Call of Duty update (8th April): Full patch notes and CoD playlist changes

• Read more: Call of Duty Vanguard release date & launch time

Keep on reading, then, and we'll tell you everything that you need to know about the CoD update on 8th April 2021.

CoD update release date and time: What time does the weekly update drop on 8th April?

You can expect the next wave of playlist changes to take effect in CoD at 6pm UK time on Thursday 8th April 2021, as Thursday evening drops are generally the tradition at the moment.

Treyarch did actually send the software update out on 7th April, though, which means you should be prompted to download the update file next time you try to open Black Ops: Cold War on your gaming device of choice.

Read more on Call of Duty:

• All the Call of Duty games in order
• Call of Duty: Vanguard trophies & achievements list
• Call of Duty: Vanguard PC specs/requirements

How to fix slow speeds and download problems with the CoD update

As ever, you might experience slow download speeds when you try to install this CoD update. If that happens to you, remember to deploy all the usual tricks: cancel any other downloads you have in progress, move as close to your Wifi router as humanly possible, and connect up with an ethernet cable if you can.

However, some players have experienced deeper download issues this week, with some Modern Warfare/Warzone owners being stuck in a loop and forced to download extra files. If this happens to you, heed the advice of Raven Software in the Tweet embedded below. It should help you get back into the game.

What's new in the 8th April CoD update?

There's rather a lot going on in CoD this week. One thing to note, as Raven Software declared on Twitter, is that 15,000 troublesome accounts have been banned in the latest wave of changes - that should make the overall experience of playing online a bit nicer!

Meanwhile, Treyarch announced with a blog post that a four-day Double XP Weekend is taking place in Black Ops: Cold War. From a UK perspective, it kicks off at 6pm on Thursday 8th April 2021, and it will end at 6pm on Monday 12th April. During this window, you'll get double the amount of XP for everything you achieve in the game.

As for playlist changes and other updates, Treyarch says that this week's CoD overhaul will bring "the introduction of Gunsmith Customs, the debut of Gunfight Tournaments with exclusive rewards, and the new Season Two Reloaded update for Gunfight Blueprints in MP!"

Treyarch also announced a new gun in the blog, saying, "The heavy-duty ZRG 20mm sniper rifle is now available in Black Ops Cold War and Warzone as our sixth new weapon in Season Two! This devastating rifle fires massive 20mm rounds, packing more punch per shot than any other weapon in the Cold War sniper rifle class. Get your hands on the ZRG 20mm via in-game challenge or the 'Jackpot Sniper' bundle, and drop into this week’s Snipers Only Moshpit to put your skills to the test."

• For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.

CoD update full patch notes today

If you're looking for more granular information on this week's CoD update, you're in luck. Treyarch revealed the full patch notes in its latest 'game intel' blog, and we've included all of that information below. In the words of Treyarch, then, here's what is changing.

GLOBAL

Weapons

• ZRG 20mm
  • ZRG 20mm sniper rifle now available via in-game challenge or Store bundle.

UI

• Addressed an issue with UI icon visuals for the "Oni" Reticle appearing too dark in the preview.

MULTIPLAYER

Maps

• Miami Strike
  • Closed an out-of-bounds exploit area near the Parking Garage.

Scorestreaks

• RC-XD
  • Increased RC-XD damage to take down nearby enemies using Flak Jacket.

Camo Progression

• Addressed an issue where the “Science” camo category for the RPG-7 wasn't tracking properly.
• Addressed an issue where the “Classic” camo category for the R1 Shadowhunter wasn't tracking properly.

ZOMBIES

Stability

• Addressed a stability issue related to Ammo Mods.

Outbreak

• Stability
  • Fixed crashes related to Objectives.
  • Addressed a stability issue related to the Krasny Soldat's leap attack.
  • Addressed a stability issue related to the Dragon Relic.
  • Addressed a stability issue related to Wall Buys.
  • Addressed a stability issue related to the Secure Objective.
  • Added numerous stability fixes.

Dead Ops Arcade 3

• Gameplay
  • Adjusted XP rewards.
  • Slightly adjusted some rewards for life donation.
  • Adjusted time allotments for Wave 3 in the Room of Judgement.
  • Addressed an issue where the Bonus Room War Store not functioning as expected.
  • Addressed an issue where the War Store wasn't granting vehicles or a random one.
  • Addressed a co-op issue where a player wouldn't be warped into the Room of Fate if another player was dropping into the Room of Fate on a buggy or mech at the same time.
  • Addressed an issue where various shield type objects (Barrels, Boxing Gloves, Sawblades, Tesla Balls) were not working as expected.
  • Addressed an issue where the player’s shield was not affecting the Meatball or Spider enemies as expected.
  • Addressed an issue where the Tesla Ball wasn't working against some enemies.
• Challenges
  • Addressed an issue where the player wasn’t properly getting credited for kills while in vehicles for the “Damage Delivery” Challenge.
• Leaderboards
  • Addressed an issue where leaderboards were not updated correctly at the end of match.

Create-a-Class

• Addressed an issue that caused Optics to be automatically unlocked on the R1 Shadowhunter crossbow.

Onslaught (PS4/PS5)

• Gameplay
  • Adjusted difficulty scaling for higher Surges.
  • Adjusted spawn rate and movement speed of enemies to match other modes.
  • Added super sprinter enemies to Onslaught.

CAMPAIGN

UI

• Addressed a UI error that could appear upon selecting Player Details when using keyboard and mouse.

And that's your lot, for now! As we learn more about Call of Duty's ongoing changes, we'll be sure to let you know. And if you are jumping into Black Ops: Cold War, Modern Warfare or Warzone over the next few days, we hope you have fun and enjoy all the new stuff!

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