The original big map that kicked off the gaming phenomenon that is Call of Duty: Warzone has officially returned to free-to-play battle royale five years after its initial launch.
Raven Software, the development team that leads the way for Call of Duty: Warzone, didn't just opt to port the original map from Warzone 1 to the current iteration of Warzone 2.0, however.
Instead, the team rebuilt the map from the ground up, staying true to its original design, and adjusted the gameplay loop of Warzone 2.0 to bring back some of what made the original launch of Warzone special. That meant bringing back some fan-favorite Operators and weapons from the Warzone of yesteryear.
It should come as no surprise, then, that returning weapons like the Kilo have absolutely dominated Black Ops 6 multiplayer and the return of Verdansk alike. Imagine my surprise, then, when I asked Raven Software about the team's favorite loadouts and the Kilo was not listed among them.
Pete Actipis, the game director for Call of Duty: Warzone over at Raven, was kind enough to share two team-favorite loadouts for dropping into Verdansk:
Actipis' first loadout is a stealthy sniper's dream team. The Swat 5.56 Grau is a capable midrange AR, and a monolithic suppressor prevents the player's position from being revealed while engaging with an enemy or eliminating them from a distance.
The vertical foregrip helps to contain the Swat's recoil, and the extended mag keeps you in the fight without having to risk running for cover to reload.
Meanwhile, the HDR is going to drop enemies from pretty much any distance. The monolithic suppressor will again help you keep your cover, while the other attachments help to cover distance and stability.
Find a nice, protected sniper nest, and wait for victory to come to you.
The second loadout from Raven hones in on close quarters and mid-range gameplay, with the newly released CR-56 AMAX, another classic fan-favorite weapon, taking over as the primary weapon.
With a 3X optic and a reinforced barrel, the CR-56 AMAX is perfect for mid-range combat, giving the player the firepower to take out approaching enemies without having to be right up under their nose.
When the enemy does become too close for comfort, hot swapping over to the SAUG gives you that rapid-fire SMG power you need to take them out before they even know what hits them.
One interesting thing to note about both loadouts presented by Raven is the need for the Overkill wildcard to use two primary weapons. Warzone allows players to equip two primaries by default if they're picking up ground loot, but multiplayer loadouts require using a Wildcard to do so, which means player-created custom loadouts face the same limitation.
Therefore, any player who wants to stand a chance with a custom loadout is essentially beholden to the use of perks and wildcards like Overkill to keep them on equal footing as players who are relying on ground loot.
Balancing elements designed for multiplayer adds a unique challenge to developing for Warzone, as players expect the two modes' features and functionality to be seamless.
Blending yesteryear's loadouts with today's movement mechanics
Raven Software has clearly leaned in hard to nostalgia for Verdansk's return to Warzone, even going so far as to roll back significant gameplay changes from Warzone 2.0's launch. But not everything from the integration of Black Ops 6 and Warzone has been rolled back.
Omnimovement, the new movement system that was introduced with Black Ops 6, remains an integral part of Warzone's future. Raven has had to adjust movement speed and other features related to Omnimovement in preparation for Verdansk.
"The introduction of Omnimovement to Call of Duty: Warzone brought a new level of agency and responsiveness to player movement, leveling up traversal across all modes.," said Actipis, "As Omnimovement was initially designed with multiplayer in mind, our goal now is to simplify and fine tune bespoke movement into Battle Royale's unique, limited-life format in a way that improves on the original experience and adequately aligns with the tactical depth and pacing that defines a large scale experience like Verdansk.
By tuning elements including movement speed and omni-sprinting, vehicle balance, and removing redeploy drones, we’re working hard to strike the right balance. Ultimately, we want to preserve the benefits of increased mobility while maintaining the strategic play style that Call of Duty: Warzone players know and love."
While Raven Software draws inspiration from Call of Duty: Warzone's past, the development team — including support studios — still has plans for new changes to the game in the future.
"Later into the season, we'll be introducing a mix of nostalgic and brand-new Easter eggs, courtesy of our friends at Beenox," said Actipis, "While we won’t spoil the surprises just yet, there’ll be no shortage of hidden fun for players to discover.
Players can drop into Call of Duty: Warzone for free today on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can enjoy discounts on Call of Duty Points and the Black Cell battle pass upgrade.
