Welcome to Warzone 2.0 Season 02

Get ready to squad up and drop into Season 02 of Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0, introducing the new Ashika Island map to Battle Royale and DMZ. Developed by High Moon Studios, Ashika Island brings players to a Resurgence-sized, centuries-old village in an archipelago, presenting all new risks and rewards across its many locales, bridges, districts, and waterways.

The new season will also feature the return of the 1v1 Gulag, a new AI Combatant, the Path of the Ronin seasonal event, new DMZ Faction Missions, and more. Season 02 launches on February 15. Read on for a tactical overview of everything coming to Warzone 2.0.

BATTLE ROYALE OVERVIEW

-       Ashika Island Debuts with Resurgence. Explore a new environment with the launch of Ashika Island, debuting alongside Resurgence Battle Royale.

-       1v1 Gulag. The 1v1 Gulag returns, including changes to the current Gulag map, ground loot, and starting Loadouts.

-       New Contract, Public Event, the Rusher, and More. Take on new challenges that will be added to Ashika Island throughout Season 02.

-       General Season 02 Changes. Season 02 introduces other changes across Ashika Island and Al Mazrah, including adjustments to your starting armor, Buy Stations, and Stronghold rewards.

Introducing Ashika Island

Welcome to Ashika Island, aka “Isle of the Sea Lion.” What was once planned as a resort destination is now under siege by Shadow Company, whose forces are looking for local members of the Ultranationalist Konni Group.

A compact, medium-sized map designed for Resurgence, Ashika Island includes various locales such as the Town Center, Beach Club, Tsuki Castle, Port Ashika, and river channels and bridges spread throughout the environment.

See our Deep Dive on Ashika Island for a rundown of the new Resurgence map’s seven major points of interest.

Resurgence Returns

Playlist updates throughout Season 02 will feature Resurgence in Solos, Duos, Trios, and Quads. In this mode, a countdown appears next to the name of any eliminated squad member, as long as at least one other squad member is still alive. Once the timer completes, the eliminated player is redeployed.

Squads who complete objectives like eliminating squads or finishing contracts will shorten the countdown, bringing their fallen teammates back into the match more quickly. The countdown will grow longer over the course of the match until eventually being disabled in the final minutes.

The last squad standing wins.

Our main tips for Resurgence are as follows:

            Move as one. In any squad-based version of Resurgence, squads that stick together are more likely to survive. From the initial drop to the final circle, coordinate your movements to ensure no Operator is left behind.

The intel advantage. Eliminating any member of an enemy team temporarily reveals their squadmate’s positions on the Tac Map. Use this to track down and completely wipe squads, so they are unable to redeploy back to full strength!

         Clutch up, stay alive. If your squad members are down, prioritize your life to ensure they can redeploy. Remember that looting items, completing contracts, and earning eliminations shorten their Resurgence countdown, but sometimes, waiting out the clock for a few seconds can be the difference between the squad redeploying and an untimely end to a match.

New Feature: Restore Honor

Restore your honor and exact revenge against your enemy.

Once per match, Operators who fall on Ashika Island will drop a dog tag where they perished. If you or one of your squadmates picks up the dog tag, you’ll be rewarded with a small Cash reward and a UAV Ping to scan the area for supplies and potentially the position of the enemy Operator who downed you.

Here are two strategies for this new feature:

            Truly Honorable. Heading straight for your dog tag after a redeployment is a smart way to get a head start on that fresh life. Alternatively, have a squadmate pick up that tag and call out nearby Supply Boxes so you can quickly build back that Loadout.

            Dishonorable Bait. Given the advantage it provides, an enemy dog tag can be used to lure enemy teams into exposing their position. If you see a dog tag in the wild, consider taking an advantageous position near it and pick off any Operator who attempts to pick it up.

A New Path to Riches

Season 02 balances the Battle Royale Cash economy for more consistent rewards when pursuing resources. The Cash payout for completing contracts has been slightly reduced, while the minimum value of Cash piles as ground loot has been increased to $800 and from cash registers it has been increased to $500.

