We only just had a launch a few weeks ago, but we’re already back in action with the release of Warzone 2.0 and DMZ. These are live now, and hopefully you pre-loaded or you’ll waste valuable seconds of play time. This is alongside the release of Season 1, which adds your Combat Record into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’s multiplayer along with a new map, new weapons, and a whole lot more. Check out the patch notes for Warzone 2.0 below, and keep your eye on Gaming Trend for our review of Warzone 2.0 and DMZ, along with Season 1 impressions.
You are officially cleared to drop in ????
Play #Warzone2 for FREE now pic.twitter.com/u5q7r17dmu
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) November 16, 2022
RICOCHET ANTI-CHEAT
With the launch of Season 01, RICOCHET Anti-Cheat™ will be live, globally, across Warzone 2.0 Battle Royale and Warzone 2.0 DMZ. RICOCHET Anti-Cheat is currently live in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Learn more about #TeamRICOCHET here.
BATTLE PASS
Season 01 marks the launch of our all new Battle Pass, in which players are able to choose the rewards they want as they progress. While there are still 100 tiers, this new map format allows for personalized progression with unlocks. Players can also progress with Battle Tokens and Battle Tier Skips. Take a deeper dive into the Battle Pass on the Call of Duty Blog.
WEAPONS
Our Season 01 Weapons drop covers the gamut of playstyles, from the high speed BAS-P Submachine Gun, to the hard-hitting Victus XMR Sniper Rifle. Mid-range combat is certainly an option with the super stable and high rate of fire M13B… if you are up to the challenge of unlocking it. These new Weapons will expand Loadout capabilities to cover all the exciting new modes Season 01 has to offer. Head to the Battle Pass to see where you can unlock these weapons and more.
New Weapons
- Victus XMR: Sniper Rifle
- Free Weapon acquirable via the Season 01 Battle Pass (A15)
As the longest range Sniper Rifle in our arsenal– we fully expect that the Victus XMR will be a player favorite when taking on dropping into the vastness of Al Mazrah. The first bullet-drop-indicating scope can be unlocked by leveling-up this weapon.
- BAS-P: Submachine Gun
- Free Weapon acquirable via the Season 01 Battle Pass (A6)
- M13B: Assault Rifle
- Unlocked via Store Bundle or via Bruen Platform progression
Weapon Adjustments
» Assault Rifles «
- Increase to long distance flinch on all Assault Rifles
Kastov 545
- ADS speed increase
- Improved ironsight ADS sight picture
Kastov-74u
- ADS speed decrease
- Hip spread increase
M4
- Hip spread reduction
M16
- Rate of fire increase
- Hip spread reduction
- Recoil recenter speed increase
- Shot grouping improvement
- Increase ADS movement speed
- Increase strafing movement speed
- Semi auto recoil reduction
- Semi auto damage reduction
STB 556
- Close range damage reduction
- Reduced sprint to fire speed
» Battle Rifles «
FTac Recon
- ADS speed improvement
- 5 round magazine – speed and handling improvement
- Increased flinch caused by bullets
- Hip spread decrease
SO-14
- Increased hip fire when full auto
» Handguns «
- Increase to close range flinch on all Handguns
» Light Machine Guns «
- Increase to long distance flinch on all Light Machine Guns
» Marksman Rifles «
Lockwood 300
- Damage range reduction
SA-B 50
- Minor increase to flinch when hit
SP-R 208
- Large increase to flinch when hit
» Shotguns «
- Increase to close range flinch on all Shotguns
Bryson 800
- Close range damage increase
- Hip spread increase
» Submachine Guns «
- Increase to long distance flinch on all Submachine Guns
FFS Hurricane
- ADS move speed increase
- Increased headshot damage
- Increased far damage range
Minibak
- Movement speed decrease
- Damage range decrease
- ADS speed decrease
- Hip spread increase
PDSW 528
- Movement speed increase
- Damage range increase
- ADS speed increase
- Hip spread decrease
- Adding Laser and Flashlight Attachments
- 1mW Artemis Laser
- 1mW Quick Fire Laser
- Accu-Shot 5mW Laser
- VLK LZR 7mW
- 7mW Canted Laser
- Schlager ULO-66 Laser
VEL 46
- Large increase to flinch when hit
» Sniper Rifles «
Signal .50
- Fixed attributes on the Signal .50 barrels:
- 21.5″ Fluted Fifty
- 23.5″ SA Fifty-H7
OPERATORS
Zeus | KorTac
- The last of his name, Zeus established the “Thunder” Corps counter-terrorism group dedicated to hunting down AQ.
