MW4 Patch Notes Oct 25: S&D Kills Now Give 300 XP

The MW4 update of October 25, 2026 raises the XP for one kill from 100 to 300 in Search and Destroy and Collateral, and Infinity Ward says more XP changes for Multiplayer are coming. It also clears Loadouts properly when you Prestige, rolls back a Search and Destroy bomb fix, and fixes several DMZ bugs. The October 24 update before it fixed crashes, Hijack spawns and a DMZ party bug.

Both updates are listed on Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 4 launch patch notes page, which now carries a dated section for each fix since launch. Neither section gives a release hour, so we have not converted times. If you are leveling for unlocks, our MW4 boosting page covers rank and weapon services.

MW4 XP change: Search and Destroy kills now give 300 XP

The October 25 notes say Infinity Ward is “looking at XP earn rates in Multiplayer modes” and will make changes “starting with this update”. The first change:

Activision lists both under Round-Based Tactical Modes in its maps and modes post, so they play in rounds rather than as respawn modes like Team Deathmatch. The notes do not change kill XP in any other mode, and they do not say which modes are next. Our guide to leveling up fast in MW4 covers the other confirmed XP sources, and the Collateral mode guide explains how that mode works.

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Search and Destroy bomb fix rolled back

The October 24 update fixed players being able to defuse the bomb “from an unintended distance or position”. The October 25 update then rolled back an earlier fix for “bomb stretching” in Search and Destroy, because it stopped players picking up the bomb in some positions. Infinity Ward says it will fix bomb stretching again in a later update. The same update also fixed the bomb disappearing in Collateral after players interacted with it.

Prestige and Loadout fixes in the MW4 update

• October 25: the Prestige reset process now properly clears Loadouts when you Prestige.
• October 24: a weapon’s attachments now reset automatically when you Prestige it in Gunsmith.
• Both days: Weapon Prestige and Player Prestige are unavailable while you are searching for a match. Infinity Ward updated the menu to say so.

If you are deciding which Prestige path to take, our Classic vs Regular Prestige guide explains what each one resets.

Patriot XMR, Oden and Cronen Squall no longer listed as Battle Rifles

The October 25 notes fix the Patriot XMR, Oden and Cronen Squall being “incorrectly classified as Battle Rifles in various places throughout the game”. The notes do not name the class each one should show, so check the weapon’s own Gunsmith page. Their unlock levels are unchanged: 27, 39 and 55, as listed in our MW4 weapon unlock levels guide.

Infinity Ward also says it is “looking at potential weapon tuning changes for a future update”. No tuning numbers have been published yet.

Other Multiplayer fixes on October 24 and 25

• Hijack spawn locations and respawn timing improved (October 24).
• The game no longer briefly freezes when you edit a Loadout for the first time during a match (October 25).
• The announcer now introduces Frontline and Hijack at the start of a match (October 25).
• Portable Radar now shows the Minimap in Hardcore (October 24).
• The Deathstalker killstreak can no longer leave the map on Rooftops (October 24).
• Favorite Operators are now equipped properly in Collateral (October 24).
• Players are no longer kicked for being AFK while spectating in some modes (listed as recently updated on October 25).

DMZ fixes in the October 24 and 25 updates

• Party leaders: a leader could pull teammates out of DMZ without consent, marking their Active Duty Operators as MIA. Fixed October 24.
• Overflow Stash: you can no longer deploy with items left in your Overflow Stash. You now have to sort it out before the next deployment (October 25).
• Blueprint builds: buying a saved build of a modified Blueprint could charge the full original Blueprint price. Fixed October 25.
• Gunsmith cash: applying some camos or reticles in DMZ Gunsmith could take DMZ cash. Fixed October 24.
• Colossus: Drill Charge damage against an enemy Colossus was reduced (October 25).
• Story missions: the Hospital Elevator objective in Critical Extraction can no longer be skipped (October 25), and the Dark Zone markers now point at the right enemy (October 24).
• Exploits: both updates list closed DMZ exploits, plus more spots on Hajin where players got stuck in rocks.

Our MW4 DMZ guide covers the mode itself.

MW4 known issues after the October 25 update

The October 24 notes list three open issues: the regional map animation while searching for a match is turned off as a possible fix for hitching, a network error can hit PC players extracting from DMZ with a looted Dog Tag, and some players were kicked while spectating. The spectating kick is marked fixed in the October 25 section. For the rest, Infinity Ward points to its Trello board and the CODUpdates account, and our MW4 known issues guide tracks the launch-week list.

MW4 leveling and bot lobby services

The XP change only affects two modes so far. If you would rather not grind ranks and weapon levels while Infinity Ward adjusts XP, these cover it:

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Frequently asked questions

How much XP is a kill in Search and Destroy in MW4?

300 XP since the October 25 update, up from 100. Collateral got the same change.

Did the October 25 update change XP in other modes?

These patch notes only list kill XP changes for Search and Destroy and Collateral. Infinity Ward says it is reviewing XP across Multiplayer and will make more changes, but has not named the next modes.

Is there a weapon balance patch in MW4 yet?

Not yet. The notes say potential weapon tuning is planned for a future update, with no date or numbers.

Why can’t I Prestige while searching for a match?

Weapon Prestige and Player Prestige are disabled during matchmaking. Infinity Ward updated the menu to explain this.

What happened to bomb stretching in Search and Destroy?

The fix was rolled back on October 25 because it stopped some bomb pickups. Infinity Ward says it will address bomb stretching again later.

Sources and update history

• Infinity Ward / Activision: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Launch Patch Notes, October 24 and October 25, 2026 sections, read October 26, 2026
• Activision: Ready for Launch: Multiplayer Maps and Modes Confirmed, October 21, 2026 (images)
• Activision: Modern Warfare 4 launch Multiplayer operators, weapons and equipment, October 2026 (unlock levels, weapon images)

Update history: Published October 26, 2026. Facts last checked October 26, 2026 against the sources above.