Cash will no longer be found in basic and Legendary Supply Boxes, but it can be found as ground loot, in containers, and in white Stronghold Supply Boxes.

This  emphasizes looting during a match rather than solely completing contracts to rack up Cash. Be sure to search every Supply Box, Duffel Bag, Locker and other containers to maximize Cash gains during matches.

It’s You and Me: 1v1 Gulag Returns

Season 02 sees the return of the 1v1 Gulag. In this iteration, the Jailer’s out; it’s just you and the enemy player, with the return of the Domination-style control point as the overtime mechanic.

Operators will skirmish in an edited version of the current Gulag map that’s better suited for 1v1 combat. Expect new ground loot and spawning Loadouts, including Assault Rifles, SMGs, and LMGs that change as the match progresses. Shotguns have been removed from the rotation.

Here’s our advice for this updated Gulag:

            Practice makes perfect. Head into Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II Multiplayer and try out a variety of Primary Weapons within those categories to learn their strengths and weaknesses. Although Operator health differs between Multiplayer and Battle Royale, learning how to control each weapon’s recoil and knowing their range can be crucial to surviving the Gulag.

            Chuck those ’nades. Remember that a Gulag Loadout also includes Lethal and Tactical Equipment. Use it to slightly damage or disorient opponents before dealing the eliminating blow with whatever given weapon.

More Cash: The Gulag now spawns Cash as ground loot to reward players who move around. If you can stall your opponent long enough, take time to pick up those stacks of Cash to make it easier to rebuild that Loadout on the redeploy. Also, Season 02 pays out a larger Cash reward to Gulag winners, so every W counts!

More Coming to Ashika Island Throughout the Season

New Contract: Search and Seizure (In-Season)

In Search and Seizure, Operators are tasked with tracking down a stolen vehicle taken by the Shadow Company. Get to its location marked on the minimap, take its key from one of the nearby guards, and navigate the vehicle to the designated area. It’s a risky venture, but the rewards will set you up for success later in the match.

New Public Event: Data Heist (In-Season)

In Ashika Island’s new Data Heist Public Event, a trio of uplink stations activate around the map during the second circle collapse. Approach a station to hack it for rewards. Prepare to defend your position against Shadow Company forces; eliminating them will speed up the hacking process. A successful hack rewards XP, Cash, and a random piece of Tactical Equipment.

Hacking a second and third uplink station will result in greater rewards, including Killstreaks. Operators can disrupt the hacking process as well by usingthe DDoS Field Upgrade and by directly contesting the area around the uplink station.

Get Around Fast with Redeploy Drones (In-Season)

Reposition quickly by using the new Redeploy Drones set for deployment during Season 02. Interact with a drone to hook up a cable and launch toward a distant location. Operators can reposition around the cable in preparation for launch, offering flexibility in where you land.

 Some drones will reposition to a safe area when encircled in the gas. Note that the drones’ high-tech build makes them vulnerable to lock-on missiles; a well-timed shot may eliminate an enemy Operator attempting to escape the area.

New Combatant: Rusher (In-Season)

Prepare to encounter a new class of AI combatant: the Rusher. Lightly armored and highly mobile, the Rusher combines a short sword and pistol paired with smoke grenades for distraction. Their low armor makes them vulnerable, so don’t let them get in close. Rushers will appear in Resurgence Battle Royale under certain conditions, such as during a Data Heist.

General Changes

Faster Looting, Streamlined Backpack

The inventory system is shifting away from menus and back to floating loot that will drop out of containers as it does from Supply Boxes. This reduces the time spent navigating the UI, so you can move on from collecting resources more quickly.

To better define each Operator’s role within the match, Medium and Large Backpacks will no longer be found in the environment. The limited space reduces the impact of stacking medical supplies, Equipment, and Killstreaks so that the decisions you make on what to carry remain impactful throughout the match.

Customizable Perks, Get Your Loadouts Faster

Season 02 introduces customizable Perk Packages. At first, a limited supply of Perks will be available to ensure proper balance and viability. Try different combinations of Perks to see which ones work best in different situations.