- Unlocked automatically with purchase of Season 01 Battle Pass.
For details about changes to Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II Campaign, Multiplayer, Special Ops, & more, check out the official Infinity Ward Season 01 blog here!
PLAYLIST
Battle Royale
- Solos
- Max Players: 150
- Assimilation*: Off
- Duos
- Max Players: 150
- Assimilation*: Refill
- Quads
- Max Players: 152
- Assimilation*: Refill
- Third Person
- Trios
- Max Players: 150
- Assimilation*: Refill
- Unhinged
- Trios
- Max Players: 150
- Assimilation*: Up to 6 Players Per Squad
DMZ
- Trios
- Max Players: 66
- Assimilation Setting: Up to 6 Players Per Squad
For regular updates about the Playlist and other Scheduled Events, check out the dedicated Warzone Trello Board.
*In squad-based DMZ modes, as well as special Battle Royale playlists, you have the choice to join up with enemy Operators and form a larger squad.
MODES
Battle Royale
Core
- The tried and true Battle Royale mode returns for all to enjoy with all sorts of new features, now set in Al Mazrah, the heart of the United Republic of Adal.
Third Person
- For the first time in Warzone history, Players can now play with the camera fixed behind their Operator model and the ability to swap between the left and right shoulder when aiming. Players will have to entirely rethink how they approach movement, engagements, and their overall strategy in order to Exfil successfully.
Unhinged
- Break the squad limit boundaries by using Assimilation to grow your squad up to 6 players! Alliances are fragile in this game mode and you may find yourself out numbered at any point.
DMZ
We are excited to debut DMZ with the launch of Warzone 2.0. DMZ is a dangerous, diverse and deep open world experience where players can choose their level of intensity.
Borrowing from the full blog we posted last week, here are a few critical pieces of information ahead of your first infil to the Al Mazrah Exclusion Zone.
- In DMZ, the conditions for winning are your own– you decide the stakes.
- Players choose missions from three factions which level-up as you complete objectives. Each mission has a unique reward and missions get progressively harder.
- Squads can pick up contracts in-world for extra cash and XP.
- The many locked spaces in Al Mazrah can be opened with specific keys found in world.
- If you’ve had your fill and want an even harder challenge you can go after other operators and harvest whatever they have looted.
- When gearing up players can choose between their Insured Weapons which are built from gunsmith progression unlocks or from their Stash of Contraband Weapons. If an insured weapon is lost in the DMZ it goes on a cooldown. Players can wait for this cooldown or they can extract cash to speed up the time it takes to get their insured weapon back. Contraband weapons are weapons extracted from the DMZ. These cannot be changed and if they are lost, they are lost for good.
- We look forward to players diving into the DMZ. We’re excited to see our community map out the many locked areas and we can’t wait to see the battles over the Weapons Case. Al Mazrah is a dangerous place. Our recommendation to all of you – Conserve your ammo, stay with your squad and watch your six. Good Hunting.
MAP
Welcome to Al Mazrah
Al Mazrah is a massive new landscape that comprises the metropolitan area and rural outskirts within the Republic of Adal. This new map includes 6 Sectors, 25 Zones, 18 Major Points of Interest, dozens of Minor Points of Interest, strategic Landmarks sprinkled across the battlefield… all brand new for you to discover! As the biggest Battle Royale map we have ever made, we are certain you will find a drop that suits your playstyle.
