[GameSpot] - Call Of Duty: Warzone 2.0 -- Here Are All The Details So Far

[343iBot]

Riding off the success of Call of Duty: Warzone, Activision has announced Warzone 2.0 will launch with a brand-new map later this year. A map reveal and several details were shared during Call of Duty Next on September 15, and here we highlight all the changes announced for battle royale's sequel.

Warzone 2.0 release date and platform details

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is a new free-to-play battle royale scheduled to release on November 16 across PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Story details

Nothing has been officially confirmed for Warzone's storyline. Originally, Warzone's Verdansk map followed Infinity Ward's post-launch story of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, so it's very possible we'll see a continuation of Modern Warfare 2's story unfold in Warzone 2.0.

Brand-new map and circle mechanics

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0's new map is called Al Mazrah, and it takes place in the desert of a fictional region of Western Asia. The map features a mix of geography, which includes desert, bodies of water, cities, and small towns. Longtime Call of Duty fans will likely notice some familiar POIs, as Terminal, Highrise, and Quarry from the original Modern Warfare 2 can all be found on Al Mazrah.

Warzone 2.0 will have a brand-new circle mechanic for Al Mazrah, with multiple circles appearing at once. The circles can split and become "micro circles," but the circles will eventually merge back together, which the developer says was to create different end-game experiences.

A more-complex Gulag

The new map will also feature a revamped "Gulag 2.0," where players must battle it out via 2v2 instead of the normal 1v1 arena. This new second chance Gulag will include the need to loot for weapons, and there are even ways that teamwork can be used to get both teams out alive. Make sure to check out our full details of how the Gulag works in Warzone 2.0.

MW2's overhauled Gunsmith

Warzone 2.0 will feature the same overhauled Gunsmith feature as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Infinity Ward's completely revamped Gunsmith features the new Platform system, which was designed to eliminate the weapon attachment grind from previous years. Players will no longer need to spend countless hours unlocking the same attachment over and over to use on different weapons, because when they unlock a gun in the same shared Platform, they also have the same attachments unlocked and ready for the new weapon. Here are the full details of how Modern Warfare 2 changes the Gunsmith.

Warzone 2.0

New DMZ mode

Infinity Ward finally confirmed the previously leaked DMZ extraction mode, which will be played across the entirety of the Al Mazrah map. The developer only gave a vague tease to say DMZ will be an all-new "sandbox experience." More information on this mode should arrive closer to the game's launch.

New equipment, features, AI, and movement mechanics

Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare 2 were "designed together from the ground up" by Infinity Ward, and the developer says all of the vehicles, features, and mechanics found in Modern Warfare 2 will also be available in the Warzone sequel. This includes boats, tanks, new Field Upgrades, swimming, diving, new mantling options, and more. Make sure to check out our early Modern Warfare 2 preview for in-depth breakdown of all the new movement and mechanics being introduced to both games.

There will also be more-advanced AI for Al Mazrah, which the developer says is meant to add higher stakes and more-realistic combat scenarios to the Warzone experience. This is just part of Infinity Ward's new use of advanced AI in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0, which the developer previously discussed as having the goal to make lifelike enemies and friendlies.

Additionally, the battle royale's vehicles will no longer have an unlimited supply of fuel in the sequel. Warzone 2.0's vehicles will run out of gas, but just like in Fortnite, they can be refueled at gas stations. Vehicle tires can also be shot out, but they can be repaired when damaged. This need for refueling should cut back on Warzone's solo matches being overrun with vehicles, especially in the late game.

Updated Ricochet anti-cheat

The developer announced that Call of Duty's Ricochet anti-cheat server protections and kernel-level driver will be active globally for the launch of both Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare 2. Additionally, the developer also announced Ricochet has been upgraded and improved with new features to better help in the fight against cheaters.

Make sure to check out all the major announcements revealed during Call of Duty Next, which include details about the recently announced Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile game. Additionally, here is everything we know about Modern Warfare 2.

View the full article