The latest December 10 update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone has landed, delivering a broad mix of fixes, improvements, and balance adjustments across multiplayer, Zombies, Endgame, and the Warzone experience. While the patch brings meaningful enhancements in many areas, it also introduces changes that some players—particularly Zombies enthusiasts—may find disappointing. With Activision’s recent announcement about a new long-term strategy for the franchise, this patch arrives at a key moment for Black Ops 7’s future. Below is a breakdown of the most important changes and what they mean for players jumping in this week.

Zombies: Important Fixes, but a Nerfed Strategy

Zombies players on the new Astra Malorum map will notice several targeted fixes designed to smooth out bugs that affected gameplay since Season 1 launched. One of the standout corrections involves the LGM-1 Wonder Weapon, which previously behaved inconsistently when used with the Stock Option GobbleGum or the Frenzied Fire augment. This interaction had unintentionally empowered the weapon in the map’s challenging boss fight. With the patch now correcting ammo behavior, that unintended high-damage strategy is no longer possible, and some players may feel the encounter has become more demanding as a result.

Other fixes include preventing Oscar from becoming stuck in the starting area and removing the issue where players were mistakenly awarded the Main Quest completion Calling Card even when the final encounter was failed. The update also includes smaller adjustments across Ashes of the Damned and Dead Ops Arcade 4, addressing exploits, tuning hazard counts, and refining enemy mechanics such as Uber Klaus’s health and vulnerabilities. Notably, the Bloodstone camo challenge has been made dramatically easier, dropping from requiring 30 flawless 20-kill streaks to just five.

Multiplayer Stability and Usability Improvements

Black Ops 7’s multiplayer component sees a wide range of fixes aimed at quality-of-life improvements. Several popular maps—Standoff, Fate, Scar, Paranoia, and Toshin—received patching to close spots where players could leave the intended playspace. This is especially important for competitive integrity, as out-of-bounds exploits can disrupt casual and ranked matches alike.

The update also addresses perk behavior, such as a fix for the Scout Hybrid Combat Specialty effect lasting longer than intended. Challenges like Full Auto Mayhem and One Man Army—both previously completing after a single kill—now function properly. UI enhancements fix issues with One in the Chamber not being selectable in private matches and resolve missing loading-screen stats for 20v20 Skirmish. These refinements may seem subtle, but they eliminate recurring frustrations for players who frequently customize modes or track performance.

Endgame Campaign Adjustments

The Endgame mode, which continues the Black Ops 7 campaign narrative, also receives smaller but impactful fixes. Players who found exotic-rarity weapons failing to progress toward camo challenges or base weapon levels should now see proper tracking. A fix for the Mega Punch exotic skill ensures that dedicated melee weapons function consistently, while the Ballistic Shell ability now properly enters cooldown when activated.

With the update opening opportunities for cleaner progression, new and returning players may find Endgame more rewarding, especially with powerful exotic weapons now advancing as intended. And for those who play across multiple platforms or activate content regularly, Buy Xbox Gift Card can still be an efficient way to unlock cross-compatible digital items.

Warzone: A Much-Needed Heartbeat Sensor Buff

Perhaps the most significant change on the Warzone side of the update is the buff to the Heartbeat Sensor. For years, the device has been considered unreliable due to its short detection range and inconsistent sweeps. The update dramatically increases its range from 15 meters to 60 meters—quadrupling its effectiveness—and improves sweep smoothing for clearer and more consistent readings.

Developers emphasized that the Heartbeat Sensor is meant to serve as a soft counter to Ghost. With the previous detection radius being too small to impact engagements, the new range should shift how players scout buildings, approach rotations, and evaluate nearby threats. This adjustment may reshape early and mid-game strategy across Warzone’s large maps.

Warzone also benefits from numerous bug fixes, including corrections for permanent unlock token use, missing assets in the Resurgence Rotation menu, and errors that caused perks to display incorrectly. These refinements contribute to a more polished and predictable in-game experience.

A New Direction for Call of Duty

Perhaps equally important to the update is the broader message from Activision. The publisher confirmed that Black Ops 7 will receive a free multiplayer and Zombies trial next week, coinciding with a Double XP weekend. This move signals confidence in the game’s long-term potential and invites new players to evaluate it firsthand without committing financially.

The announcement also revealed a significant strategic shift: Call of Duty will no longer alternate annual releases between Modern Warfare and Black Ops. Instead, future entries will prioritize unique concepts and meaningful innovation rather than incremental annual changes. For players who purchase digital content like a Cheap Xbox Live Key, this shift suggests more varied and distinct experiences in future releases.

Conclusion

The December 10 update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone is substantial, addressing gameplay bugs, correcting progression issues, refining multiplayer quality, and delivering a major buff to the Heartbeat Sensor in Warzone. While some Zombies players may feel frustrated by the removal of a powerful LGM-1 strategy, the overall patch represents a step toward a more balanced and stable experience across all modes.

Combined with Activision’s major strategic announcement and the upcoming free trial, Black Ops 7 is clearly entering a pivotal phase. Whether you’re grinding camos, dropping into Warzone, or taking on Astra Malorum’s boss encounter, this update ensures smoother gameplay and a clearer picture of what the next era of Call of Duty aims to deliver.