Four new operators are coming to Call of Duty, and the choice is definitely going to surprise you. 

Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, and Snoop Dog are the first three operators joining the Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 roster. The new free content drop will be available between August 7 and 16, after Season 5 goes live on August 2. 

"The first three days will grant a War Track from the ’80s (Foundation), ’90s (Golden Era), or 2000s (Life After Y2K)", a Call of Duty blog post said. "On the fourth day of logging in, you will receive a special Weapon Blueprint that can be used in any online mode."

While we've seen Snoop Dog once before, back in 2014, Nicki Minaj is making history as "come Season 05, she will be Call of Duty’s first-ever self-named female Operator." There's also 21 Savage dropping in mid-season as part of the Reloaded offerings. Unfortunately, as it stands, that's all we know about the third operator joining us next season. 

While this crossover may be seen as out of left field by some, strangely enough, it isn't the weirdest thing we've seen of Call of Duty as of late. As part of Season 4 Reloaded, which launched July 12 Sgt. Pspsps is joining the mix. 

For 2,400 COD points, Whisker Tango gives you two new operators, Sgt. Pspsps and Sgt. Sprinkles. This bundle also includes two new weapon blueprints, the "Cat Scratch" Assault Rifle used for mid-range play and the "Pouncer" SMG for close-up fights. There's also a new vehicle skin, a fishbone weapon charm, a vinyl, five stickers, and an emblem. 

Unfortunately, many fans haven't taken to these new operators with the same enthusiasm as they have Nicki and Snoop. Reddit user ArcadiousXvX commented, "I can't believe this is what COD has become". With many more reminiscing about the days when Call of Duty prioritized realism over cash grabs. 

The Whisker Tango group may give you an extra life when it comes to Warzone, but you should still check out these best tips before you pounce into play. 

In a surprise announcement, The Boys are coming to Call of Duty: Warzone 2, although it's only Homelander, Black Noir, and Starlight making an appearance this time.

The three members of the infamous superhero group The Seven are joining Call of Duty: Warzone 2's Season 4 as operators, and they're bringing tons of fantastic perks with them. Players will now be able to pick up cases of Temp V scattered around the battlefield. These will give players various temporary powers. 

You'll be able to use super jump, electric shockwave, and laser vision to 'fight like a hero' and destroy your opponents in good old-fashioned The Boys style. Once you use Temp V, you can activate it on command. However, if you die before activating it, then it's lost upon death, like a normal Field Upgrade.

Temp V is available in all Warzone playlists. However, it will be much rarer in DMZ compared to Battlefield, and it will not be accessible in ranked play. Traditional Field Upgrades, such as Munitions Box or Dead Silence, will also stop Temp V from taking effect once a player picks them up. 

"Task Force 141 members are in captivity. Vondel is a complete Warzone™", according to an official blog post. "[[REDACTED]] is moving quick on their master plan to shake the foundation of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II . . . and The Boys are here too". 

The three supes and now part-time operators are set to save Vondel, Al Mazrah whether we want them to or not. "Vought International’s proprietary blend that is near-perfect for anyone wanting to be a Supe". 

Homelander Operator features:

• "Laser Everyone" Finishing Move
• Weapon Decal, Emblem, Loading Screen, and Weapon Charm
• "Bravado" Assault Rifle
• Pro-Tuned "Superiority Complex" SMG
• Pro-Tuned "Vought Issue" Assault Rifle

Starlight Operator features:

• "Necessary Evil" Finishing Move
• Weapon Charm, Loading Screen, Weapon Sticker, and Emblem
• "Blinding Light" Sidearm 
• "Des Moines Defender" Assault Rifle
• Pro-Tuned "World Saver" SMG

Black Noir Operator features

• "Shhh" Finishing Move
• Weapon Charm, Loading Screen, Weapon Sticker, and Emblem
• "Noir's Blades" Melee Weapon
• "Unspoken Word" Sniper Rifle
• "Quiet Rage" Assault Rifle

The content update launched on July 12 across all platforms, including Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC.

Prime Day may be over but check out what deals are still kicking in case you want to secure last-minute Prime Day gaming deals or Prime Day video game deals. 

