Call of Duty: Warzone returns as part of the first season of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. After becoming a top performer in the Battle Royale genre, the spin-off is getting a sequel update dubbed Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. This new entry gives fans of the original action more free-for-all and adds new innovations to the pre-existing Warzone formula that changes some familiarities and adds even more surprises to the genre.
With an all-new map filled with various terrain and vehicle options, Warzone 2.0 offers a remixed and more polished experience than before. Strategies will change and become more varied, new locations will join your routes, and a new Circle Collapse feature will immerse everyone in memorable Warzone endgames. Along with all of this, every Modern Warfare II engine upgrade is also there. Read on to learn about the new gameplay improvements based on a recent hands-on session with an early alpha build of the game.
Where will we drop off and how do we travel?
Warzone 2.0 takes players to a new place called Al Mazrah. This sprawling map takes Warzone exploration to a new level. The Free-for-All Island lets you venture through deserts, towns, cities, and everything in between. How you navigate this vast territory is up to you and the terrain and vehicles you find.
This entry into the Warzone universe expands on the previous vehicle and travel options. Wheeled land vehicles are no longer the only option. Want to fly with your squad in a helicopter? You are free to do so. Want to take a slow destructive approach in a tank? Dark. And like in Modern Warfare II, players have new water combat options and can use boats to travel on water.
Remember to watch your fuel gauge as every vehicle can run out of fuel, requiring you to refuel at a gas station.
A new way to plan your route
Another big change coming to Warzone 2.0 is how you find items in Al Mazrah. Equipment is now placed more logically and realistically around the world. For example, Stims and medical syringes are stored in medicine cabinets, while weapons and other equipment are usually found in armories and military bases. This new placement philosophy is consistent across all Warzone 2.0 loot, challenging you to turn to specific areas to gather needed supplies.
While it may seem minor at first, these new locations change your travel routes and provide a new way to play Warzone. Instead of going from random location to location, you might want to make a path that hits more gas stations to refuel your vehicle or look for areas where you can gather more medical supplies. Like the inclusion of more vehicles, this change adds yet another strategic layer that will change the way you play.
Enemies can become allies or your final boss
The Gulag has changed considerably since your absence. A new rule forces you to put your second life in the hands of a possible future enemy. Instead of fighting alone to return to battle, you’ll sometimes team up with a rival player. You can use their help to defeat the other team or aim for another Gulag escape objective by defeating the AI fighter known as “The Jailer”, who holds the key to your escape.
The dynamic circle system is another way to cross paths with more opponents. This new Circle Collapse randomly moves Al Mazrah safe zones. Instead of always being a single circle of safety that each player must fight to stay in, the area sometimes splits into multiple circles. The surviving teams in the split circles are then grouped together in the final single circle to end the game in dramatic fashion. This last singular area serves as the battlefield for each remaining team. This gameplay twist lends a final boss vibe to clashes against human-controlled teams stocked with the best looks they can find.
Prepare to jump into Warzone 2.0 when it lands on PS5 and PS4 on November 16th.