Activision dropped a bombshell in February 2022 by confirming that a new Warzone game is in the works. While the company didn’t offer up much info or name the game outright (which we assume will be Warzone 2), Activision did relay details to a number of streamers, content creators, and outlets that cover Call Of Duty. Warzone 2 is still a ways off, but there’s a lot we know about the upcoming battle royale game. Here’s what has been confirmed about Warzone 2.
How is Warzone 2 different from Warzone?
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 will be a new battle royale experience built from the ground up alongside COD 2022. The new standalone Call of Duty game launching in 2022 is confirmed to be a sequel to Modern Warfare 2019, indicating that Warzone 2 will also incorporate the same setting and mechanics.
At this point, it’s still too early to know all the details about Warzone 2, but based on statements from many content creators — such as Jackfrags — who participated in a call with Activision, a number of things are in the pipeline.
For starters, Activision said Warzone 2 will be “a massive evolution of battle royale.” While the company didn’t elaborate on what that means, specifically, content creators seem to believe the new game will feature an upgraded gunsmith system and significant meta changes with future updates beyond new weapons.
Warzone 2 will likely feature a brand new map that coincides with the release of COD 2022, along with all the same weapons, perks, and mechanics from that game. Since Activision has confirmed that COD 2022 and Warzone 2 are being built together from the ground up on the same engine, we can expect unity across both titles. Not only that, but Activision revealed that all future COD games will be built on the same engine as well, hopefully making it much easier to integrate those titles into Warzone 2.
When will Warzone 2 be released?
Activision hasn’t confirmed the release date for Warzone 2, but it’s possible the game will launch in March 2023 around the three-year anniversary of the previous Modern Warfare entry. Since COD 2022 will launch in the fall of 2022, this would give developer Infinity Ward a few months to address feedback pertaining to that game’s multiplayer mode to implement in the new Warzone game. Historically, Activision likes to wait a little while before launching a Warzone integration after a mainline COD release, which will likely continue going forward.
Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier belives Warzone 2 will launch in 2023.
What studio is the Warzone 2 developer?
Warzone 2 is being developed by Infinity Ward and is being built alongside COD 2022. This is great news, as Infinity Ward has a positive track record for creating critical and commercial hits. This also means longtime Warzone developer Raven Software will once again be a support studio, rather than leading development on the new game. Other Activision teams like Beenox and High Moon Studios will continue working in supporting roles.
How will Warzone 2 impact future COD reveals?
The Warzone 2 announcement was underwhelming and unusual, considering just how massive the franchise is. Activision publishing a blog post with a few lines of vague information, while giving content creators more details was an odd move, but considering the current state of Warzone and the publisher in general, the company likely wanted to avoid any potential bad press.
Activision has received heat for the poor treatment of its workers, while Warzone itself has been a mess for the majority of its lifespan.
It’s possible Activision will continue to deliver news to COD content creators who are less likely to be critical of the company, in an attempt to garner positive buzz. This means future reveals could be presented in a different way than the community is used to.
What are the Warzone 2 platforms?
With Warzone 2, the discussion of platforms is complex due to the many moving parts. Most importantly, following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, the biggest question is whether or not COD will be exclusive to Xbox going forward. This hasn’t been specifically confirmed yet, but at the very least, we should expect any Activision games that are currently in development to come to PlayStation as part of existing agreements that were in place prior to the acquisition. With that in mind, it’s unlikely Warzone 2 will be Xbox exclusive, especially since the original game garnered so much success on the PlayStation platform.
The other main point has to do with current-gen hardware. It’s highly likely Warzone 2 will not come to PS4 and Xbox One platforms due to hardware limitations. The original Warzone barely functions on those systems as it stands, so Activision is probably attempting to ensure the game runs as smoothly as possible.
It’s important to note that current-gen hardware including the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles are still difficult to find. This might mean Activision will develop Warzone 2 for older systems, as well, though, at this point, it’s unclear.
