War never changes… unless there’s a patch update. Season 3 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0 is on the doorstep, and there’s a lot to cover. Between possible meta shifts, quality of life updates, and possibly even movement changes we’ve got plenty to look forward too. We’ve dropped into the Call of Duty blog like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible to grab the goods, be a dear and check it all out below. Don’t want to waste a trip after nearly getting caught.
Tactical Overview
Outplay Your Competition
A squad-based mad dash for cash. An expansion of Resurgence to new locales. And a launch event where you can get special Weapon Blueprints and Operator Skins for a limited time.
Season 03 is set to change Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0 in a massive way, especially in DMZ, where Infinity Ward introduces several major additions in this update. For all other WarzoneTM modes, Raven Software brings a reintroduction of Plunder and several Resurgence modes to take place on Al Mazrah.
This is everything you need to know about what will affect your personal meta in Warzone 2.0:
GENERAL OVERVIEW
- Resurgence Redux. Massive Resurgence will be featured as part of weekly Playlist updates during Season 03.
- New Gulag, Returning Features. Get a closer look at Blacksite, the Redeploy Drones in Al Mazrah, and more as part of this seasonal update.
- Time to Trophy Hunt. Collect trophies during this seasonal launch event and exchange them for permanent items, such as Weapon Blueprints and Operator Skins.
- Plunder 2.0. Complete with permanent rewards and new ways to earn Cash in matches, Plunder will return to Warzone 2.0 during Season 03.
- Patch Notes to Drop This Week. Stay tuned for the latest long-form breakdown of all changes coming to this update, presented by our studios.
Massive Resurgence
Love Resurgence? Then get ready for its expansion to Al Mazrah.
During Season 03, Warzone 2.0 will introduce Massive Resurgence at launch. Both of these will use the standard Resurgence with some major tweaks depending on the variant:
Massive Resurgence, meanwhile, uses the entire Al Mazrah map and pits up to 150 players against each other in specific squad sizes, such as Quads or Trios. That means you should expect plenty of action across the entire map, especially in those final few circle collapses if numerous squads are still at full strength!
All previous advice and strategies for Resurgence and regular Al Mazrah Battle Royale infiltrations apply for this mode. Stick together as a full squad and do not leave any stragglers on any enemy teams, and you will be well on your way to victory.
The New Gulag: Guide to Blacksite
Standard Battle Royale players are not being left out of this update. They can look forward to a new 1v1 Gulag…or at least prepare to fight for their life in a new arena if they are eliminated during the early stages of a Battle Royale.
Blacksite is a roughly rectangular, asymmetrical map with several interior spaces and long external routes, especially on the west portion of the map, where there is a large corridor that stretches between the two spawn areas. That area in particular is great for long-distance weaponry, if you have it in your Gulag Loadout; otherwise, it’s a clear path for equipment to be thrown down at the start of a duel.
For close-quarters engagements, use the various buildings, where Operators can weave in and out of doorways and other openings to disorient their opponents.
Because this map is also featured in Gunfight, the returning 2v2 Multiplayer mode in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II, feel free to take a break from Battle Royale and get some practice on this map with some random Loadouts. More intel on this map and the Gunfight Multiplayer mode can be found here.
Redeploy Drones, Perk Packs, and More
The Season 03 update will bring several new and returning features to all Warzone 2.0 modes, especially Battle Royale, which will see the Redeploy Drones descend on Al Mazrah starting on April 13.
Redeploy Drones
First introduced to Ashika Island, Redeploy Drones are a new way to quickly travel across Al Mazrah — at the cost of being exposed to the elements and potential enemy gunfire.
Redeploy Drones in Al Mazrah will not be in the same positions for each match, but they will be roughly spaced apart in a way that allows for quick access to numerous points of interest. Outside of the train and other vehicles, these Redeploy Drones should be a fundamental part of your squad’s survival tactics, especially when it comes to escaping the circle collapse.
Perk Packs (Midseason)
Perk Packs are a new addition to Warzone 2.0. If you see one when scavenging Supply Boxes or whenever there is the opportunity to purchase a Perk Pack at a Buy Station, you should definitely grab it.
