Days after adding the new Temp V field upgrade to Call of Duty: Warzone, Activision has now nerfed it in the latest patch for the game. Field upgrades are a major part of Warzone gameplay, giving operators boosted strength or special abilities when deployed. These field upgrades are intended to be powerful tools, but sometimes Activision finds it necessary to rebalance or nerf them for the sake of fairness.
Last week, a brand-new field upgrade was introduced to the game as part of the special crossover event with the the The Boys. This Call of Duty update added Homelander to the game, along with other characters and cool features apart from the field upgrade. It seems it was this new field upgrade, however, that merited a second look after the update.
Fitting with the crossover with The Boys, the new field upgrade essentially gave players superpowers. Known as Temp V, this field upgrade confers one of four random powers that fit within the setting of the superhero show. After approximately a week, however, Activision seems to have concluded that these powers were a bit too prevalent on the battlefield and chose to nerf them by reducing the drop rate of Temp V in a patch on July 19.
This Call of Duty crossover with The Boys may be the start of a new trend, but Activision is still trying to find the correct balance for its new content. While plenty of players thought it was cool to zip around the map, zapping foes with electricity or melting them with laser vision, others were frustrated that everyone appeared to be a superhuman. For some, the high rate of Temp V appearances turned the field upgrade from a special treat into the new status-quo. It only took a few days for the developers to reach the same conclusion and nerf the Temp V drops.
It's not uncommon for Warzone, and online games in general, to see tweaks like this in the wake of a new release of content. Back in May, a Call of Duty update nerfed fan-favorite rifles, and small changes are a regular part of the Warzone experience. Given that Temp V represents a fairly dramatic departure from traditional Call of Duty gameplay, it makes sense that Activision would be watching closely to see how it's received and be quick to make changes for the sake of balance.
Some Call of Duty players are worried about multiplayer's future, but Activision appears committed to demonstrating that it takes its job seriously. Such a quick response to player feedback speaks to this desire. Just how this nerf will be received, and whether it will adequately address player concerns, remains to be seen. Warzone fans will likely want to jump back in and check it out as soon as possible.
Call of Duty: Warzone Season 04 Reloaded Patch Notes
GAMEPLAY
Adjustments
- Reduced the damage and range of the Underbarrel Dragon’s Breath Shotgun attachment
MWII RANKED PLAY RESTRICTIONS
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Attachments
- Corvus Torch Underbarrel
BUG FIXES
- Fixed an issue with Perk Packages being reset that prevented some Players from logging in.
- Fixed an issue where War Tracks preview audio would overlap when previewed in another vehicle.
- Fixed an issue where Players were unable to back out of Private Match Matchmaking before servers are available.
- Fixed an issue where Profile Account Level could display incorrectly on a fresh launch.
- Fixed an issue causing the Party Browser to not update when Party data changed.
- Fixed an issue where many attachments lacked the option to choose a skin.
- Fixed an issue where Players could receive an incorrect weapon as a reward in the Atomgrad Raid Episode 04.
- Fixed an issue where items in Reactive Pack: Soulless were not displaying as Reactive.
WARZONE RANKED PLAY RESTRICTIONS
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Weapons
- X13 Auto
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Basilisk
Reminder: Warzone Ranked Play competitive settings are a multi-team effort to deliver competitive and fair matches. Restrictions are updated based on data and feedback, and restricted items may return after undergoing balance changes or fixes.
GAMEPLAY
Adjustments
- Reduced the frequency of Temp V drops in all modes
BUG FIXES
- Fixed an issue causing Armor Plates to lose functionality in Private Match.
- Fixed several collision issues across Vondel allowing Players to exploit, peek, or shoot through them.
- Fixed an issue causing Players to not connect to a match when using the Look For Party feature.
- Fixed an issue causing Players to be executed by the Jailer after being Released From Gulag.
- Fixed an issue causing some Operators arms to pose incorrectly in Warzone Private Match Lobbies.
- Fixed an exploit where the Player was able to have infinite Electric Shockwave in DMZ.
- Fixed an issue causing the UI to display an Active Superpower Warning at all times.
- Fixed an issue where Armor Plates would occasionally lose functionality in a Private Battle Royale Match.
- Fixed an issue where using Temp V and highlighting other equipment did not show a powers replacement warning.
- Fixed an issue where Players’ Stash items could be incorrectly revoked in DMZ.
Call of Duty: Warzone is currently available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Call of Duty