At the big event stream CoD Next, the new battle royale Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 was presented. Over 200 streamers were there and could collect their first kills in the game. While many participants of the event show enthusiasm for the new Warzone, the viewers remain rather divided.
What is there to know about the new Warzone? Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 will be released on November 16, 2022, together with the first live season of Modern Warfare 2. The first map is called Al Mazrah:
Compared to the first Warzone, much is changing, and the gameplay will be significantly different. Here are some of the main changes:
- No more loadout drops
- You buy weapons at the buy stations or find them on the map. With cash, you can upgrade the weapons, equip them with attachments, or purchase your custom-built weapons from the gunsmith.
- No perks at the start
- There are no passive abilities via perks from the buy station or as loot at release.
- New co-op gulag
- You fight in the gulag 2vs2 for your life. Additionally, there is a “warden” mechanic, an AI-controlled presence, which has not yet been detailed.
- Revised playfield circle mechanic
- At a certain point in the match, the playfield divides into several circles. In the end, the circles come back together to the final battlefield.
- Proximity chat
- If you use the in-game chat, you can now hear enemies who are nearby and also using chat.
- MW2 movement
- Revised gameplay of the new CoD: Slide-cancel is no longer in the game, diving is possible, and you can hang on edges.
- More NPCs
- The map is full of NPC enemies, especially in locations marked as “stronghold.” There is significantly more loot here. Additionally, an NPC faction roams the map, providing a new source of danger.
- Water and vehicles
- Like in CoD MW2, water is a core feature. Swimming, underwater battles, boating – all part of Warzone 2.0. The vehicle mechanics have also been revised and offer more depth, both on land and in water.
We are embedding the trailer showcasing the multiplayer of MW2 and Warzone 2.0 here:
First gameplay at CoD Next excites streamers
Call of Duty invited over 200 streamers to CoD Next, who were able to play their first rounds in Warzone 2.0 on-site. The atmosphere at the event was exceptionally lively, and many streamers expressed excitement about their first rounds.
Kills were cheered loudly, and hardly anyone had any complaints about the extensive changes. As an example, we are embedding a video from the German content creator and Warzone streamer “AimBrot.” The video shows his very first round of Warzone 2.0:
For the streamer, the new battle royale feels smoother, less “clunky” than its predecessor, thus more modern and technically refined.
Moreover, he praised the improved technology due to a more stable framerate. At the end of the video, he also discusses the map and feels that Al Mazrah is “so much better and prettier than Caldera.”.
However, AimBrot also has criticism and wishes for the return of the loadout crates. For him, that was a fundamental gameplay element of Warzone and something that made the game what it was.
Looking at some of the content creators who were on-site, however, the majority are excited to get their hands on Warzone 2.0 at release.
Players remain skeptical about the new features
A somewhat different picture emerges on Reddit and Twitter, among players who have not yet had a chance to play themselves. Many are skeptical due to the extensive changes compared to its predecessor. Additionally, not everyone is fond of the map.
While the most popular thread on the Warzone subreddit is the introduction of the map (2,300 upvotes / September 16, 07:00 AM), there is a lot of criticism regarding the structure (via reddit.com).
The most popular comment in the thread comes from user “alex1596”: “Oh God no, not another gigantic hill in the middle.” This refers to the location “Peak” from Caldera – a huge volcano in the center of the map with significant influence on the dynamics of a match.
The missing loadout drops are also hotly debated. The Reddit thread on this topic has garnered 1,200 upvotes and collected over 500 comments in just a few hours (via reddit.com). The most popular comment here: “They will bring them back when people don’t feel it” from No_Bar6825.
Opinions are also divided under a tweet from Warzone expert “JGOD”. JGOD asks: “What do you think about Warzone 2.0?”.
He himself is still unsure, and the commentators are also divided. Some are convinced at first sight, while others are disturbed by the drastic changes from the predecessor.
Many want to hold off on making a definitive judgment until they’ve played a round themselves.
Warzone 2.0 will be released on November 16 as a free-to-play shooter and is completely based on the technology of Modern Warfare 2. The CoD from 2022 will be released on October 28.
What is your first impression of the new Warzone? Leave a comment. If you prefer to check out more announcements from CoD Next, visit here: CoD Next shows MW2 multiplayer, Warzone 2.0, and Warzone Mobile – All announcements from the mega-event at a glance
