History GameBreaker / CallOfDuty

* Dual-wield in general is extremely powerful as due to gunsmithing, you no longer need to worry about inaccuracy as you can still stick other attachments to increase accuracy on your dual weapons as opposed to it being the only attachment you could use, this makes the dual {{AMP63}},Diamatti and Magnums absurdly overpowered in close range combat as they can do absurd amounts of damage without as much of an accuracy trade-off as past games.

* Dual-wield in general is extremely powerful as due to gunsmithing, you no longer need to worry about inaccuracy as you can still stick other attachments to increase accuracy on your dual weapons as opposed to it being the only attachment you could use, this makes the dual {{AMP 63}},Diamatti and Magnums absurdly overpowered in close range combat as they can do absurd amounts of damage without as much of an accuracy trade-off as past games.

* The Marshall shotguns are basically the reincarnation of the Model 1887. Cold War's shotguns suffer from not being able to consistently one-shot without a headshot meanwhile the Marshall can be dual-wielded to instantly fire two shots at once meaning it basically wins by default against any other shotgun as it's the only one that can consistently instantly put down enemies without a bit of luck involved by firing both guns at once.

** To drive home how utterly broken the 725 is, a ''third'' nerf was hastily rolled out with a hotfix to Patch 1.08 that ''still'' somehow failed to address its lethality at range. All the nerf seemed to have accomplished is forcing some players to switch back to the default barrel to regain some ranged damage, as the reduction was quite minimal in the grand scope of things.
** And then a ''fourth'' nerf is rolled out to reduce the damage range of the sawed-off barrel, but also increases the close range damage.

* The .357 Magnum revolver gains its game breaker chop with its Snake Shot ammo, basically turning it into a pistol-sized shotgun akin to Executioner from ''Black Ops 2'' with the power of pre-patch 725. Due to being a revolver, it has more mobility, lighter, and can load 6 rounds. And then there's the option to combine it with the [[GunsAkimbo Akimbo]] weapon perk, which allows you to ''[[FromBadToWorse dual wield]]'' two Snake Shot .357 Magnum revolvers. Even if you don't plan to use the Snake Shot ammo, you can convert it into a SniperPistol thanks to the stock, long barrel and scope attachments it comes with.

** Prophet's [[LightningGun Tempest]]. You will learn to fear its [[HellIsThatNoise distinctive zapping sound]]. Anyone hit with its beam will be instantly killed before you can say "FUCK!" And if there are many players grouped together, that's bad news, since the beam can spread and chain targets.

* Season 6 also marks the return of an old friend from ''Call of Duty 4'', and now the most powerful marksman rifle in the whole game: the SP-R 208, better known as the R700. Just like before, it's a bolt-action rifle. Unlike before, where it used to be outclassed in many ways by the more popular [=M40A3=] as a sniper rifle, in this game it is superior in every way to the [=Kar98k=], its main competition in the marksman rifle category. It boasts lightning fast ADS time, greater one-shot kill areas than the other bolt-action rifles, and mods that can increase both damage and rechamber speed. What's even more broken is when the weapon is rechambered from its standard [=.300 WinMag=] ammo for [=.300 Norma Mag=] or [=.338=] Lapua Magnum. These two alternate chamberings not only add more one-hit kill areas, but due to a bug, they ''also make the weapon {{hitscan}} out to exactly 407 meters'', after which the round [[ArbitraryMaximumRange ceases to exist]]. It not only outclasses every other marksman rifle, but also the ''actual'' sniper rifles, including its fellow bolt-action counterparts the HDR and the AX-50, only losing out to them in raw damage (and not by much when modded for maximum damage potential). Even after it was nerfed and its bugs patched, it is still a very viable weapon in both Multiplayer and Warzone.

** The nerf increased its damage falloff and widened the shot spread, making it a two-shot kill at medium range and virtually peanuts from then on out, though players still find it to be hilariously overtuned and on a good day it's still incredibly easy to chain kills and Longshots with it, thus rendering all of its camos challenges virtually trivial. It's so broken that it was nerfed ''again'' within a week, with Patch 1.08 further reducing its effective range, though it still remains a WeaponOfChoice for campers which, let's be honest, are ''everywhere'' in this game.

