The release of the “Battle Royale” mode of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare could be imminent. But why do so many believe it starts on March 3rd? Check out the background here.
Original report from March 2 – When will Battle Royale finally arrive? Currently, many players and content creators involved with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare are assuming a release on March 3rd.
To support this theory, the YouTuber “IceManIsaac” released an English video where he presents all official information and many Easter eggs in context. “IceManIsaac” has already been making waves in the past days, as he showcased the possible execution animations for the upcoming “Warzone” in another YouTube video.
Modern Warfare: Battle Royale mode – Release is just a matter of time
Why March 3rd? Besides possible leaks from the Modern Warfare environment, many in-game hints suggest a big event on March 3rd:
- Easter eggs in the game with the date 03/03 – You can find posters on the multiplayer maps indicating this day.
- A possible “bug”, where all players with a regiment tag had 3.3 before their names.
- In-game documents from the SpecOps mode, that point to March 3rd – Documents and images from the co-op mode suggest a major event in the fictional city of “Verdansk”.
The in-game hints, together with the leaks, paint a pretty clear picture, and “IceManIsaac” is confident that something big will happen with CoD: MW on March 3rd. Due to the timing, he is 99% sure that the BR will be presented on March 2nd, and at the latest on March 10th, everyone can play the mode.
What needs to happen on March 2nd for Warzone to come out on March 3rd? “IceManIsaac” not only analyzed the in-game hints but also closely examined the developers’ release strategy.
He expects a first major trailer for Battle Royale and the end of the media embargo on March 2nd. As long as the embargo is active, partners are not allowed to release any official information about the mode.
Similar strategies were also used for Season 1 and Season 2. The official confirmations of the season starts always came just a day before the actual release.
Therefore, a major trailer or at least official information about the Battle Royale “Warzone” should be released on March 2nd at 7 PM in our time zone. If not, it seems unlikely for “IceManIsaac” that a release on March 3rd will happen.
Warzone Beta and Free-To-Play as Stand-Alone Version?
Could the Battle Royale come as Free-To-Play? Currently, it looks that way. Although there has been no confirmation from the developers, “IceManIsaac” and other sources assume that “Warzone” will come as a “stand-alone version” and will also be accessible for players who have not purchased Modern Warfare.
Will the mode be available to everyone right away? “IceManIsaac” also expects that purchasers of CoD: MW will initially gain access to the new mode through a Closed Beta, and the final release will take place on March 10th. From Saturday to Monday, the mode might go offline again to incorporate the experiences from the 4 beta days into the release version.
Interesting about this analysis is the fact that the YouTuber hardly used any leaks for his assumptions, but most of the information comes from the game itself. At 7 PM we will see if he was right.
Update March 2nd 7:10 PM: Contrary to “IceManIsaac”‘s expectations, no new trailer for “Warzone” was released today, March 2nd. Although the Battle Royale could still go online on March 3rd, the likelihood has decreased again.
CoD MW disappoints player hopes on March 3rd
Update: March 3rd 7:50 PM – Many fans anticipated new information about Warzone with the playlist update today, March 3rd. Instead, there was only a small patch with some updates.
On reddit, there are already posts from players predicting that the Battle Royale mode might not come at all in the current Season 2 of CoD MW. One response to that is rather heated:
Holy crap, enough already. I want to play it too, but Infinity Ward hasn’t made any confirmation that it’s coming at all and hasn’t provided a timeline. You and the community are responsible for this hype. So far, it has all been speculation and rumors.
GJM1287 on reddit
Other players are also irritated by the constant complaints. However, there are also fans who emphatically demand the mode and receive support.
In one of the newer threads, the creator Amasero demands: “Activision, can you finally announce the BR mode?” The reactions are partly cynical: Warzone would come with the next CoD or like in Apex Legends “randomly at some point”.
The discussion shows that Warzone can significantly stir up emotions and players desire information. What we already know, we have compiled here for you:
