Warzone season 3 update: what time is the Call of Duty Nuke event in the UK - and map changes explained

The latest update for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is upon us, and has dropped Season 3 content into the game and usher in a new era for the popular Warzone mode in particular.

Developers Treyarch and Raven Software say the latest patch – version 1.16 – will provide an “earth-shattering” update to Warzone, while the game's third season also brings four multiplayer maps, six new weapons, and the next chapter of Zombies in Outbreak.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

Which new Operators are coming?

Four new Operators (the game’s playable characters) are coming to Warzone with Season 3.

They include Wraith, who is coming to the game during the launch week window, and is described as an “ex-Norwegian Intelligence Services alpine warfare specialist-turned-Perseus-agent” who is adept at showcasing her “skills in infiltration and sabotage”.

Then there’s Knight, a “Dublin-born former MI6 wetworks operative” who is coming later in the season, and is “happiest when killing in close quarters… a brutal force to be reckoned with.”

Ex-hitman Antonov is also coming later in the season, with “expertise” as a paid killer that “makes him an extremely valuable and lethal asset”; “he finds himself assigned duties no one else wants: bomb defusal and hazmat work.”

Finally, Price is this season’s Legendary Operator, a character who first appeared in the Call of Duty universe as part of 2007’s Modern Warfare, and one that is “outfitted in tactical gear suited for the most clandestine of wetwork operations.”

What are the new weapons?

Six new weapons are coming to the game in Season 3.

The PPSh-41 SMG is coming in that all important launch week window, and is “ideal for leading the charge in objective modes and clearing out tight spaces in Warzone.” It unlocks at Tier 15 of the Season Three Battle Pass.

The Swiss K31 Sniper Rifle boasts "exceptional accuracy”, as well as “fast rechamber and aiming speeds with a large ammo capacity”, while the Ballistic Knife – first introduced in the original Call of Duty: Black Ops – is a spring-action launcher that can be used as both a melee weapon, and to fire retrievable blades.

The CARV.2 is a burst-fire tactical rifle boasting “moderate firepower with solid recoil control and a large ammo pool”, and is a weapon that “cuts the deepest when used for mid to long-range engagements.”

The AMP63 pistol is a self-loading gun that outputs “high amounts” of damage in a short period of time thanks to its full-auto nature, which makes it “highly effective” in close quarters.

And finally, you can probably imagine how new melee weapon the baseball bat works…

What are the new multiplayer maps?

Four new maps are making their way to Black Ops Cold War, including Yamantau, a 6v6 play space set within the crumbled remains of a Soviet observatory on Mount Yamantau.

Then there's Diesel, a “fast-paced and frenetic map” that’s perfect for 6v6, 2v2 and 3v3 matches, and sees players battle around a petrol station and its surrounding buildings, “smack dab in the middle of the badlands.”

Standoff is a Black Ops II classic, a medium-sized map which features “a timeless three-lane feel and plentiful opportunities for outsmarting your opponents”.

Finally, Duga is an expansive new Multi-Team environment which offers something for every play style, “whether you prefer to move through the central admin offices for close-range battles, or work your way around the perimeter to the chemical processing plant for long-range battles.”

Duga also serves as the setting for the next chapter of the game’s Zombie’s game mode, where you’ll be tasked with keeping hordes of the undead under control.

What is the Hunt for Adler event?

Of course, there is more than just new Operators, weapons and maps coming to the game with the Season 3 update.

There’s a plethora of other content on its way, including the Hunt for Adler event which tasks players with unique in-game challenges to unlock rewards including Weapon Charms, Calling Cards, a new Operator Skin, and more.

Details are limited at the time of writing, with more set to be cleared up when Season 3 launches, and the developers saying you’ll be able to find more details about the event in the Seasonal Event tab on the main menu between Play and Weapons.

Also new is the hugely popular Multiplayer mode Sticks and Stones, in which players can earn score with crossbow and Ballistic Knife kills, and eliminate enemies with the Tomahawk.

On top of that, there are new scorestreak perks, in-game vehicles, world events, features, and objectives will be going live with the update, and you can find out all about them on the Call of Duty blog.

What time is the update?

The Season Three update was made available for Black Ops Cold War on Wednesday 21 April at 5am BST, and will be available for Warzone Thursday 22 April at 5am BST.

How big is the update?

Depending on which platform you play the game, the size of the update will vary.

We’ve pooled together the expected download sizes below.

What time is the nuke event?

Activision has said players should be ready for a “crescendo of utter chaos within the Warzone”.

That's because there’s an in-game live event planned which is likely to feature the detonation of a nuclear warhead.

“The situation in Verdansk has hit a critical level. It seems the combat zone has become too dangerous for even a Tier 1 Operator to survive in," the said.

“Is a conflagration imminent? The answer is still unknown, though it is recommended you clear your schedule for the week and ready yourself for a crescendo of utter chaos within the Warzone. Be certain you’re available for Operation Rapid Sunder throughout Wednesday, April 21 and beyond.”

The event is expected to go off at 8pm BST on Wednesday 21 April.

Read more:

PS5 stock: why console is so hard to find, semiconductor shortage explained – and when will it be available?

The best video games of March 2021 on PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC – according to critics

Is Microsoft buying Discord? What is the app, how does Nitro make money – and what a deal may mean for Xbox