Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s battle royale mode has simply been heavily rumored to this point, but if anything, it’sCall of Duty’s worst kept secret. Players have glitched into the game mode multiple times, and if that wasn’t confirmation enough, Activision is on the hunt forCall of Duty: Warzoneleakers. Images, concepts, and release method have all been mentioned to some degree or another on the internet.
For example, many point toward an early March release, withModern Warfare’s battle royale mode being both available through the game and as a independent, free-to-play release (this doesn’t grant access to the other modes, of course). Its logo, player size, and map have all circulated to some degree, and with all of this in mind, there are some reasonable expectations for Warzone.
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Call of Duty: Warzone Features
Warzone is said to be 4x bigger than Blackout, which makes sense since it is reported to hold 200 players. This would make it one of the biggest battle royales on the market, meaning Infinity Ward could be taking a go big or go home approach here. It would definitely be trying and a way to stand out from competitors likeFortniteandApex Legends, but this also means there needs to be a way to fill the space. Bigger combat zones, more in-game content, and it seems Infinity Ward will deliver on that.
Namely, there’s supposedly an in-game currency known as Plunder, which doesn’t seemingly operate like V-Bucks or Apex Coins. It points toward an in-game economy where players can purchase killstreaks and the like as a way to prepare for combat, though it is likely earned through combat and could shake up the overall meta. There’s also been mention of drop kits, which interestingly sounds like players will drop ontoModern Wafare’s battle royale mapwith weapons, a concept that is typically a mainstay in most battle royale modes. All of this points towardCall of Duty: Modern Warfaretrying to break the mold, which many would welcome.
There’s also been a leakedvehicle list forModern Warfare’s Warzone mode, and given the size of the map, that makes sense. Vehicles are available inBlack Ops 4’s Blackout andFortnite, so it’s not surprising to see it here either.
Call of Duty: Warzone Gameplay
AlthoughModern Warfarecould be setting Warzone upas something unique, there’s no doubt that as a battle royale mode, there will be battle royale concepts. Players will likely drop in somehow, whether it’s by drop ship, legitimate planes, or whatnot. There will likely be some force or concept that sees the ring close in, shrinking the map for more intense firefights. The idea of a dropkit could mean gear would be more scarce, so early fire-fights would likely rely on it, though players could potentially swap out for better weapons as the match continues.
It’ll be interesting to see how squads work out too. If it sticks to the standard numbers, then this could be 50 squads of 4, but it doesn’t seem likely to go higher than that. Duos would be even more wild, as that would be 100 squads of 2. Factor in the occasional LTM, and it would seem thatModern Warfarehas a unique idea for success here.
Call of Duty: Warzone’s Unique Feature: Killstreaks
Perhaps the biggest thing about the battle royale market is how the top games have a unique feature to set them apart.Fortnitehas its building mechanics, a major reason that some like or do not like the game, andApex Legendshas “hero shooter” concepts that give the playable characters unique abilities. ForModern Warfare, that’s a vital approach, and this likely seems to be the killstreaks.
Arguably, killstreaks would be hard to balance and could put even more strength in the hands of the more-skilled players. That’s where Plunder could come in handy though to level the playing field. But with the idea of killstreaks, that would potentially mean lesscamping, an issue inModern Warfare, and more emphasis on engaging in firefights. It could be a counter to the size of the map as well, as many players could be seeking out killstreaks.
Ultimately, though, while using rumors and building expectations based on known battle royale concepts is okay, many will need to wait on Infinity Ward’s official reveal to see what Warzone is composed of. But if even half of everything rumored or pseudo-confirmed proves to be true, it’s possible that thisWarzone battle royale modecould shake up the genre.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfareis out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