When it comes to buying the best gaming TV, you’re looking for the same qualities that the best 4K TV for watching movies or best TVs for streaming would offer. You want a TV that is going to offer bright, vibrant picture quality, which also offers great contrast and convincing black levels.

The best gaming TVs do have console-specific features that make them ideally suited to PS5 and Xbox Series X owners, though. With the breakthrough of 120 fps console games, the most serious gamers need an HDM1 2.1 TV to make the most out of their next-gen systems. 

But it’s not only this advanced connection standard that makes a difference for gamers. If you’re really serious about gaming and want the best TV to pair with a new console, you need to be on the lookout for features like VRR and ALLM.

Below, we’ll talk you through these confusing acronyms to help you pick out the best gaming TV in 2023, while also explaining why less talked about factors – like good screen uniformity – can have a major impact on your enjoyment of the best PS5 games and best Xbox Series X games. 

1. HDMI 2.1 connections  

Let’s start with the big one. If you’re going to get the most out of your PS5 or Xbox Series X, you need a TV that supports a 4K input signal at 120Hz. That means you need a TV that supports HDMI 2.1. Thankfully, this is pretty much the default standard with most mid-range TVs in 2023.

The evolution of games that support 120Hz this generation really is surprising when you consider most titles on PS4 and Xbox One struggled to hit 60 fps at 1080p. It’s a hugely welcome development. Thanks to techniques like checkerboard rendering and dynamic resolution, triple-A games like Call of Duty: Warzone 2 and God of War: Ragnarok can run at resolutions upwards of 1440p and still comfortably hit a 90-120 fps range. 

Playing games at 120Hz feels brilliantly buttery, and gaming at such a speedy refresh rate can make all the difference to reaction times in demanding platformers, like Ori and the Will of the Wisps. To ensure you’re squeezing every last frame out of the best next-gen console games in 2023, an HDMI 2.1 compatible TV is essential.

2. Low input lag 

Most modern TVs hand in decently low input lag in 2023, but this is still something to be conscious of when buying the best gaming TV for your budget. Unless you’re a competitive eSports fanatic, input lag of under 17ms will suit most gamers. With these sorts of timeframes, you won’t notice the delay between hitting a button on your controller and the corresponding on-screen action.

The best OLED TVs have naturally low input lag baked-in, so if you want the best blacks, excellent contrast, and low latency, it’s the first TV tech we’d recommend. That said, the best Samsung TVs – spanning both the company’s QLED panels and LED screens – historically boast the lowest input lag around. If you can’t quite afford OLED, and want to reduce input latency, Samsung is one of the best brands you can choose when it comes to LED TVs. 

3. VRR support  

The best 120Hz 4K TVs often support VRR. If you’re not down with the acronym, that stands for ‘Variable Refresh Rate’. How does this affect your favourite games? It makes them look smoother, is the simplest answer.

VRR wipes out stutter while also eliminating distracting screen-tearing. It does this by allowing your TV to switch its refresh rate to match the frame rate of your game in real-time. Xbox Series X has supported VRR since launch, and many PS5 games now support this frame rate-smoothing technique after a system-level patch. 

Most high-end LG TVs have sported VRR features for years, whether it be Nvidia G-Sync or AMD FreeSync, and it’s becoming an increasingly common feature in other modern TVs.  

In layman’s terms, VRR means you don’t have to worry about frame rates in your favourite games nearly so much. Playing next-gen games on a TV that supports VRR ensures you won’t notice minor frame dips, giving you the smoothest gameplay experience possible.  

4. A bespoke ‘Game Mode’  

The best gaming TVs have built-in game modes to ensure you have the best PS5 or Xbox Series X experience with the minimal amount of hassle. LG OLED TVs have featured a bespoke game mode that kicks in as soon as it detects a signal from a console for a couple of years now, and this feature simply makes games easier to play. 

When you play a game on the likes of the LG C2 OLED, its game mode automatically turns on VRR and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) when you switch on your PS5 or Xbox Series X. This not only provides smoother gameplay, it stops you from having to switch between different picture presets every time you turn on your console. 

