Warzone Season 5 patch notes: Drone Labs, Supply Drones and weapon changes
By TourneyTime ·
The short version
Warzone Season 5 is a Verdansk systems update, not just a loot refresh. Raven’s July 22 patch notes add the Drone Labs POI, put Supply Drones and airborne Buy Stations into Battle Royale and Resurgence, introduce new LTMs, and rebalance several ARs and SMGs. Raven Software
The headline gameplay change is the sky. Supply Drones now deliver part of the loot that used to spawn on the ground: around 40% of Legendary Supply Box loot, around 15% of Reusable Supply Box loot, and 100% of Personal Supply Box loot. Buy Stations also arrive in waves by drone, with roughly 50% delivered in the initial deployment. Raven Software
What changed on Verdansk
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| Drone Labs POI | New facility between Quarry, Farms and east of TV Station |
| Armed JLTV | Unique vehicle unlocked through a Drone Labs side objective |
| Supply Drones | Loot and Buy Stations can be shot down before they land |
| Lockdown Casual | Drone Labs-focused LTM with respawns and random killstreaks |
| Heavy Metal Heroes | 50v50 vehicle-focused mode running August 6 to August 20 |
Activision’s Season 05 announcement also frames Drone Labs as the main Warzone map addition, describing two large L-shaped buildings, a skybridge, a zipline, rooftops, and a drone obstacle course. Activision
The changes that will affect matches fastest
Supply Drones should change early rotations. If Buy Stations are arriving from the air, teams can contest them before they settle, which makes the sky part of the loot route rather than background noise. Raven also says destroying airborne Buy Stations grants additional rewards. Raven Software
Vehicles are weaker in smaller squad sizes. Raven says vehicles now take about 30% more damage in Solos, 20% more in Duos, and 10% more in Trios, with no change in Quads. That should matter most for players who use vehicles to force rotations or bully late-game positioning in lower-player-count modes. Raven Software
Resurgence also gets a pacing pass: killstreak drops from Legendary Supply Boxes are reduced by 15% on Fortune’s Keep, Rebirth Island and Ranked, and by 10% on Haven’s Hollow. Grey and Blue Supply Boxes now cap cash drops at $2,000, while Orange Supply Boxes can drop up to $5,000. Raven Software
New weapons and restricted items
Season 5 adds four weapons across launch and in-season unlocks. The FG42 Assault Rifle is on Battle Pass Page 3, the Gremlin SMG is on Page 6, the Mammoth LMG comes through the Machine of War event, and the Mace Melee is tied to a Weekly Challenge. Raven Software
Ranked players should note the launch restrictions. Raven has added the Mammoth LMG, M1 Garand Conversion, AR Hawk .50 Cal Conversion, and Thermal Reflex to the restricted list, with several underbarrel launchers and the Shadow SK Shotgun Comb also corrected as restricted. Raven Software
Weapon balance highlights
| Weapon | Direction | Confirmed change |
|---|---|---|
| AK-27 | Nerf | Max damage 39 to 38; max range 40m to 36m; BR/Res bullet velocity 920m/s to 900m/s |
| AN-94 | Buff | Minimum damage 30 to 32; headshot multiplier 1.2x to 1.3x; ADS 240ms to 235ms |
| M15 MOD 0 | Buff | Max damage 32 to 33; max range 38m to 42m; BR/Res velocity 900m/s to 910m/s |
| MXR-17 | Nerf | Max damage 49 to 48; max range 40m to 36m; ADS 235ms to 245ms |
| Carbon 57 | Nerf | Max damage 35 to 34; max range 13.8m to 12.4m; headshot multiplier 1.2x to 1.13x |
| Sturmwolf 45 | Buff | Max damage 45 to 47; ADS 170ms to 160ms |
That does not automatically create a new meta. It does tell us where to start testing: the AN-94 and M15 MOD 0 are the clearest ranged buffs, while the AK-27, MXR-17 and Carbon 57 lose some safety at range. Dot Esports independently summarised the same direction of travel for the balance pass, but the exact numbers above are taken from Raven’s patch notes. Dot Esports
Sources we check
For patch-note coverage, we treat Raven’s official notes as the anchor for numbers and mechanical changes. We then compare against Activision’s season announcement and established Call of Duty desks for corroboration, but we do not use secondary articles to invent stats that are not in the official notes.
FAQ
What is the biggest Warzone Season 5 change?
Drone Labs and Supply Drones are the biggest match-flow changes. Drone Labs adds a new Verdansk POI, while Supply Drones move loot and Buy Station access into visible, contestable drops.
Is Heavy Metal Heroes live at launch?
No. Raven lists Heavy Metal Heroes for August 6 to August 20. Lockdown Casual is the Drone Labs-focused LTM listed at launch.
Which weapons look most improved after the patch?
On paper, the AN-94 and M15 MOD 0 receive the clearest AR buffs. Treat that as a testing shortlist, not a final meta verdict, because live recoil, attachments and lobby behaviour still matter.
