Call of Duty devs explain the use of weapon codenames in patch notes

It appears that there's a good reason why Call of Duty devs don't use the actual names of the guns in the patch notes.


We're hoping that Activision Blizzard finds a way around the legal issues preventing the use of less confusing weapon names in Warzone 2.
We're hoping that Activision Blizzard finds a way around the legal issues preventing the use of less confusing weapon names in Warzone 2.

Call of Duty: Warzone developers have often used codenames for weapons in the patch notes. For two years, this has baffled players. After all, why don’t they just use the in-game names of weapons? As it turns out, there’s a good reason for this.

Two developers working on Warzone just stepped up to explain the use of codenames for weapons in the patch notes – and the answer is much more straightforward.

We'd love to know more about the
We’d love to know more about the “legal reasons” behind the use of codenames in Warzone patch notes.

According to Sledgehammer Games’ communications manager, Sam Leichtamer, they can’t use the real weapon names “for legal reasons. Treyarch’s Associate Director, Matt Scronce, echoed the same thoughts. Both agree that it’s confusing and they don’t like it either. But, since it’s way above their paygrade, they can’t really do anything about it.

Unfortunately, both Sam and Matt didn’t provide a more thorough explanation about why Warzone weapons still have codenames in the patch notes. But, at the very least, we can rest easy now that we know that the developers don’t like it as well. Hopefully, those with more authority can find a way to make the patch notes less confusing for Warzone players.

3arc & SHG devs explain why they use “Assault Rifle Alpha” instead of the actual name in store / patch notes
byu/OriginalXVI inCODWarzone

Speaking of Warzone, the sequel, Warzone 2.0, is still expected to come out later this year. Make sure to keep an eye on Call of Duty Next on September 15 for more Call of Duty info.

Ray Ampoloquio
Ray Ampoloquio // Articles: 7186
With over 20 years of gaming experience and technical expertise building computers, I provide trusted coverage and analysis of gaming hardware, software, upcoming titles, and broader entertainment trends. // Full Bio