Recent Sony TVs have also been manufactured to be ‘Perfect for PS5’. Play PS5 games on either last year’s Sony A95K QD-OLED, the upcoming A95L QD-OLED, or any other Sony TV with the Perfect for PS5 feature, and an Auto Genre Picture Mode and Auto HDR Tone Mapping will automatically kick in to give you the best possible picture.

5. Good screen uniformity  

This one is pretty specific, and you probably won’t notice it unless you have keen eyes. With that said, good screen uniformity can stop you from becoming distracted when playing certain games. 

Unlike many LED TVs, the best OLED TVs have naturally good screen uniformity out of the box. While you can happily pan the camera across a blue sky in the likes of GTA 5 on Xbox Series X on an OLED and not notice vertical lines or other screen artefacts, that’s not the case with most LED panels. 

That’s because LED/LCD screens are usually blighted by ‘dirty screen effect’. DSE boils down to certain parts of the screen being brighter than others, which results in visible on-screen smudges that are particularly visible in panning shots across uniform colors – like a soccer field when watching sports or, more relevantly, a sky when playing a PS5 or Xbox Series X game. It’s one of these weird things that once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it.

If you’re going to be playing a lot of sports titles or open world games where you will be panning the camera across sprawling environments, buying an OLED TV is the best way to avoid bad screen uniformity. 

There is a counter argument, though. While OLED TVs generally have excellent near-white uniformity, they can struggle with darker scenes. OLED panels can display vertical banding – a defect that manifests as faint vertical lines – in shadowy scenes. 

If you’re a big horror game fan who is desperate to play the Callisto Protocol or the upcoming Resident Evil 4 Remake, this slight defect with OLED is worth considering… if you have really obsessive eyes. 

Activision has delayed the second season of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2. Fans should have been able to access the next season on February 1, but now it looks like we won’t see it until February 15. 

Activision detailed the reason for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2’s short delay in a Twitter post. “Our studio teams have been making several changes based on what we have heard from our player community”, said Activision.  

While another two weeks can feel like a long time to wait, Activision has detailed a bunch of new content coming in Season 2 for Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2. 

Give me loot  

Various new updates and content will come with the second season of Call of Duty’s free-to-play battle royale, Warzone. This includes the return of Resurgence mode along with a smaller map and updates to the Gulag, looting, and loadouts.  

As a fan of Resurgence, this is great news. The mode offered a very fast-paced alternative to Warzone’s traditional battle royale. In Resurgence, so long as one member of your team is still alive, then you can respawn onto the map after a short countdown. Set on a smaller map, too, it means there’s a lot more moment to moment action than in the more sparsely-populated and harder-to-respawn Warzone mode.

Regarding updates for Modern Warfare 2’s second season, Activision has announced the return of ranked play along with new maps, modes, and weapons. This isn’t a lot to go off of right now, but Activision has stated that more information will be available soon. 

White noise  

Since launching last year, a common complaint I’ve seen about Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 has been a lack of content, with too few maps, modes, and weapons to hold interest. So it’s good to see Activision has been listening to the community.

I will, however, be holding judgement on Warzone Season 2 until I can actually play it. I’ve been scorned too many times by developers promising additional content. The jokes on me after Blizzard delivered another half-baked seasonal event despite all my excitement. 

I can’t help but think about the worst-case scenario. What if Activision decides to make the flash bangs brighter than the sun itself, or maybe it’ll throw caution to the wind and let riot shields deflect all bullets from every direction? I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit wary of all of the promised updates. 

I’ll likely play the second season of Warzone and Modern Warfare 2. But I’m going to be cautiously optimistic until I can safely say Activision hasn’t added anything too crazy or done something heartbreaking like remove my favorite map Shipment. 

• Warzone 2 won't replace Warzone – but it's not trying to.

Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 is rolling out some major changes to the battle royale’s circles.

While the original Warzone followed the standard battle royale formula – in which players are penned in to an ever-shrinking area, forcing them to bunch up – Warzone 2.0 is taking a different approach. As revealed during Call of Duty Next, players won’t just be funneled into a single circle, but multiple areas that will eventually merge.

