Warzone 2 Season 5: release date. Call of Duty update UK time, when does new Modern Warfare 2 CoD season start?

New maps, modes, operators, and weaponry are coming to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 as part of the big new Season 5 update.

The full list of changes are discussed in depth by Activision in this blog post, but these are the most significant updates for Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 Season 5 - and, of course, when you can play it.

What's new in Season 5?

These popular, online multiplayer games often dive to some bizarre depths to keep players engaged, throwing up some of the most random and seemingly non-sequitur tie-ins seen in modern gaming.

There's another one coming in Season 5, with the - 50 Years of Hip Hop Celebration - event running between 7 and 15 August, and introducing Nicki Minaj as a playable operator. That doesn't sound like a very obvious combination, but stranger things have happened.

In terms of other operators being made available to players, six others are coming to the game, and look like they'll fit into the Call of Duty universe a little easier: Oz, Mila, Velikan, and Arthur are available at launch, while Graves is available as a battle pass operator and Mace will become available as a mid-season operator.

One of the more exciting twists coming with Season 5 is that it will also play host to the Call of Duty 2023 reveal event.

A time-limited, mid-season event will give players a first look at what this year's instalment of the franchise is set to bring, with that game all but being confirmed as being Modern Warfare 3.

Though we'll have to wait until the mid-Season 5 event for clarification of the details, it's believed the next game in the series is being developed by Sledgehammer Games, and it is rumoured to be released on Friday 10 November.

We might need that clarification too, as counter-rumours suggest that this year's entry may not be a standalone game, but instead a "premium expansion" to Modern Warfare 2. Time will tell.

New maps, modes and weapons

Four new maps will be available at launch - Punta Mar and Strike as the two Core maps, and Lounge and Canal joining as Gunfight maps. DRC Zone 1 will become playable as a Core map partway through the season.

At the start of Season 5, Havoc and Big Capture - two new game types - will be available, while Gunfight Variants, including Gunfight Snipers, will roll out in-season.

The FR Avancer assault rifle and Carrack .300 sniper rifle are two of the six new weapons that will be accessible throughout the season, and are available as launch additions in the battle pass.

Mid-season, the M13C assault weapon will be made available, but the conditions for unlocking it are still unknown, and an additional new handgun and a new silent SMG will also be offered by Activision, along with a pickaxe melee weapon.

Additionally, the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and the dirt bike are two new vehicles that will be coming to Warzone as part of Season 5.

When can I play it?

Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 Season 5 will be launching simultaneously around the globe on Wednesday 2 August.

For players in the UK, the new season will be going live at 5pm BST. Based on the timings of previous seasons, it's likely the update will be made available to download roughly 24 hours ahead of launch time, meaning you should have plenty of time to get everything updated ahead of launch.