The MW MP5 Got Secretly Buffed – Is It Warzone's New Meta?

MP5 Setup Guide
Is this puppy meta again? | © Activision Blizzard

After a recent patch Warzone weapon tester, TrueGameData discovered something they weren't expecting. The MW 2019 MP5, at this point a very old gun, was secretly buffed, and the community is unsure why...

Call of Duty: Warzone is dragging its heels through the bitter end of BOCWs tenure. Soon a new game and a new map shall enliven the scene. But until then the devs have a great opportunity for testing as only the most hardcore are still online. People who won't leave no matter how bad things get. People like us.

But a stealth buff to an old weapon? It's an odd move, to say the least, and yet it does seem to be intentional and not a bug. Before we get into the MP5, here's a quick rundown on stealth buffs and the one characteristic that makes all this possible.

Stealth Buffs And The Importance Of Neck Damage

Of all the body areas you could hit on a target, you would expect the neck to have a high damage multiplier by default. Well, they don't all have that in Warzone.

Now, you might simply think that a neck damage multiplier isn't hugely significant to a gun's overall performance, but it is. It really is, and often the devs will buff or nerf this characteristic to dramatically alter a gun's performance.

The thing is, they don't always tell us when they have, and we call these changes 'stealth buffs/nerfs'.

The reason neck damage multipliers matter so much, is that the 'neck' in Warzone's engine covers a larger space of the body than you might think, and it's exactly where people will hit if they're aiming for (but missing) headshots. Usually, a poor neck multiplier is to blame when a weapon isn't doing well despite seeming great on paper, the PPSh is a great example of this.

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The Case Of MW's MP5

Modern Warfare's MP5 was one of the best SMGs last year, but it didn't have the range to be pressed into other roles, and when its TTK was surpassed by BOCW's MP5 it fell from its position in 'true meta' and hasn't returned since. It remained solid and viable, but no more.

Well, in recent patch notes it seems the devs wanted to change that, because they buffed the neck damage multiplier for the Modern Warfare 2019 MP5 when chambered for 10mm. This was shown by extensive testing from TrueGameData, and while we wait for other testers to confirm the results, TrueGameData has been a reliable source in the past, so we're confident he's correct.

The MW 2019 MP5 now had one of the fastest TTKs in the game within close range.

Is The MP5 Meta Now?

It's limited to 30-round mags, so much like the AS VAL, the answer is: Yes, but only in solos. The problem is that 30 rounds simply isn't enough to be practical in squads, but it's exciting all the same to see MW weapons still get some love this late into Warzone's life cycle.

Are you going to get your old MP5 back into some loadouts? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter, and remember, you should consider joining MyEarlyGame today for exclusive tourneys and loads of great giveaways!

Jon Ramuz

Jon has a BA and an MA in English Literature, and as Content Lead for EarlyGame has written over 1,500 articles. He focuses on shooters, but also writes about entertainment and gaming in general....