“The circle's been a staple of Battle Royales, it's really hard to move away from it,” said game director Jack O’Hara, “so we talked about ‘What could we do to mix things up?’”

“We've got this new mechanic where the circle can actually split, almost like a cell splits, into two, three or even four circles, and then those circles close down. What it does is segregates teams and you have these micro battles in those circles. At a certain point, those circles merge.”

Directed and deadly

It’s not just a superficial change. While players are initially split between circles, the moment they come together will make for a climactic final battle.

“At a certain point you’re like ‘Ok, we’ve cleared out our circle, we think we’re good’. Then those circles merge, they come back together and you have this very directed fight,” said O’Hara.

“You're gearing up in buildings, thinking ‘Here we go, it's about to get confidence’. As soon as those circles hit, you have that final fight. It’s another twist in the gameplay that we feel is a cool world event that would happen.”

You won’t have to wait long to experience that for yourself. The Warzone 2.0 release date is right around the corner. We’ve already had a good look at the battle royale’s new map, which makes effective use of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s improved aquatic gunplay. 

• WATCH – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer reveal

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 has finally been revealed and it's set to shake things up as promised.

Today's Call of Duty Next delved into Modern Warfare 2, Warzone 2.0, and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile. We were treated to a new trailer for the Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer reveal, and the news that Call of Duty is getting a third-person mode when Modern Warfare 2 launches later this year. And battle royale fans will be particularly psyched about the Warzone 2.0 map reveal.

The map was first leaked back in May with an updated version leaking ahead of the Call of Duty Next livestream. And now we have the official thing right in front of us, with confirmation that it's called Al Mazrah, as we've heard. Take a look:  

Warzone 2.0 map 

The Warzone 2.0 map has been in development since 2020 and is a product of the studio's philosophies and new technologies. Described as an "interesting mix of geography", Al Mazrah is set in the desert but features "a mix of industrial areas, towns, a city and of course water," with lots of "cool elevation." There's caves to explore, subterranean spaces, and it's huge to boot. In fact, it's the largest Call of Duty battle royale map made to date.

It sounds incredibly varied, and even has a water system so you can even swim between some POIs on the map. All of the multiplayer elements present in Modern Warfare will be in Warzone 2.0 thanks to the integration between the two games.

One huge change on the way for Warzone 2.0, aside from the supersized map, is the circles. Instead of one giant circle that shrinks into a smaller and smaller play area, there'll be multiple circles that separate and rejoin, paving the way for plenty of chaos. 

Warzone 2.0 vehicles

Of course, there are vehicles to joyride as well; boats, tanks, helicopters – you name it. All of which have their own physics and handling, which makes for interesting gameplay:

"Some vehicles are heavier, some will slide more, have more traction, or less traction and as you're driving them around and you're encountering them and other squads of playing with them, you can choose to shoot off the tires to kind of impact the handling, you can have them – they react to explosive differently based on their weight.   

"So, if you're in a heavy armoured 4x4 and get hit by an RPG, it's gonna kind of bounce a little bit, but not quite take the hit as a small sedan. You can also choose, with your squad, to be rolling into a POI and somebody jumps out on the roof, somebody leans out the window, and suddenly get yourself, a lot of firepower driving into the POI. 

"Of course, that vehicle needs to survive for quite some time in the map… if you want to keep using it to get from point to point. And vehicles will run out of gas - or at least most of them will - run out of gas and then you can bring them to a gas station to fill them up."

You can also get your tires repaired at gas stations if they get damaged. 

The Warzone 2.0 release date was also announced. It's set to launch on Wednesday, November 16. That's just a couple weeks after Modern Warfare 2's release date of Friday, October 28.

Wednesday is a bit of an odd day for a new game release. But Warzone is a live service games with updates rolling out on – you guessed it – a Wednesday. So we'll probably see a dramatic in-game event to usher it it. Although there's no carry over between Warzone and Warzone 2.0 so it could just be that the devs are keeping the sequel's updates to Wednesday to make everyone's working life a little bit easier.

• PS5 console exclusive Deathloop is coming to Xbox Series X

Much-anticipated battle royale sequel Call of Duty: Warzone 2 finally has a release date and a new name.