Because Perks are usually found in Loadout Drops, Perk Packs are absolute game changers, as they provide passive benefits to your Operator that otherwise only come in the middle or end of matches. Perk Packs are the default Perk Packages that could be used in Custom Loadouts. We especially recommend using the following if found:
- Vanguard: A fantastic mix of movement, defensive, and tactical benefits, including the ability to restock equipment through Resupply and to receive enemy warnings through High Alert.
- Recon: For the Operator who values intel above all else. Tracker and Birdseye are a dynamic duo for tracking enemy positions, while Double Time and Focus provide small benefits for practically any engagement, especially when using rifles built for long-range fights.
- Specter: A strong choice for stealthy Operators, this package is built on Ghost, which hides you from UAV sweeps. Spotter is also helpful in terms of finding and destroying enemy equipment pieces.
Perk Packs are not just for Perkless Operators; those who have a Loadout with Overkill should consider picking up another Perk Pack, as the Overkill Perk’s benefit applies only to Loadout construction. That additional base Perk slot can be filled with Double Time, Bomb Squad, or another useful Perk from one of the Perk Packs, so definitely think twice before passing on a loose Perk Pack.
WSOW Open Playlist
In addition to the above, Operators should prepare for the launch of the limited-time WSOWTM Open Playlist from April 27–30.
More details about the World Series of WarzoneTM, including this open Playlist and how you can qualify for the Stage I Qualifier, can be found here.
Trophy Hunt Launch Event Details
Time to add a few more trophies to your collection.
The Trophy Hunt kicks off Season 03 with a limited-time launch event where Operators must collect trophies — small coins brandishing a gold scorpion — dropped by enemy Operators in matches. These trophies can be collected in the following modes:
- Modern Warfare® II Multiplayer: Every unique enemy drops one trophy. In non-round-based modes, this must be picked up in order to be banked. In round-based modes, such as Search & Destroy, simply eliminating a unique enemy Operator grants one banked trophy.
- Warzone 2.0 Battle Royale / Resurgence / Plunder: Both enemy Operators and AI Combatants drop trophies. Trophies are lost upon death. Win the match or bank them at a Buy Station.
- Warzone 2.0 DMZ: Both enemy Operators and AI Combatants drop trophies. Trophies are lost upon death. Successfully exfiltrate or bank them at a Buy Station.
Once players earn enough trophies, they can exchange them for a variety of rewards in the Event section of the main menu. At some point during the event, additional rewards will be put into the Event exchange store. All rewards earned here are permanent, including Calling Cards, Double XP Tokens, and two Weapon Blueprints.
The first Weapon Blueprint, the “Nightsting” Assault Rifle, is a Primary Weapon based on one of the community’s most popular weapon platforms — the TAQ-56. The five available attachments are balanced well for Multiplayer, and the weapon can hold its own in medium-range engagements within Warzone 2.0. The other Assault Rifle blueprint, the “Venom Strike,” is based on the special DMZ reward weapon platform and is built for both quick handling and multi-combatant engagements. Both of these Weapon Blueprints are specifically designed for night operations, which you can drop into as part of the new Oilfields map in Modern Warfare II Multiplayer.
There are also two completion rewards for this event in the form of Operator Skins. Collect 10 items to receive an Operator Skin, and all 15 items to get another Operator Skin.
Note: any unspent Tokens are automatically converted to XP at the end of the event, scheduled for the launch of Season 03 Reloaded later in May.
Plunder: Prepare for Its In-Season Launch with This Mini-Guide
Update: This blog has been updated to adjust the in-game features available at the game mode’s launch, and insert the accurate win condition ($2 million in Cash).
Originally introduced at the launch of the previous version of Call of Duty®: Warzone™, Plunder is a squad-based, respawn-enabled mode where Cash is king. The squad that collects the most Cash after a set time limit, including an overtime period once a squad hits $2 million in Cash, wins the match.
During Plunder, you can eliminate enemies, complete contracts, partake in events, and clear out Strongholds and Blacksites to earn Cash. Operators can choose to hold their Cash, deposit it by using a Cash Deposit Helipad somewhere on the map, or procure and use a Cash Deposit Balloon for mobile transactions.
Outside of being the main resource for a win condition, Cash can be used at Buy Stations to purchase valuable items like Cash Deposit Balloons, Killstreaks, powerful [[REDACTED]] Weapons, and other new rewards.
