Thanks to the recent Call of Duty Next presentation, a lot of the mystery surroundingCall of Duty: Warzone 2andModern Warfare 2has been lifted for fans. With a variety of the two games' modes and features being outlined during the presentation, hype surrounding the beloved and long-running franchise is reaching a fever pitch.
While the base-game ofModern Warfare 2still commands a massive amount of attention,Call of Duty: Warzone 2is equally popular within the community. Given the immense success of its predecessor and the litany of changes set to come,Warzone 2looks like it may completely redefine theCall of Dutybattle royale experience.
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The Success of Call of Duty: Warzone
Considering how popular the battle royale genre has become in recent years, it was no surprise whenCall of Dutycreated a battle royale title of its own. With the meteoric rise of otherpopular battle royales such asFortnitedominating players' time, the lucrative style and high player retention made it too tantalizing a prospect to pass up.
The originalCall of Duty: Warzonereleased in March 2020, and immediately proved to be a success for how much it shook-up the series' longstanding formula.Warzonesurpassed over 85 million playersfairly early into its life, and thanks to its free-to-play nature and constant additions of seasonal content,Warzonemaintained a large portion of its player base to stay in the conversation. The upcomingWarzone 2will be aiming to implement its own unique content to meet and surpass the expectations set by its predecessor.
Changes Coming to Call of Duty: Warzone 2
One of the most sweeping changes coming toCall of Duty: Warzone 2is the fact that the game will have its own unique map to rivalWarzone’sbeloved Verdansk. The main map forWarzone 2is known as Al Mazrah, a west Asian setting that is reportedly even larger than Verdansk. Another huge change forWarzone 2stems from its map-shrinking circle mechanics, with the game reportedly detracting fromWarzone’slate-game circle features.Warzone 2will have endgame circles that can split into several isolated mini-circles, causing chaos by splitting the remaining players into different areas.
Warzoneundoubtedly stood out in the saturated market of battle royales for its “gulag” respawn system, which would pit two dead players against one another in a close-quarters environment after death, with the victor getting another chance to return to the main lobby. This system has been controversially revamped forWarzone 2, with dead players now participating in 2v2 matches as an AI-controlled enemy known as the “jailer” patrols the map. With the increased reliance this places on teammates over individual ability, many fans arevocally against Warzone 2’s proposed new gulag system.
In-keeping with the increased presence of AI enemies,Warzone 2features strongholds around the mapsaturated with tough-to-beat AI opponents who guard the best loot on offer. When considering all of these changesWarzone 2is set to launch, it is clear that the title will set itself apart from the original, offering huge alterations to the most defining characteristics of the firstWarzone.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2launches on November 16 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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