Listen here on your chosen podcast platform.
Now that Black Ops 6 is officially out, it’s time to start looking ahead to the first season of Warzone.
Soon, Call of Duty’s free battle royale mode will undergo massive changes as it frees itself from the grip of Modern Warfare 3, leaving behind the trove of loot players have amassed in the past year.
Even if you don’t plan on buying Black Ops 6, you’ll get to experience some of its biggest features in Warzone as the two games mesh together.
Here’s when the integration will take place and the changes it will bring.
When will the first season of Warzone start?
Warzone recently concluded its sixth and final season, a Halloween-themed fright-fest featuring killer clowns.
Now, Activision has revealed when the first season of the Black Ops 6 era will begin after the release date was outed in a recent promo.
Season 1 will kick off on November 14, bringing with it a “colossal amount of free content”, the gaming giant announced in a blog post.
The launch date effectively confirms an earlier leak. Across the pond, pizza chain Little Caesars has been offering customers free in-game rewards (from double XP to free operator skins) in exchange for the codes printed at the bottom of their receipts.
As part of the giveaway, the company let slip in an email that the first Battle Pass would commence on November 14.
What can you expect in Warzone season 1?
With the start of the first season, Warzone will get gameplay modifications, a huge new map, and the prestige progression system from Black Ops 6.
The main changes you can expect are:
Gameplay
Get ready to sprint, slide, and dive in any direction with the implementation of omnimovement from Black Ops 6.
Before starting a match, you’ll be able to pick three perks to take with you from a revolving lineup. CoD fans will know that these can give you an extra boost on the battlefield, from scavenging ammo from felled players to reloading faster. You’ll also be able to add a wildcard (an import from Cold War), like an extra primary weapon or a sprint, slide, and dive in any direction.
As usual, others can claim your perk pack when you die, with additional perks also available in lootable crates. Players will also get to carry a dedicated melee weapon, while the looting system reverts to Warzone’s classic style with lootable Satchels replacing backpacks.
New content
Warzone is getting a new Resurgence map called Area 99, a forgotten military compound from the 1950s with underground bunkers and hidden labs. At the center of the decaying base sits a leaky nuclear reactor, which looks primed for last-gasp shootouts. To newcomers, the art deco architecture and the site’s chipper mascot (Archie the Atom) may bring to mind the retro-futurism of Fallout, but Area 99 is actually an expanded take on Nuketown, the popular map from the original Black Ops.
Players will descend on this sprawling site armed to the teeth with guns, cosmetic sand operators from Black Ops 6 proper. And, for the first time in Warzone, you’ll be able to unlock four mastery camos for every weapon.
Progression
The prestige system is live on multiplayer and Zombies at launch, but will be coming to Warzone in season 1. As always, the goal is to grind beyond your maximum rank to reach an elite tier with unique rewards to unlock, including new icons, operator skins, and weapon blueprints.
What about multiplayer and Zombies?
The new treats won’t just be limited to Warzone. Multiplayer is poised to get new maps and modes, while Zombies will also get an additional in-season map, which we’ll hear about closer to launch.
What’s in the Battle Pass?
Activision is keeping details on the first Battle Pass close to its armoured chest, but we can expect the format to stay the same.
That means there will still be three tiers: a free route with basic rewards, the standard Battle Pass priced around £8.39 with better loot (including operator skins and weapon blueprints, and the premium Blackcell version (typically £26) with added goodies. The latter will be free for those who ordered the Vault edition of Black Ops 6.
Players can also expect themed items related to the Zombies mode, including special GobbleGum packs (think gobstoppers that give you special powers).