New for Plunder 2.0
This new version of Plunder features a few changes to the in-match event system, new Buy Station items, and permanent rewards.
First, here are all the events that can happen during a Plunder match:
- Blood Money. Not just a Plunder variant! Double Cash is earned for eliminating and looting Operators during a Blood Money event.
- Cannon Fodder. [[REDACTED]]
- Contractor. [[REDACTED]]
- Choke Hold. [[REDACTED]]
Note that multiple events can happen in a single match, and some of these events are better to experience for yourselves…
Next, here are some of the new Buy Station additions with this version of Plunder:
- Credit Card. Save more with the official Bank of Adal Quickscope Card, now with 10% Cash back on any and all purchases! No application or Ranked Skill Division Credit Score necessary, just a small introductory Cash fee.
- Life Insurance. Leave a legacy…until you respawn, that is. Save 50% of your Cash on hand when eliminated by picking up Life Insurance for a small Cash fee.
Finally, whether you are casually playing matches or searching for every last reward in Warzone 2.0, Plunder offers nine unique rewards at its launch for completing challenges. These challenges include winning Plunder matches, eliminating AI Combatants or enemy Operators, or just simply playing the game. Rewards from these challenges include a Vehicle Camo, Calling Cards, and more.
More Intel in Patch Notes, DMZ Blog
With all this exciting new content, plus Ranked Play on the horizon, we know this community is ready for Season 03’s launch on April 12. Every studio working on Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare II — in alphabetical order: Activision Central Design, Activision Localization Dublin, Activision QA, Activision Shanghai, Beenox, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Team Ricochet, Toys for Bob, and Treyarch — is looking forward to seeing their efforts come to life in just a few short days and will be monitoring all data and player feedback for future patches and updates.
One of these changes will excite Operators who took a trip over the rainbow this past March: Expect the return of one-shot sniper rifles — under certain attachment and platform conditions — as part of this seasonal update.
Furthermore, there will be a change to Buy Station locations that puts them in safer spots, such as indoor locations or places with nearby cover. This change will apply to both Al Mazrah and Ashika Island
Patch notes, blogs, and official announcements from Call of Duty® channels and studios are the only places to get confirmed and accurate updates for the Call of Duty franchise. Be sure to follow all Call of Duty social media accounts and check the Call of Duty blog daily for the latest news and other important announcements.
DMZ Overview
DMZ – The Story So Far
The faction war continues across all Exclusion Zones, and it’s up to you to stake a claim in this seemingly never-ending global power struggle.
Season 03 for Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0 is the perfect time to drop into DMZ, as the experience will see several new features that will fundamentally change how Operators can stock up on Contraband, Keys, and other equipment. If you’re interested in a high-stakes mode with tons of permanent rewards, this seasonal update is a great entry point – or re-entry point – given several new ways to save precious items, edit Contraband, and work around – or out of – the Exclusion Zones.
So far, there are four Factions vying for control: Legion, based somewhere in the Americas, White Lotus, with ties to Asia, Black Mous, who are a decentralized organization, and Crown, who appears to be from or affiliated with the United Kingdom.
Legion were quickly corrupted once they learned what was inside the various Exclusion areas, as they pushed out White Lotus who are ultimately vying for revenge. Black Mous meanwhile continue to sit in the shadows planning their ultimate power play, while the newcomers known as the Crown are also well on their way to fulfill their own agenda…
With all that said, and outside of everything our Operators need to find for themselves, this is everything you need to know about DMZ in Season 03:
Outside of being important mission items, most of the collectible, non-lethal items in DMZ will have another purpose once the Season 03 update is live:
Across every Exclusion Zone, all Buy Stations will have a new option in addition to buying Gear and Weapons for Cash: Bartering. This is where you use “Recipes”: These give instructions to your Operator, including a component list, in order to build new equipment that can be more useful to your current situation. In other words, Bartering is where you exchange items for others. At the start of Season 03, some Bartering Recipes will be available for most of the new Plate Carriers and Backpacks (detailed later in this overview), Killstreaks, Self-Revive Kits, and Keys. However, each Exclusion Zone has its own set of Barter options across its Buy Stations, adding one more additional element to fully exploring everything in DMZ.
