Finally, we know what the future of Call of Duty: Warzone looks like. The battle royale combines three CoD titles: Black Ops Cold War and Modern Warfare. In the eyes of shooter expert Sven Galitzki from MeinMMO, Activision Blizzard has chosen a really strong solution that benefits every current CoD player.
What is the solution about? The popular and successful battle royale mode CoD Warzone is supposed to continue for years and serve as a link and constant to connect various “Call of Duty” releases – soon including Modern Warfare and the new Black Ops Cold War.
This has been known for some time, but how it will work concretely and in detail is something many players, including myself, have been wondering for a while. Both games rely on the same basic framework and many similar elements, but they also have some significant differences.
Now, Activision has finally let the cat out of the bag and disclosed its plans for Warzone and the integration of the latest CoD title.
These are the plans for Warzone
These titles will be interconnected: Specifically, these are
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare from 2019
- as well as the new Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, which will be released on November 13, 2020
Both titles will be linked to Warzone. Modern Warfare already is. Buyers received the battle royale as a free update, but Warzone is also available for free as a standalone version and is currently based on equipment, game world, and characters from CoD MW. The integration and focus shift to CoD Cold War will occur on December 10 – with the launch of Season 1 of Black Ops Cold War.
The most important changes for Warzone: In principle, almost all progress from the three games will be combined.
- There will be shared progress between CoD Cold War, Modern Warfare, and Warzone. Starting with Season 1, the progress system will be synchronized across all three titles and will be universally valid: Players will be able to progress and level up across all three games.
- With the launch of Season 1, all weapons available in Cold War and Modern Warfare will also be available in Warzone. These firearms can be used and leveled up across Warzone and in their respective game.
- Previous weapons will not be removed from Warzone, and perks, equipment, field upgrades, and specific killstreaks from Modern Warfare will remain in Warzone.
- Every operator unlocked in Modern Warfare or Cold War (i.e., purchased or earned) will be available and playable across Warzone and in their respective titles – including skins, finishing moves, and everything else that comes with them.
- The battle pass system from Modern Warfare will continue with CoD Cold War. Season 1 will bring a new battle pass with fresh content for Warzone and the new Cold War. Progress for the battle pass can be achieved in all three games, while the content from the new battle pass only offers items for Cold War and Warzone. However, these can also be unlocked by playing Modern Warfare.
For more details, you can find them here: Finally, we know how CoD Warzone will continue with Cold War – This is the plan
This leak is also circulating: Recently, there was also a leak suggesting that the entire arsenal of CoD Cold War will receive a complete rebalancing specifically for Warzone to adapt to the current weapons in Warzone. These come from Modern Warfare and have a completely different time to kill.
It is also said that Warzone will offer over 100 different weapons in 2021 (after the integration of Cold War) – an impressive arsenal for a free-to-play shooter.
That’s why this is a really strong solution for CoD players
This is how I see it, Sven from MeinMMO: Players have speculated about various scenarios for how the integration could unfold – especially regarding progress, weapons, and the battle pass. In my opinion, Call of Duty couldn’t have handled this any better. For anyone who has been actively playing Call of Duty lately, is still doing so, or intends to do so with Black Ops Cold War, this is basically the best solution. But why?
Free choice through unified progress
With this orientation, you have the freedom to choose what you want to play. Whether it’s the new Black Ops Cold War or Warzone itself – I can earn progress for the latest content everywhere. Even in the “old” Modern Warfare, which remains relevant for fans and lovers like me even a year after release. If I own all three titles, I can freely choose what to play and achieve progress everywhere. This generous freedom did not exist before.
No pressure to buy the latest CoD
The best part is: You are not forced to buy the new CoD Cold War if you want to enjoy Warzone properly.
For example, I can continue to play my beloved Modern Warfare and still unlock the new content from the battle pass for Warzone – even if I do not own Cold War. However, I can still carry weapons from the new Call of Duty in Warzone. And should I feel like playing the new Black Ops – I have already achieved battle pass progress for that too.
This allows you to check out Modern Warfare and Cold War, even if you do not own both games. After all, the arsenal will soon be united in Warzone, and if the leak is to be believed, it will even offer more than 100 different weapons.
Experience will not change, but expand
I also find it cool that Warzone will not completely change its face, even if a new title will be increasingly in focus. Old weapons from the Modern Warfare setting will not disappear. Equipment, killstreaks, or perks from CoD MW will also remain and will be expanded by Black Ops, not replaced. This is exactly what I wanted. That Warzone grows and does not completely get thrown over and tries to reinvent the wheel.
My conclusion: There were several possibilities for how Warzone could have developed. For example, to completely leave Modern Warfare behind. Or to completely embrace the specific mechanics of Cold War. However, the battle royale maintains its character and mechanics while being consistently expanded.
In general, I have the feeling that the annual releases are no longer the focus of Call of Duty, but Warzone will become the heart, the focus. After all, CoD Cold War is now being integrated into Warzone, not vice versa. This emphasizes the importance that the battle royale now holds for the franchise. And I like this development.
In my opinion, Warzone fulfills its role as a link between the various CoD releases well, and if everything is implemented with the integration for future titles as well, then I believe this is the best solution for all currently active CoD players. Because it finally gives players the freedoms I have desired for a long time, but did not really consider realistic. I am very pleased about this.
What do you think of the future plans for Warzone? Cool ideas or do they leave you completely cold? By the way, it seems that CoD Cold War has just revealed the next Warzone map