Major Points of Interest
- Oasis
- Taraq Village
- Rohan Oil
- Al Safwa Quarry
- Al Mazrah City
- Zarqwa Hydroelectric
- Mawizeh Marshlands
- Sattiq Caves
- Zaya Observatory
- Al Sharim Pass
- Ahkdar Village
- Sa’id City
- Hafid Port
- Sawah Village
- El Samman Cemetery
- Sarrif Bay
- Al Bagra Fortress
- Al Malik Airport
Landmarks
- Ammo Cache
- Bank of Adal
- Burger Town
- Comms Tower
- Fire Station
- Gas Station (Land)
- Gas Station (Marine)
- Grocery Market
- Police Station
- Medical Center
For a deep dive into Al Mazrah and everything it has to offer, check out the official Tactical Map Guide!
New Gulag
This abandoned medieval fortress off the coast of Al Mazrah has been repurposed for sinister games by Shadow Company.
GAMEPLAY
Feature Highlights
New Strongholds & Black Sites
- Strongholds are a brand new, multifaceted feature that are going to fundamentally change the way some Players choose to spend their time. They represent a high-risk opportunity for teams to get a full Loadout early and a localized UAV for strategic positioning. Teams that are the first to clear a Stronghold will be granted a single Black Site key – an invitation to challenge fortified enemy combatants for the most valuable loot Al Mazrah has to offer.
New Gulag Experience
- This new 2v2 Gulag offers different pathways to ensure redeployment including an unprecedented co-optional one. Duos can choose to eliminate the enemy squad to secure release before overtime. Players will spawn with a Pistol or Shotgun, one Lethal Equipment, and one Tactical Equipment. Superior ground loot will spawn towards the center of the map, getting progressively more valuable over match time. Once Overtime kicks in, The Jailer will spawn. Players will have the choice to work together to eliminate this foe, rewarding all 4 Players with redeployment to the battlefield. Ultimately, however you choose to win, you’ll redeploy with everything you looted for another chance at victory.
New Multi-Circles
- At random, and at any point during a Battle Royale match, the circle can split into upwards of 3 smaller circles, which will ultimately remerge for the final showdown. With mobility being a crucial factor here, we’ve put an emphasis on player choice as far as vehicles go and whether your team travels by air, land, or sea.
New Loadout System
- Custom Loadouts
- Custom Loadouts can be built in the Gunsmith menu and are composed of a Primary Weapon, a Secondary Weapon, a choice of Lethal Equipment, a choice of a Tactical Equipment, and a choice of a predefined Perk Pack designed around preferred playstyles.
- Buy Stations
- The Primary Weapon that Players design for their Loadout will be available to purchase via Buy Stations found throughout Al Mazrah.
- Stronghold Crates New Landmark Rewards
- In Battle Royale, if Players want to access the entirety of their Loadout early, they’re going to have to work for it. Full Loadouts can be earned as a reward for completing one of the three active, AI-defended Strongholds found throughout the map.
- Loadout Drops
- For those not willing to brave an early Stronghold, a new, guaranteed, mid-game Public Event will spawn an airship that will fly over the field releasing a limited number of Loadout Drops for Players to claim. It’s worth noting that an individual Loadout is only usable once per Player on a Team but will remain on the field for other Teams to subsequently loot.
New Looting System
- Players will have access to the new Backpack & Inventory system, uniquely adapted to Battle Royale and DMZ modes, which allows for a more strategic approach to looting.
- In Battle Royale, Players can expect the same core looting system from Warzone Caldera with an additional overflow backpack to stock highly desirable items. Loot will pop out of Supply Boxes onto the ground, allowing Players within close proximity to automatically pick it up stacking with existing slots or filling new ones.
