We know there’s a lot to talk about when it comes to Warzone 2, but Activision’s epic Call of Duty Next event made some things a little more obvious than others. For example, we all know now that the Warzone 2 battle royale map Al Mazrah is bigger than anything we’ve seen in Warzone before – whether that be Verdansk, Verdansk ‘84, or Caldera. We also know that the Warzone 2 gameplay all but confirms that this is going to be the next generation of battle royale shooters. However, if you’re still looking for a little more information about what could very well be one of the best battle royale games of the next generation, we have seven weird and wonderful Warzone 2 changes you probably don’t know about yet.
Firstly, we need to talk about one bit of equipment that features in all the best Warzone loadouts at the moment: the Heartbeat Sensor. You’ll be pleased to know that this battle royale experience isn’t ditching the popular tactical equipment item. However, you won’t be pleased to learn that the Heartbeat Sensor has a limited battery life in Warzone 2. This means you’re going to need to be very conscious of when you actually use it. As this Call of Duty Blog guide points out, you could find that you’re wasting this tactical equipment’s battery life before it even highlights any enemy positions.
This battle royale game’s Heartbeat Sensor isn’t the only tactical equipment you need to be aware of, though. Whether you’re using the best MP40 loadout in Warzone or the best HDR loadout in Warzone, you have probably thought about using Stims more than once. Well, you’ll be pleased to know that Stims are going to return as a tactical equipment item in both Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2. What you might not know, though, is that you can effectively double-up on Stims with the new Battle Rage field upgrade.
If you’re wondering what Battle Rage is, you’re not alone. This new field upgrade is described as an “experimental stimulant that gives you an adrenaline rush” in Warzone 2. What makes this interesting is that Battle Rage increases your health regeneration rate (on top of constantly refreshing your tactical sprint), just like a Stim. While we don’t know how easy it’s going to be to find both Stims and Battle Rage in Warzone 2, just yet, we do know that having both is going to make you a menace to anyone who dares to stand in between you and a win.
If you’re wondering whether you will be able to circumvent the chore of looting things like Heartbeat Sensors, Stims, and Battle Rage field upgrades by calling in a loadout drop, we have some bad news for you – although, it’s something you might already know about. This new battle royale shooter isn’t bringing back custom loadouts and loadout drops – which, yes, does mean that Warzone 2 isn’t going to have perks at launch.
That’s right, we know getting your hands on the best Warzone guns out there is more of a priority when it comes to custom loadouts, but perks are a huge part of what makes getting a loadout drop early in Warzone important. However, Call of Duty is changing the way custom weapons work with Warzone 2 and that means there’s no more custom classes and no more perks in the battle royale – at least for now. If you want a custom weapon, you’re going to need to pick it up directly from the buy station.
Whether you prefer an assault rifle or a submachine gun, getting a custom weapon in Warzone 2 isn’t going to come cheap. However, there is going to be more than one way you can get your hands on one. In Warzone 2, PvPvE Strongholds are your best chance at getting your custom loadout weapon – and, if you’re asking why we think that, we only have to mention one word: free.
While we don’t know how much each weapon is going to cost when you hit up a buy station on Al Mazrah, we do know that a number of Call of Duty content creators and pro players (all those lucky people who got to play the alpha build of Warzone 2 at Call of Duty Next) have expressed that it’s not the cheapest item on the list. Thankfully, trusted Call of Duty content creator ‘TrueGameData‘ has confirmed that completing one of the battle royale’s brand new PvPvE experiences – currently named Strongholds – will grant you one free custom weapon the next time you hit up the buy station.
As you might imagine, though, this shift from easy-to-get loadout drops to somewhat expensive custom weapons adds a new value to looting throughout a Warzone 2 game – not just in the early game while you’re saving for a loadout drop marker.
In an effort to add even more value to the looting in this new battle royale experience, Activision has introduced contextual looting to Warzone 2 – which feels like an advancement on the looting system present in Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode.
If you’re wondering what contextual looting is, you may have heard the Call of Duty Warzone 2 developers discussing aspects of it with casters and commentators during the Call of Duty Next event. What this means is that, in a few cases, there’s going to be static looting opportunities and supply drops in Warzone 2. One example of this would be an abandoned military checkpoint in Al Mazrah will always have a set number of supply boxes for players to open – in every game they play.
Warzone 2’s contextual looting goes beyond that, though. While the developers mentioned that you would be able to find healing items in bathroom medicine cabinets, it is also apparent from early gameplay that you will be able to find more in-game money in cash registers. This means that, when you’re running around Al Mazrah city (or one of the other POIs), you’ll need to keep a special eye out for any shops or counter tops that might present themselves as bearing more fruit than other buildings – if you’re looking to pick something up from the buy station, anyway.
It’s not all fun and games when it comes to the new looting system though, as footage of Warzone 2’s new Gulag experience has shown that players will need to actually loot while they’re in the Gulag – which could cause some problems given the fact that the Gulag is now a 2v2 situation where you’re paired with a random player.
We know looting in the Gulag sounds preposterous – which it sort of is – but, it’s what we’re going to have to get used to come the Warzone 2 release date. When you get dropped into your 2v2 duel, you’ll spawn with fists – no matter what. From then, it’s (almost) every operator for themselves. You’ll be pleased to know that you won’t have to look too far for weapons, they should be just in front of you and your impromptu duo, but you’re going to have to make sure you get there first – and pick up the weapon you’re best at using. We might expect there to be two of the same gun on both sides of the Gulag arena, but there’s nothing to say Warzone 2 won’t throw another spanner in the works and drop one SMG and one sniper rifle – or something along those lines.
If you’re reading that and thinking about how horrible it sounds, you’ll be pleased to know that winning your duos duel isn’t actually the only way to escape the Warzone 2 Gulag in one piece – and alive. According to Infinity Ward co-studio head Patrick Kelly, as per this Washington Post interview, players will be able to work together to earn a Gulag-wide jailbreak.
Finally, a change to the Gulag system that’s actually useful, right? Well, only if you can make the most of the strange proximity chat coming to Warzone 2. While you’re waiting for your chance to fight, players will be able to work together to take down what is described as “a heavily armed (and armoured) guard” – as per Washington Post. While Warzone 2 players will need to “collaborate closely to do so with just rocks and melee attacks”, this risk could pay off if everyone works together and earns a free ticket back to Al Mazrah.
Of course, it goes without saying that you die for good if you die during this attempted jailbreak. So, it’s worth making sure you and your cellmates are all on the same page before poking the bear. However, that is just one of the interesting new changes coming to Warzone 2 – and we can’t wait to find out more about how else Infinity Ward is updating this battle royale experience.