Call of Duty is introducing a major change to the perks system currently employed in Warzone with the Season 1 update and it might just be one of the best changes we’ve ever seen in this battle royale. Now represented by Gear items (thanks to MW3), Season 1 will see several Warzone perks enabled – at all times – by default; this something that applies to you whether you’re using a custom loadout or otherwise. We know this will sound a little hyperbolic, but Warzone Season 1 is shaping up to be the best update we’ve ever seen – yes, even better than the one that opened up Verdansk Stadium.
It might have its problems every now and then, but Warzone is still one of the best battle royale games out there right now; thanks to Activision’s continued refinements of the Call of Duty combat mechanics, it’s also one of the best FPS games available on Xbox and PS5 at the moment. With the new Warzone map release date on the way, there’s already a lot to look forward to. However, Call of Duty’s confirmation that it’s going to update the perks system means there’s even more to look forward to than we first thought. That, and the Warzone meta is going to look quite a bit different to what we thought it would be when everyone gets settled with Season 1 and Urzikstan.
Ahead of the MW3 Season 1 release date – which also includes all the new Warzone content like the arrival of Urzikstan – Call of Duty confirms that five perks currently available in Modern Warfare 3 – almost all of which are related to movement mechanics and agility – will be enabled by default at all times in Warzone battle royale modes. These perks, as per this Call of Duty Blog post, are:
- Tac Pads – Improved slide distance, increased stance transition speeds, and allows ADS while sliding
- Commando Gloves – Enables reloading while sprinting
- Quick-Grip Gloves – Increases weapon swap speeds
- Climbing Boots – Increases climbing and mantling speeds
- Overkill – Allows you to equip two primary weapons at once
Yes, you’re reading that right; one of those perks enabled by default is Overkill – a very popular option for players who want to make sure they have two of the best Warzone weapons at their disposal at any given moment. This means that you’ll still be able to equip these weapons in your best Warzone loadouts, but you’ll have a perk slot free and available for something new.
You should, as you can probably imagine, find gameplay quicker in general and find exploring Urzikstan much more fluid than exploring Al Mazrah has been. You’ll be able to push your enemies faster with more efficiency – thanks to Tac Pads and Climbing Boots – and you should be able to keep yourself ready to rumble in any situation with Quick-Grip Gloves and Commando Gloves. This update will also see MW3’s Tac Stance, slide-cancelling, and a movement speed boost while using a Stim tactical introduced.
If you’re wondering what you’ll be able to stick in that free slot now Overkill is being enabled by default, though, Call of Duty is also introducing the following perks alongside the existing selection of options:
- Irradiated – Move faster and take less damage while in the gas
- Tempered – Allows you to refill Armor with two plates instead of three
- Combat Scout – Bullets you fire briefly ping an enemy for you and your squad
- Resolute – Grants a temporary movement speed boost when taking damage
- Shrouded – Drops a Smoke Grenade when downed
- Mountaineer – Reduces fall damage
- Stalker – Increased strafe and ADS movement speeds
- Escapist – Increased downed, crouch, and prone movement speeds
- Primed – Accuracy and ADS time improved while jumping
- Faculty – Delays triggered explosives while sprinting, warns of nearby enemy equipment, and reduces combat noise generally
Thanks to the adoption of Modern Warfare 3’s perk system, Warzone players will be able to equip four perks in total with their custom loadout. While we don’t know where each one of the above will sit right now, there will be 12 perks in Perk Slot 1 and Perk Slot 2, ten perks in Perk Slot 3, and seven perks in Perk Slot 4 when Season 1 arrives.
Looking at the above, Shrouded could be useful if you’re someone who enjoys engaging your enemies with long-range rifles and snipers; with any luck, triggering a Smoke Grenade when you’re downed should offer you some protection and a chance to escape a final follow-up shot from afar. Those of you who play more aggressively, though, will want to look into equipping Resolute and Primed. Stalker could be useful for those of you who favor an assault rifle, but an increased strafe speed isn’t going to make too much difference if you’re sliding into close-quarters combat with an SMG.
Outside of this incredible alteration that’s sure to revitalize the battle royale, Urzikstan is on the way – a new battle royale map that looks a lot more like Verdansk than Caldera or Al Mazrah. There’s also going to be more Evil Dead content coming in Warzone Season 1 – which is far from a bad thing for horror film fans. Also, the new MW3 TAQ Eradicator is practically a cheat code for players trying to complete some camo challenges ahead of the next major update and could be a weapon you want to keep your eye on in Warzone – it’s finding its feet in MW3’s multiplayer, already.