There are dozens of item trade combinations that will launch with Season 03, meaning anyone can memorize these Recipes, share them with squadmates, and search for specific items to load up on loot. Given these Recipes range from Operator items like Bomb Drones and Self-Revive Kits to other important Keys and items, the Barter System is ready to help Operators stock up on those harder-to-find items and reward them for their scavenging efforts.
The other new feature at Buy Stations – found near them, not at them – are Workbenches.
For a nominal Cash fee, the Workbench allows an Operator to add attachments they have unlocked for any weapon platform onto a piece of Contraband or Insured Weapon. Operators can also remove them piece by piece. These Workbenches provide this attachment-swapping service, but for a price, given how much a weapon’s strengths and weaknesses can change based on the attachments it has or what is removed.
The obvious example is to attach what you believe as the most advantageous attachments on Contraband weapons, as most of the time, such weaponry won’t have all five attachments you seek. Some attachments to consider are suppressors, which are great for stealth situations, and thermal optics, for help seeing through smoke or more easily acquiring targets via their heat signatures.
However, any DMZ Operator knows that the Vaznev-9K with a high-magnification scope or the RPK with a 30-Round Magazine may not be the most ideal attachment combinations for how these weapons are typically used. In those cases and more, especially with Contraband picked up from fellow Operators, the Workbench is here to help scrap those attachments and slap on ones you feel more confident with.
By far one of the largest changes to DMZ since its launch, Active Duty Operator Slots are a critical part of this experience’s core value of taking calculated risk for incredible rewards.
At the start of Season 03, every player will have three Active Duty Operator Slots, which equates to three separate Operators that have their own on-soldier items. These items include your Backpack, Plate Carrier, Killstreaks, Self-Revive, and Gas Mask. You are free to swap around who these Operators are in your Active Slots, so if you have a Default Operator skin for a while and pick up Alejandro or Valeria in the Battle Pass, there is no need to worry about losing that Active Duty slot’s progress.
Before launching into a match, you choose which Active Duty Operator you bring into the Exclusion Zone. Whatever they bring back that is not part of the global loadout – Primary Weapon, Secondary Weapon, Lethal, Tactical, and Field Upgrade – is only for that specific Active Duty Operator. That means Contraband Weapons are shared between Active Duty Operators, but not Keys.
As we suggested in our Announcement blog, Active Duty Operator slots allow for strategies around designated Operators for specific Missions or supply runs. Another way to think about it is that Active Duty Operators are like “lives” in DMZ, but again, remember the core part of “taking calculated risks” part of DMZ. Each Operator life is separate and can easily go back to barebones.
In other words, using just one main Operator – like in DMZ prior to this update – may limit you to strategies like building up every Operator to full strength on scavenging runs, then using them all, if necessary, to knock out a difficult Mission or secure a Weapons Case.
New Equipment – Plate Carriers, Backpacks, Rebreather
What will those Active Duty Operators bring back from Exclusion Zones? In addition to the abundance of existing on-soldier items, there are a few new items that are coming in at launch and during the season:
New Backpacks – Secure and Scavenger
Secure Backpacks, as the name suggests, secure items between runs. This means that those non-Contraband, non-on-soldier items are secured in your inventory and don’t convert to XP upon extraction. Plus, items in a Secure Backpack are kept to that Active Duty Soldier if they are eliminated in an Extraction Zone.
Most likely one of the biggest game-changers in DMZ alongside Active Duty Operator slots, as this can help with supply runs and Mission objectives. And both of them come from the same idea of persistence: in DMZ, you need to continue doing missions and tasks despite getting knocked down some times.
For the Secure Backpack, even if you lose one important mission item, it will still be there with a Secure Backpack (and remember that there is a Barter recipe for it, too).
As for Scavenger Backpacks, these take out that third weapon slot usually found in Medium and Large Backpacks and add additional item slots. Perfect for completing Missions when there are a ton of valuable items that need to be picked up.
New Plate Carriers: Tempered, Revive, Comms, and Stealth
You may already be familiar with Tempered Plate Carriers from the previous Call of Duty: Warzone, but in case you need to reassess the intel, we wrote about these in our Tactical Overview. As for the other, DMZ-exclusive Plate Carriers, here’s a quick overview:
A 3 Plate Medic Vest grants both faster revives on squadmates, as well as faster self-revives when using a Self-Revive Kit. All-around a helpful vest, but especially great for those who find themselves as the squad’s medic.