- In DMZ, Players will be presented with the entirety of the new backpack menu interaction system, having to carefully choose when to loot and how to manage their inventory.
- There are some loot containers across both mode types that will use the new backpack menu interaction system including but not limited to Duffel Bags, Cash Registers, Weapon Lockers, and Medicine Cabinets.
- Player opponents will also drop a lootable backpack upon elimination that uses this system.
And So Much More…
Warzone 2.0 was built from the ground up with Modern Warfare II as a shared experience.The key innovations we’ve brought to MW2 Multiplayer exist across Warzone 2.0 as well.
Below we will discuss new features from Modern Warfare 2, alongside familiar features from the original Warzone, that we’ve brought together into a single, ultimate Battle Royale experience.
New Contextual Loot
- Containers and ground loot will often fit the theme of the location that it spawns in.
- i.g. Self Revives can be found in medical cabinets.
New Movement
- Diving
- Players are now able to dive
- Swimming
- Operators are now able to swim! Leverage this new feature to hide, reposition, or engage in submerged aquatic combat using your Handgun.
- Leaning Out of Vehicles
- Passengers in a vehicle can now lean out of the window of a door that is intact to engage in combat using any selection of equipped Weapons.
- Climbing Onto Moving Vehicle
- Passengers in a vehicle can now climb out of the window onto the roof while in motion.
- Wall Hanging
- Players can now grab onto wall ledges or the top of vehicles and choose to peak or even fire their Handguns before climbing over.
New Buy Station
- Buy Stations have been upgraded and adjusted.
- Item inventory and stock may vary from one station to another.
- Custom Primary Weapons can be purchased for a considerable fee.
- The Firesale Public Event will add new items to Buy Station inventory.
- In Battle Royale, Players will find an option to buy back their fallen allies.
- In DMZ, Players will be able to purchase Contraband Weapons, as well as sell items they’ve looted throughout the world.
New Armor Plate Carriers
- Players will Infil with fewer default slots for wearable Armor Plates. Players will have to search the battlefield for upgraded Armor Plate Carriers in order to unlock additional slots, with a maximum of 3. Players who have a maximum of 3 Armor Plates equipped will be resistant to damage that would otherwise down them in one shot.
New AI Combatants
- In Battle Royale, AI Combatants can be found in a variety of areas including the Gulag, Strongholds, and Black Sites. These AI units range in difficulty, from basic reinforcements to unique, boss-style Juggernauts.
New Assimilation Mechanic
- This brand new interaction allows Players to prompt opponents to join their squad, with a max squad size that varies depending on the game mode.
- This feature enables squads who have lost a Player to unfortunate circumstances to fill the empty spot for a fair chance at victory.
New Interrogation Mechanic
- Reveal enemy Players, enemy equipment, and earn a $1,000 reward by successfully walking up to and interacting with a downed opponent before they are eliminated.
New Proximity Chat
- Players are now able to interact with other Players they encounter in a match via proximity voice chat.
New Perk Packages
- While creating a Custom Loadout, Players will be prompted to select one of the following prebuilt Perk Packages that are adapted to various unique playstyles:
- Vanguard
- Double Time | Bomb Squad | Resupply | High Alert
- Commando
- Scavenger | Strong Arm | Fast Hands | High Alert
- Specter
- Double Time | Tracker | Spotter | Ghost
- Scout
- Scavenger | Strong Arm | Focus | Ghost
- Sentinel
- Battle Hardened | Bomb Squad | Cold Blooded | Overclock
- Warden
- Double Time | Strong Arm | Fast Hands | Overclock
- Weapons Specialist
- Overkill | Strong Arm | Spotter | Survivor
- Recon
- Double Time | Tracker | Focus | Birdseye
- The new Perks that are found within the Perk Packages detailed above are as follows:
- Birdseye
- UAV and Radar pings show the heading of the enemy.
- Bomb Squad
- Take reduced damage from non-killstreak explosives. Reset fuse timers when picking up live grenades.