** The Thompson was another contender, having a slightly lower mag capacity than the MP 40 and Sten in return for noticeably stronger per-shot power, able to kill in two hits; later games toned down the damage slightly and have only ever featured it with 20-round magazines since.
* ''[=CoD=] 1'' also had the scoped Mosin-Nagant; while every other scoped rifle had to reload rounds one at a time, the Mosin-Nagant used a stripper clip whether scoped or not, giving Soviet snipers a huge advantage in multiplayer.

* Two weapons were broken by design: the Type-95 and the Mk 14; the former had the highest automatic damage in-game, albeit in a 3-round burst, but the bursts occurred so fast that it was a non-issue, and it was also incredibly accurate. The latter had players take advantage of the lack of firecap to use a modded 'turbo' controller to have full-auto versions that were incredibly accurate and powerful, combined with the fact that the M14's recoil across the series has always been simply wandering straight up.
* There was a brief window that made shotguns incredibly overpowered. In the same patch that adjusted machine pistol balance, they also intended to change a GoodBadBugs that gave shotguns 50% more pellets per shot when given Extended Mags. The goal was to give all the shotguns more pellets by default (shotguns were anemic on launch and thus only the rapid-fire striker was used), while removing the Extended Mags bonus. They only achieved one of these goals on the first pass, meaning shotguns very briefly became instant-death cannons, overpowering even the formerly broken FMG9 akimbo combo.

* ''[[VideoGame/CallOfDutyInfiniteWarfare Infinite Warfare]]'' introduces Gun Perks, which are buffs included with weapon variants (acquired through [[RandomDrops Supply Crates]]). The [[RareRandomDrop Epic]] rarity is special in that all its perks are unique to a specific gun, denoted by unique appearance (and in very rare cases, two will share the same perk). The other tiers (Common, Rare, Legendary) have their own perks, which are more spread out across guns.

** The XRK [=M4A1=] Blueprint, which can be obtained through [[BribingYourWayToVictory purchasing the game digitally]], comes with an integrally-suppressed barrel, a hybrid sight, a commando foregrip, a laser sight and the [=M16=] stock. Both the hybrid sight and the barrel attachment are supposed to be late game attachments unlocked by using the gun long enough. What makes it gamebreaking is that you can use the blueprint right at early game. The hybrid sight allows you to deal with enemies in both mid-range and close range. The improved underbarrel, foregrip and stock boost its already high accuracy and reduce its recoil significantly. And the laser sight itself can be swapped out for [=FMJ=] ammunition or any other weapon perk, further improving the weapon's effectiveness. Thanks to its sheer flexibility, along with the fact that [[DiscOneNuke the M4A1 is the second assault rifle you can unlock at low level]], allowing you to customize it right at early game, the XRK M4 is going to be one of the best early game weapons, if not the most used weapon for people who have purchased the game digitally.

** Taken UpToEleven if Akimbo is also equipped. Not only is the time to kill now around 100 milliseconds, the hipfire spread is still so tight that it could decimate an enemy in medium-range. And in Warzone, the time to kill is still so quick that you can barely react before going down.

* In terms of Game Breaking weapons in Black Ops 2, the burst-fire [=B23R=] pistol would fit the bill. It's basically the Raffica from ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare2'' except with all the good traits cranked UpToEleven. This pistol is considered to be the best out of all sidearms due to its high rate of fire (1022 RPM), a decent damage, tight hipfire spread, faster mobility, and somewhat more than an average range for a pistol, not to mention a low level to unlock this pistol (level 19). Soon after the game got released, everybody began using it even more than primary weapons due to its versatility and sheer strength. Obviously, this gun was nerfed dramatically, but still proved itself to be versatile nonetheless.

