ravager crossbow (including the explosive bolt), M10 Breacher (Dragon’s Breath ammo is still banned), and the Arrow 109 and A.R.C M1 launchers
- Attachments: Solaris Holo-IR, M335-X Frag, M335-X Tempest, Mirage Tandem Launcher, M34 Novaline Garand conversion, M15 MOD 0 AMR .50 Cal Kit, XM325 Titan Wield, MK.78 Lightframe PDW Conversion Kit
- Lethals: Claymore
To keep counterplay, the one-shot protection Ranked already uses for snipers now covers the explosive NX Ravager, M10 Breacher, Arrow 109, A.R.C M1, M335-X Frag, M335-X Tempest, Mirage Tandem Launcher and Claymore, so none of them can one-shot a player. Vehicles at full health no longer explode from one launcher hit.
Gameplay, loot and economy changes
- Supply Drones reworked (BR & Resurgence): they only hover above High Value Loot Zones, deploy during infil and stay active longer. They carry more Legendary Crates and fewer non-Legendary ones, fly more predictably and no longer spawn in the gas. Destroying one spawns more, up to a limit per circle.
- Juggernaut Public Event disabled.
- Cluster Strike added to Buy Stations for $4,000.
- Killstreak warnings now alert players regardless of height.
- Lootable perks updated: Contract Rewards now give Hunter, Tempered, Momentum and Shrouded. Legendary Supply Boxes give Drill Instructor, Surveyor, Momentum and Shrouded.
- Ground loot: the Utility Box is replaced by the Armor Box and Munitions Box, the Combat Axe by the Frag Grenade, and the Flash Grenade by the Concussion Grenade.
- Verdansk High Value Loot Zones: Superstore, Hospital and Stadium.
- Resurgence Quickdrop Kits: a new loot splash shows how much cash you get when a kit is automatically converted.
- AFK system: you now see an on-screen alert when the game detects you’re inactive, and teammates are warned too. Raven says detection has improved, partly to catch bots that get around inactivity checks.
Bug fixes worth knowing
- Apply All now fully plates you up even if one plate had taken a small amount of damage.
- Fortune’s Keep: the boat’s Buy Station and Ammo Cache Depot now shut off properly deep in the gas, and a Recon Site near Gatehouse no longer spawns clipped into the map.
- You can now pick up a Champion’s Quest contract at the spawn south of TV Station.
Sources we check
Every number on this page comes from the official Warzone Season 06 patch notes from Raven Software. We checked them against Dexerto and Dot Esports. If Raven changes these numbers in a hotfix, we’ll update this page.
Testing the new meta? Join the Warzone Discord to swap post-patch builds, or browse our loadout guides.
