CDL and Black Ops 7 Ranked set for major weapon meta shakeup

For years, Call of Duty has experimented with its meta applications, changing the multiplier landscape with every seasonal weapon drop and drastically overwriting the Warzone gunplay with extensive patch notes every few weeks. But for the first time in a number of years, the CDL professionals are working alongside the devs to switch up the Black Ops 7 Ranked weapon pool, ending the reign of the M15 MOD and Dravec 45.

Both the M15 and Dravec have been the go-to weapons in Ranked play throughout Season 2 and the opening two Majors of the CDL, only pierced by the occasional boomstick sniper in Search and Destroy rounds.

However, Treyarch promised meta shifts heading into Black Ops 7 Ranked. Now the pros are settling on a new weapon pool for Season 3, Major III, and beyond, with three new weapons reportedly being considered.

Black Ops 7 Ranked weapon meta set for AR and SMG Overhaul

According to community figures on social media and professional players live-streaming scrim matches, three new weapons are set to be introduced to the Ranked pool, including two SMGs and a new Assault Rifle.

While the M15 MOD has been an unstoppable force since the game was released, with the addition of DLC weapons in Season 2, the Voyak KT-3 has been trialled as the new long-range weapon for Season 3.

Compared to the M15, the Voyak has a slower fire rate but slaps in some high-damage bullets and boasts better handling. Most importantly, its headshot multiplier is of a normal rate, which makes it competitively viable, unlike others that can become a three-bullet kill with the right connection. So far, the weapon has proved to be better at closer ranges, but more punishing at the maximum distances.

As for the SMG game, well, the KOGOT is proving to be a popular weapon, shredding through enemies up close but proving harder to handle at long ranges. This seems damaging, at least for those who are used to hitting cross-map shots with the Dravec.

It’s widely accepted that SMGs shouldn’t be able to perform as well as the Dravec. They should be used in a similar way to how the KOGOT excels.

The MPC is also being used in pro scrims. The weapon, intended to be akin to the MSMC from Black Ops 2, is an accurate and mobile option for players, allowing for a different style of play in the SMG department.

All three of these weapons are set to directly replace the Dravec 45 and M15 MOD, rewriting the meta completely, and promising a more diverse play style with flexible compositions.

All of this comes during the ongoing map test, which is seeing the likes of Gridlock, Fringe, Cliff Town (Yemen), and Plaza get put through the competitive grinder.