A 3 Plate Comms Vest is like a signal booster and has a few benefits: it increases the duration of all UAV technology – the Killstreak, UAV Towers, and enemy radios dropped by AI – and makes them function as Advanced UAVs, meaning they also show player direction and location. As another bonus, the vest also gives you an audio cue when an enemy Operator is close to you, like an auditory version of the High Alert Perk. It could be great for a Solo runner especially, given that they could level the communications advantage that having a Duo or Trio provides.
Finally, the Stealth Plate Carrier comes built-in with the Ghost Perk, keeping you off enemy radars. Built for those times when keeping a low profile is essential to the mission.
Also, be on the lookout for Armor Satchels coming back during the season…
Rebreather Field Upgrade
A brand-new Field Upgrade you may recall first seeing in a Raid Episode, the Rebreather is built for amphibious Operators who navigate around the various waterways in Al Mazrah and Ashika Island.
This tool allows Operators to breathe underwater for longer periods of time, perfect for stealth infiltrations or tricky maneuvers where air is limited. Like a Stim Pistol, it has multiple uses before it expires, and it can even be swung as a two-handed melee tool in a pinch.
Skeleton Key
Those familiar with the phrase know that a Skeleton Key can unlock (nearly) any door in DMZ. The only exception is getting the Building 21 Access Key; although you cannot earn a Building 21 deployment, you can open every door that requires a Keycard or Key in Building 21 or the other Exclusion Zones.
These keys can only be created through a special Barter system recipe. Because every item can matter in DMZ, and Bartering means losing items to make others, it may be best to save it for those incredibly tough to find keys… Or use it as a back-up for those Missions that require a specific key.
Season 03 of DMZ will not reset your mission progress. Furthermore, the new REDACTED Faction, available to all players, will have three of its mission tiers available at Season 03 launch, with two more to come at mid-season.
One More Thing About DMZ Activities
Remember that missions are not the only thing to accomplish in DMZ. The new Bosses, as well as something completely [[REDACTED]] happening mid-season, are sure to give even more challenges and rewards to all Operators.
Most Operators who play Battle Royale know the details about Supply Runs, but now these Contracts are coming to DMZ, and they are similar in name only:
A Supply Run is a great contract for gearing up when your Active Duty Operator is brand new. Think of it as a lower-stakes Safecracker: instead of iron safes, all your Operator needs to do is find wooden crates. All items there are free for the taking.
Birds in the Sky – New Vehicle, Exfil Option
The Heavy Chopper is back, and there will be a new way to privately exfiltrate an Exclusion Zone DMZ in Season 03: both of which can help you exfiltrate safely.
First, the Heavy Chopper, seen in Ground War and Invasion within Modern Warfare II, will add to the aerial vehicle lineup.. Unfortunately (for you), it is completely drained of its fuel, so Operators must find its special fuel around the airport in order to get it in the sky.
Once topped off with its fuel, the Heavy Chopper can fly around the map and even outside the boundaries, which is how you can exfiltrate at any time for free. After getting out of bounds, a countdown will appear just like a normal exfiltration until you ultimately are given the same treatment as a successful exfil.
The other new feature here is a new Buy Station item known as a Private Exfil. Once bought, an exfil will be available on an unused exfil point (for that match) on the map. Consider it an extra escape route if needed, especially during Prisoner Rescue Contracts.
Haven’t experienced Modern Warfare II yet?
You are missing out on Premium XP while playing Warzone 2.0 as well as the Crown Faction in DMZ, which has its own missions and rewards on top of the main three factions. Modern Warfare II also has quick ways to level up over 50 Weapons through Multiplayer and Special Ops, Multiplayer Ranked Play and its exclusive rewards, and the ability to unlock 14 exclusive Operators to use across both games.
Plus, those who own Modern Warfare II can access content coming as part of Season 03, including the return of Gunfight, new Special Ops content such as Missions and Raid Episodes, and nine additional Multiplayer maps across Gunfight, Core 6v6 modes, and Battle Maps for all-out Ground War skirmishes.
Stay frosty.
Stay tuned to Gaming Trend for more Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, DMZ, and Warzone 2.0 news and info!
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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