the discovery of Warzone data within Modern Warfare’s game files.
It was suggested that Warzone could drop as soon as in the next few days, however VGC understands that the mode is “at least a few weeks away” and bar any unexpected delays, will most likely release in early March.
Given that Modern Warfare updates are typically deployed on Tuesdays, March 10 is the most likely candidate for Warzone’s release date.
When its release date arrives, Warzone will instantly unlock for all owners of Modern Warfare via a currently greyed-out menu item, US development sources indicated.
The battle royale mode will also be released as a standalone game for free, with the option for players to purchase an ‘upgrade’ to the full version of Modern Warfare.
Warzone will likely share unified progression with the existing Modern Warfare battle pass, with cosmetic unlocks also made available in the battle royale mode.
Sources close to the game’s developer indicate that official marketing plans for Warzone will start this week, when invited North American content creators visit the studio to play and capture the battle royale mode ahead of a future announcement.
Much like the series’ successful mobile game,
The free-to-play mode will act as a third pillar alongside data uncovered in Modern Warfare’s game files gives a strong indication of what to expect from it.
Just like other battle royale games, Warzone will have players parachuting onto a large map and looting buildings (and other players) for gear.
As is typical for the genre, it will also feature an ever-decreasing play area – in this case, surrounded by a chemical gas – forcing combatants to battle it out until just a single player or team remains.
In Brief: Call of Duty Warzone
- Available via Modern Warfare or free download.
- Support for up to 200 players in a single match.
- Squad-based player system.
- Includes a ‘ping’ mechanic similar to that of
Warzone’s map will be more than double the size of Blackout’s. It will also include a ‘ping’ communication system similar to that of Apex Legends, and introduce its own genre twists such as the Plunder in-game currency, a Gulag respawn mechanic and more.
Many of the locations in Warzone will be familiar to Modern Warfare players, since it’s partially comprised of existing Ground War maps (large multiplayer arenas built for 100 players) stitched together, including Boneyard, Quarry, Port and more.
Like Blackout, many of Warzone’s locations are also based on classic Call of Duty multiplayer maps, in this case from the Modern Warfare series, including Vacant, Broadcast, Killhouse and Scrapyard.
Perhaps the feature that differentiates Warzone the most from other battle royale games is Plunder, an in-game currency earned during matches by defeating enemies or completing missions.
Plunder is a valuable resource which can be used to purchase gear from various locations in the middle of a match. However, players defeated whilst holding Plunder will drop the resource for enemy players to loot.
This risk-reward dynamic is further strengthened by the introduction of banks, which can be used to store collected Plunder for future matches, but in the process alerting every nearby player to your presence inside the bank with valuable loot.
The Gulag will offer players a chance to respawn. In another interesting genre twist, death isn’t necessarily the end in Warzone. Instead defeated players can be sent to the Gulag, a prison where they’ll compete for a chance to respawn onto the battlefield. Once inside the Gulag, players will wait their turn for a 1v1 battle against another player, with the winner returning to the battle royale.
Datamining suggests Warzone will explicitly indicate your position in the 1v1 queue and that players will be able to place bets on the outcome of other players’ fights using their Plunder.
In order to enter the Gulag, it’s likely downed players will have to be dragged by a teammate to one of many ambulances parked around the battlefield. Datamined files also make reference to affiliate linking policy.