** Battery's War Machine, as above, is your average Noob Tube taken UpToEleven, being easy to aim, spam, and able to decimate entire rooms with its grenades, whether it's a direct impact or from a split grenade. Flak Jacket only protects against the latter.

** The versatility and the power of the AUG was cranked UpToEleven in Warzone as the accuracy and the recoil control was extremely godly that it could delete people in long range. In addition, the damage dropoff range was practically non-existent, meaning that it would be able to two burst an enemy in any range, and that's from a fully armored one. While the accuracy is not that good compared to the M16, the extremely low TTK is what sold players to use the AUG and become one of the two biggest cases of ComplacentGamingSyndrome in Warzone. As a result, it had to get a massive nerf on April 6th, 2021 where the recoil has been increased when rapid-firing.

* The classic ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' Game Breaker is the [=PPSh=]-41; in the original, it had a huge 71-round magazine along with very friendly and predictable recoil and an excellent iron sight. Almost every later game tried to {{Nerf}} it somehow. For that matter, submachine guns in general have always been overpowered in the World War 2 [=CoD=] games, and the only truly noticeable nerfing ''any'' of them got was the Thompson's slight magazine reduction from ''2'' onward.

* Apart from the other broken scoped rifle, of course. The FG 42 in the original game was ridiculous; a selectable semi / full-auto high-damage weapon with an extremely accurate scope, it was a true do-everything gun with no meaningful weaknesses whatsoever.

* Due to an oversight, attaching the ACOG scope to the [=M40A3=] sniper rifle increases its base damage from 70 to 75. While this may not sound like much, the damage multipliers on shots from sniper rifles are coded so that a player with the Stopping Power perk (which multiplies bullet damage by 1.4x) will deal 98 damage on a "bad" hit, like to a target's foot, barely letting them survive a single shot with the default 100 max health. As such, the [=M40A3=] will literally be a 1-shot kill anywhere on the body unless your target has the Juggernaut perk to increase their max health, and even ''then'' a shot anywhere that's not a limb will still be an instant kill.
* Another oversight had the Skorpion's base damage unaffected by the suppressor attachment. This was bad enough in normal gameplay, where in close range it dealt 50 damage per bullet, but it was especially noticeable in Hardcore mode, where that damage is higher than the maximum health players are given, combined with the gun having practically no recoil for ranges where a single bullet won't do the trick. The weapon was universally banned from competitive-league games for this reason, even after it was patched.
* A downplayed example during Campaign would be the RPD Machine Gun, with the help of auto aim assist you can mow down multiple enemies within a 5 second time-frame whilst spraying willy nilly. Though it's a nightmare to reload otherwise.

* Two weapons were broken by design: the Type-95 and the Mk 14; the former had the highest automatic damage in-game, albeit in a 3-round burst, but the bursts occurred so fast that it was a non-issue, and it was also incredibly accurate. The latter had players take advantage of the lack of firecap to use a modded 'turbo' controller to have full-auto versions that were incredibly accurate and powerful.

** The XRK [=M4A1=] Blueprint, which can be obtained through [[BribingYourWayToVictory purchasing the game digitally]], comes with an integrally-suppressed barrel, a hybrid sight, a commando foregrip, a laser sight and the [=M16=] stock. Both the hybrid sight and the barrel attachment are supposed to be late game attachments unlocked by using the gun long enough. What makes it gamebreaking is that you can use the blueprint right at early game. The hybrid sight allows you to deal with enemies in both mid-range and close range. The improved underbarrel, foregrip and stock boost its already high accuracy and reduce its recoil significantly. And the laser sight itself can be swapped out for [=FMJ=] ammunition or any other weapon perk, further improving the weapon's effectiveness. Thanks to its sheer flexibility, along with the fact that [[DiscOneNuke the M4A1 is the second assault rifle you can unlock at low level]], allowing you to customize it right at early game, the XRK M4 is going to be one of best early game weapons, if not the most used weapon for people who have purchased the game digitally.