- Fast Hands
- Reload, use equipment, and swap weapons faster.
- Focus
- Extended hold breath duration and reduced flinch when ADS.
- Overclock
- Field Upgrades are rechargeable and you can store an additional charge. Charge rate decreased by 20%.
- Resupply
- Start with an additional Lethal. Recharge equipment over 30 seconds. Previously known as Restock.
- Strong Arm
- Throw equipment further. See a preview of the trajectory.
- Survivor
- Enemies that down you get automatically pinged. Get revived faster by allies.
New Equipment
- Tactical
- Shock Stick
- Electrical device that sticks to surfaces as well as opponents. Electrocutes enemies, destroys equipment, causes opponents to fire their weapon uncontrollably, and causes vehicles to go haywire.
- Lethal
- Drill Charge
- Charge with a thermal lance that can burrow into surfaces before exploding.
New Killstreaks
- Cluster Mine
- Throw a device that launches a cluster of smaller mines within the immediate area.
- Mortar Strike
- Signal several waves of mortars to attack a location.
New Field Upgrades
- Battle Rage
- An experimental stimulant that gives you an adrenaline rush resulting in quicker Health regeneration, resistance to enemy Tactical Equipment and explosives, and a constantly refreshed Tactical Sprint. This effect persists through damage.
- DDoS
- Activates a device that deactivates electronics, and disrupts enemy sensors in the immediate area for a short period of time.
- Inflatable Decoy
- A proximity activated decoy mine that violently deploys a kevlar target to confuse and distract opponents.
- Portable Radar
- Emits a periodic radar ping to detect nearby enemies.
- Revive Pistol
- Equip a revive pistol capable of reviving downed teammates or yourself. Hits to critical locations may be harmful to hostile targets.
- Suppression Mine
- A trip mine that, when triggered, emits a constant sound wave that disrupts enemy vision and slows their movement.
New Contracts
- Safecracker
- Blow open 3 marked safes full of enemy supplies.
- Intel
- Locate a hard drive containing enemy intelligence and deliver it to the marked upload station.
- [REDACTED]
- [REDACTED]
New Interactable Landmarks
- Gas Station (Land)
- Can be used by Players to repair and refill any vehicle.
- Gas Station (Marine)
- Can be used by Players to repair and refill any vehicle.
New Vehicle Durability
- Certain heavy and medium vehicles are more likely to go into a “Disabled” state when hit with explosives, rather than being outright destroyed, to better allow for counterplay opportunities.
New Vehicle Fuel & Repair System
- Fuel
- Most vehicles use gas as fuel which is consumed over time, eventually rendering the vehicle unusable.
- Gas Cans
- In addition to parking at a Gas Station pump, vehicles can be refilled by using Gas Cans which can be found throughout the map. These can be stored in your backpack and used while operating the vehicle.
- Repairs
- Vehicles can be repaired by parking them at Gas Stations located throughout the map. Damaged tires can also be repaired by walking up to and interacting with them.
New Vehicles
- Al Mazrah offers an array of new vehicles, alongside familiar ones, to allow Players to choose how they engage opponents or how they reposition themselves across the battlefield. Some of the vehicles you can expect to encounter include:
- Land Vehicles
- Chop Top
- This open-air, off-road vehicle provides little protection but can be used for rapid movement between objectives.
- GMC HUMMER EV
- Fast and quiet, this all-electric supertruck is engineered for off-road traversal.
- Hatchback
- Four-door civilian vehicle without any significant protection. Good luck.
- LTV
- A specialized light combat vehicle designed to handle extreme terrain and unconventional combat. Available with and without the mounted .50 Cal machine gun.
- SUV
- All-terrain civilian 4×4 with a boxy frame for quick extraction.
- Aerial Vehicles
- Heavy Chopper
- A heavily armored search and rescue helicopter. Can transport troops to the combat zone and deploy flares when targeted by anti-aircraft ordnance.