There are also some upcoming changes to how players obtain their Loadouts in the match. Primary Weapons can be purchased at Buy Stations at a more affordable price, and the cost of Loadout Drop Markers has also been reduced. Furthermore, a second Loadout Drop Public Event will activate in the match, taking place in the first and fifth circles.

Deploy in a 3-Plate Vest

All players will now begin their Battle Royale matches with a 3-Plate Vest. Varying vest sizes will no longer be part of the loot pool, so you can focus purely on looting Armor Plates to keep your vest topped off between fights.

Players will additionally gain a slight movement speed increase while inserting Armor Plates, which means you can sprint through doors while plating. These changes help get you to safety more quickly.

Buy Station Adjustments

Spawn locations for Buy Stations are being adjusted in Season 02, and these spawns will be consistent from match to match. Furthermore, all Buy Stations will have an unlimited stock of Loadout Drop Markers.

Stronghold Reward Tuning

Season 02 brings changes to the rewards Operators will earn upon completing Strongholds or Black Sites, as well as adjustment to AI combatant damage.

DMZ OVERVIEW

-       Ashika Island Comes to DMZ. Infiltrate Ashika Island and complete all new Faction Missions.

-       Balance Changes to Enemies, Spawn Points, Missions. Embark on new Faction Missions that explore all three DMZ Exclusion Zones. Balance changes to AI Combatants, spawn points, and Faction Missions offer a more streamlined match experience.

-       A New Faction for Modern Warfare® II Players. Players who have purchased Modern Warfare II will have access to an exclusive DMZ Faction called Crown[SC1] .

New Exclusion Zone: Ashika Island

Infiltrate Ashika Island, the third Exclusion Zone to be added to DMZ after Al Mazrah and Building 21. Unlike Building 21, which requires that you first acquire a keycard, Ashika Island can be chosen as your DMZ destination at any time.

Infiltrating Ashika Island will be crucial to faction progress, with multiple missions across all factions involving Operators who must perform tasks on the island. However, you can also complete more generic missions that do not require deployment to a specific region on the island. If you find more success in eliminating enemies and gathering items on here compared to other exclusion zones, then feel free to drop back in here and use the new space to your advantage.

Each player additionally begins the season with a fresh slate. Though you’ll retain any permanent items you unlocked in the previous season, all earned Contraband and Keys will be reset from the inventory. Season 01 Faction Missions will be reset to make room for the new Season 02 Faction Missions, tasking players with assignments across all three Exclusion Zones.

For more information about this reset, read Infinity Ward’s DMZ blog here.

DMZ Tuning

Enemy Tuning: AI Combatants will receive some balance adjustments in the new season that alter the number and types of AI you’ll encounter, and there will be changes to their ranged accuracy and other abilities. This should help prevent players from becoming overwhelmed while still providing a challenge.

Spawn Points: Changes to the starting spawns around Al Mazrah should improve the opening minutes of the round, ensuring your squad never spawns too far from loot and contract opportunities.

Faction Mission Reset and Tuning: Season 02 introduces all-new Faction Missions, as well as some tuning to their requirements. While later missions will still be challenging, the tasks won’t be quite as demanding as in the first season, making each player’s journey to unlock the second Insured Weapon Slot more manageable.

Modern Warfare II Exclusive DMZ Faction    

Owners of Modern Warfare II will gain access to missions from an exclusive new DMZ faction: Crown.

In addition to learning about this new faction’s place in the overall DMZ story, completing their missions allows you to earn new rewards like XXX.

GENERAL OVERVIEW (ALL MODES)

-       Path of the Ronin. Complete seven challenges along the Path of the Ronin event to earn exclusive Season 02 rewards.

-       UI/UX Updates. Expect improvements to the user interface and experience, and other general tuning and balance changes to improve the Warzone 2.0 experience.

Al Mazrah POI Updates

The main Warzone 2.0 map will have a few updates as part of Season 02…

Intel from Al Mazrah indicate that a downed aircraft has been spotted north of Sa’id City, while enemy reinforcements have gone underground, resulting in a subterranean cave network between multiple points of interest in the North. Also, we are confirming reports of a train being recommissioned, and ready for passengers, on the main railroad line in the region.