* The Model 680 (Remington 870 MCS) was originally considered a decent shotgun, but outclassed by the 725. This changed when a patch introduced ''four'' new ammo conversions to it, and now it is widely considered to be the best shotgun in the game after the 725 got nerfed. How? 3 words: '''Dragon's Breath Rounds'''. Yes, you can now turn your Model 680 into the dreaded MOG-12 from ''Black Ops 4''. If your enemy doesn't have E.O.D equipped, a single scrape from your new incendiary shells will guarantee instant death. On top of this, you can equip a version of the ammo conversion that only permits you 6 rounds, but instead of loading each shot you get the bonus of having a magazine for quick reload times, and your speed while moving and aiming down your sights is increased dramatically. It is entirely possible to dominate small maps with this gun, more than the 725 ever could.
** Even if you don't use the Dragon's Breath, 680 itself is also a powerhouse in its own right as a long range weapon while aiming down the sight. Simply use the XRK 30.0 Sport Barrel and the FSS Maruader suppressor to extend its damage range and you basically get a shotgun with the range of an ''assault rifle'', fully capable of delivering OneHitKill from a far distance.

* The lethal combination of [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe Riot Shield]], [[KnifeNut Combat Knife]], [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks Throwing Knife]], Double Time, Restock, Shrapnel and Dead Silence can [[LethalJokeCharacter make a melee only class actually viable]], especially in Free For All, where all players fight on their own and most of the fights are 1 vs. 1 fights. Unlike the [=Mw2=] counterpart, bullets don't leave scratches on the shield and blur the user's vision, eliminating one of the greatest weaknesses of the Riot Shield. You can also combine Riot Shield and Throwing Knife to land a surprise range attack, [[OneHitKill killing your enemy in one hit with the throwing knife]]. And thanks to the Restock and Shrapnel perks, you spawn with two knifes by default and it replenishes overtime, eliminating the need of finding and retrieving your throwing knives. Should you want to land a quick melee attack, you can switch to Combat Knife, which also [[OneHitKill kills your enemy in one hit]] and grants you a faster moving speed. Last but not least, while Dead Silence is meant to be used for silencing your footsteps, it also [[SuperSpeed boosts your running speed]]. Combing that with the Combat Knife, and you can now chase after your hapless victims and stab them in the throat. The end result can basically be described as a ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' knight invading the world of ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' and [[RockBeatsLaser single-handedly massacring modern day soldiers with nothing but a sword and shield]].

* A downplayed example during Campaign would be the RPD Machine Gun, with the help of auto aim assist you can move down multiple enemies within a 5 second time-frame whilst spraying willy nill. Though it's a nightmare to reload otherwise.

* The MG42 already has a beefy 125 round magazine, but one of its final unlocks is the ludicrous 250 round extended magazine. With it, a player can lay down suppressive fire down a corridor for 15 straight seconds. Throw in one of the most broken perks ever made, Piercing Vision, as well as FMJ, you can essentially suppress the enemy down a corridor with a veritable laser of a gun for a good chunk of time, and spot anyone brave enough to look in your general direction. Piercing Vision grants the shooter a red haze around 'suppressed' enemies, that is, anyone being shot at by your bullet hose.

* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare3'' raised the bar with [=SMGs=], particularly the [=PP90M1=] and [=MP7=]. The former has incredibly fast fire rates and can hold a massive 54 rounds with Extended Mags, becoming a proverbial bullet hose (note its nickname was [[MeaningfulName the 'Super Soaker' or 'Water Pistol gun']]; the latter has virtually no recoil, and the recoil it did have is easily mitigated. It was common to see players being ''sniped'' by a no-recoil silenced [=MP7=].

* The combination of Reach and Bayonet on virtually any compatible gun is outrageous. The Commando Lunge has returned![note]The 18.11 patch releasing Shipment as a playable map accidentally turned off the 2 hit melee toggle on all guns. This had the unintended side effect of completely breaking bayonets, which now use the knifing animation upon lunging, without actually killing the target.[/note]