- Aquatic Vehicles
- Armored Patrol Boat
- Reinforced aquatic vehicle with mounted .50 Cal machine guns.
- RHIB
- Maneuverable tactical boat designed for Special Forces.
QUALITY OF LIFE
As mentioned above, Warzone 2.0 is a shared experience with Modern Warfare II. As such, Players can expect to see quality of life changes across all modes including Multiplayer, Battle Royale, and DMZ.
Console Field-of-View Slider
- Consoles now have the option to adjust their field-of-view setting up to 120 degrees.
Improved Footstep Audio
- The audio team has made significant improvements to the audio system to address this key area.
Squad Score in the UI
- Players will now be able to see the total scores for their entire squad in the in-game Scoreboard.
Join In Queue
- Players are now able to join other Players while they are queued up.
- If a Player joins a full squad that is already queued, the squad will be removed from said queue.
Stowed Weapon Infil
- To guarantee a fair match start, weapons are stowed while skydiving during initial deployment.
Ascenders
- Players now can look around and shoot their weapon while using an ascender.
- Players can now attach to an ascender while falling.
Parachuting
- Players who are parachuting can now mantle and ledge hang.
Ledge Hanging
- The new ledge hanging mechanic makes it easier to traverse over large obstacles.
Automatic Item Pickup
- Backpack slots occupied by stackable items will automatically pick up additional copies until that stack reaches max capacity. This works great when players want to plan ahead for future ammo needs.
UI/UX
New Menu Features
Tactical Ping Wheel
- Players can now hold the Ping keybind to communicate via custom visuals and voice lines including:
- General Ping
- Attacking Here
- Watching Here
- Looting Here
- Regrouping Here
- Stay Quiet
- I Need Help
- Assimilation Related
Looking For Party
- This feature now includes the following preference filters:
- In-Game Communication Style: Voice Chat, Text Chat, Ping
- Main Language: Select up to 3 language preferences
- Playstyle (Primary, Secondary): Competitive, Casual, Objectives, High Kills
- To access this, click “Find A Party”, select the mode you want to play to access a lobby, and find your team based on preferences.
PC SETTINGS
- Stow Keybind
- By default, you hold the “Scoreboard” key to stow and “Interact” to equip. Now you’re able to set a different keybind for Stow.
- Gyro Aiming
- You’re now able to aim using your gamepad’s gyroscope.
- Backpack Behavior: Mixed
- This new option makes it possible to use the backpack with toggle (cursor) and hold (no cursor).
- Ledge Hang Mantle Behavior
- This option changes the inputs required to perform a Ledge Grab.
KNOWN ISSUES
For a list of known Warzone 2.0 live issues, please check out our dedicated Trello Board.
Good luck, have fun! Be good to each other!
➤ Raven Software
➤ Infinity Ward
➤ Treyarch
➤ Beenox
➤ High Moon Studios
➤ Toys for Bob
➤ Demonware
➤ Sledgehammer Games
➤ Team Ricochet
For regular updates about live issues, patch notes, and more on Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0, follow @RavenSoftware.
For regular updates about Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare 2, follow @InfinityWard.
For updates about Call of Duty®: Black Ops Cold War, Vanguard Zombies, and Ranked Multiplayer Modes, follow @Treyarch.
For regular updates about Call of Duty®: Vanguard, follow @SHGames.
For updates about Call of Duty® PC platform discussions, follow @BeenoxCODPC.
For all sorts of other franchise content, check out our Call of Duty® blog.
*Game features described above are based on current in-development features that are subject to change based on final development changes and/or game tuning or updates that may remove or modify some or all of the above features.
David Burdette is a gamer/writer/content creator from TN and Lead Editor for Gaming Trend. He loves Playstation, Star Wars, Marvel, and many other fandoms. He also plays way too much Call Of Duty. You can chat with him on Twitter @SplitEnd89.
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