Downed Plane at Sattiq Cave

Veterans of the Call of Duty franchise may have felt the outdoor space within the Sattiq Cave region looked familiar before Season 02, and the upcoming change to this point of interest all but confirms those suspicions.

For those who do not know the tactical strategies needed, the new downed plane offers a great amount of cover in between the large cave openings, houses, and bunkers. Use it to cut-off sightlines from snipers around the area, or as a place to reload before reengaging.

New Underground Cave Network

Whether you played Battle Royale or DMZ during this past season, you may have noticed the space between Rohan Oil and Taraq Village was only populated by military camps, hills, and small homes. With the Season 02 update, a new network of caves will be open, giving Operators an additional option for getting around this part of the map by foot.

The network has five distinct entrances; some are straight drop-downs, such as one tucked within a garage, while others are cave openings. Be mindful of equipment and Killstreak traps around these entry and exit points, or set some up of your own to prevent a trailing squad from following your path.

All of this new space also means there is a chance for Supply Boxes and other loot to spawn within this network. When travelling through the nearby major point of interests, consider taking a detour through here if that loadout or backpack is looking light.

New Passenger Train

The freight train is no longer the only locomotive rolling along Al Mazrah’s major rail network.

The passenger train will offer yet another quicker way of travelling around the map and stocking up on items, including through Legendary Supply Boxes that could be found within its sleeper, bar, and normal passenger cars. Unlike the freight train, all cars on this locomotive are covered with only a few allowing for access via open skylights on the roof.

Travelling through the cars on this train is also different compared to doing so on the freight train, as it involves opening the doors in between each one. Take the extra second to “peek” by slowly opening the doors if you want to stealthily engage Operators in the other cars, or barge straight through while plating up for an aggressive start to the ensuing fight.

Walk the Path of the Ronin

The Path of the Ronin Season 02 event launches with three challenges that can be completed in Modern Warfare II Multiplayer or Warzone 2.0.

The first three challenges include:

Integrity

Multiplayer: Win 15 matches in any Multiplayer game mode.

Warzone 2.0: Get five Top 10 finishes.

Advice: Get a great squad going — either with existing friends or by using the new social features — to tally up those wins in no time.

Honor

Multiplayer: Get 100 objective defense kills.

Warzone 2.0: Collect your dog tag (Restore Honor) 5 times.

Advice: For Multiplayer Operators, Hardpoint can be a great game mode to sit on the point and eliminate enemies. As for Restoring Honor, it only needs to be done five times; do it only when you are certain enemies are not nearby and ready to pounce.

 Sincerity

Multiplayer: Get 50 kills using Battle Rage.

Warzone 2.0: Complete five Assassination Contracts.

Advice: Close-quarters weapons, such as SMGs and Shotguns, are natural fits for Battle Rage. For Assassination Contracts, try playing in squad-based game modes; if anyone on the squad earns the elimination, it counts toward this challenge’s progress.

Expect more challenges to activate throughout the season, each gifting unique rewards upon completion, whether you perform the assigned Multiplayer or Battle Royale task. Complete all seven in either Warzone 2.0 or Modern Warfare II to unlock the Crossbow!

UI/UX Updates, More in Patch Notes

A number of UI/UX updates will launch with Season 02, improving the overall flow of in-game menus. These changes include improved navigation and organization of the Camo menu, a more polished Social tab, quick equip items from the Battle Pass and Store Bundles, and more.

Keep an eye out for the Season 02 patch notes, which will go into more detail on general changes, including crash and stability improvements, audio adjustments, weapon balance, and more.

Upgrade to Modern Warfare II, Get Rewarded in Warzone 2.0

Purchase Modern Warfare II to get access to content across three modes, as well as the ability to unlock 14 exclusive Operators across both games and other ways to quickly level up the available 30 Weapon Platforms and over 50 Weapons through Multiplayer and Special Ops.

Modern Warfare II owners also get access to the new DMZ faction, Crown, as well as Premium XP while playing Warzone 2.0 — at the end of each match, owners will receive additional XP on top of any earned match XP.

Stay frosty.

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