Announced during the Call of Duty Next livestream, Warzone 2 is set to release on November 16. That’ll bring it into players’ hands only a couple of weeks after Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launches in October. And of course, we got an official name reveal that confirmed it isn't called Warzone 2 as we anticipated, but Warzone 2.0.

It’ll release alongside its first multiplayer season. Like the original Warzone, each seasonal update for Warzone 2.0 will be shared with the other Call of Duty titles, meaning many of the new features appearing in Modern Warfare 2 will also appear in the battle royale.

Big changes

Warzone 2.0 will make some major changes to the battle royale. For starters, it’ll introduce new map Al Mazrah – a mix of expansive desert, industrial areas, towns, and lots of water. Expect rocky peaks, subterranean caves, as well as claustrophobic corridors.

Some of the map’s points of interest include a fortress, observatory, an abandoned village, marshlands, an airport, and an empty metropolis. Rivers will connect all the major landmarks, with Warzone 2.0 leaning heavily into Call of Duty’s new aquatic features.

Vehicles are also getting spruced up. A new physics and handling model will mean they feel more authentic to drive, but also to destroy. You’ll be able to blow off tires to stall enemies, climb onto car roofs for a combat advantage, and lean out windows for extra firepower. You’ll have to look after them, though. Tires need to be repaired on the fly, and cars refueled if you want them to keep moving.

That’s some big changes, although not as big as the new third-person mode coming to Modern Warfare 2.

• Xbox Game Pass rolls out the ultimate life hack for PC gamers

Activision has confirmed that spin-off Call of Duty battle royale Warzone won’t be retired upon the release of its sequel, as both multiplayer shooters will exist side by side.

Warzone 2 is being pitched as a standalone release rather than a continuation or replacement of Activision’s current free-to-play shooter. According to an official blog post, it will feature a brand new progression system that won’t carry over or change any content from the original Warzone.

“Today’s Warzone will continue as a separate experience that will include a continuation of player progression and inventories within that Warzone experience,” Activision said. “We can’t wait to share more details soon.”

Current Warzone players will still be able to play the game as it stands now, and won’t be forced to jump into the sequel. However, no player-earned content will be carried over to Warzone 2, giving you a fresh start in the upcoming battle royale.

In the same blog post, Activision said the progression reset is needed to deliver a “state-of-the-art experience”. It also billed Warzone 2 as an “extension of the Modern Warfare 2 universe” that will come with “new technology, new features, and new gameplay that work seamlessly together”.

In a final tease, it said we could expect to hear more information on Warzone 2’s new sandbox mode and a “brand-new playspace” closer to launch. 

Divisive decisions

This approach to Warzone will be a cause for celebration among some players, and disappointing for others. Current players will feel let down that their progression will amount to nothing when Warzone 2 launches, and irritated that their content unlocks and stats won’t carry over. 

However, the time and money they’ve spent on the game won’t be made entirely redundant. As Activision continues to keep the battle royale alive, dedicated players who aren’t ready to move over to the sequel can keep shooting their way across Caldera.

It looks like a fine middle ground. Activision has found a way to relaunch Warzone on a clean slate while catering to players who don’t want a fresh start. It’ll likely be hoping that this two-pronged approach will offer fans something new and allay the concerns of Warzone heavyweights who aren’t keen on a change of scenery.

It’s a starkly different approach to the one Activision Blizzard is taking towards Overwatch 2. All the PvP updates made to that sequel will be rolled out to Overwatch 1, with only the PvE story content locked behind Overwatch 2’s walls. Players of the live-service title will be able to jump into Overwatch 2 without sacrificing their progress from the first game. Time will tell which release system proves more popular.

• What are the best battle royale games to play while you wait for Warzone 2?

Call of Duty: Warzone 2, the upcoming sequel to Activision's spin-off battle royale, features a second map similar to Rebirth Island.

That’s according to prolific leaker Tom Henderson, who said a smaller map for Call of Duty: Warzone 2 is currently in development, likely releasing after the game launches. Writing in Exputer, Henderson advised at least one playtester had spotted the secondary map in the Warzone sequel's menu, although it had been made inaccessible to them.

Few specifics about the map are known, but it’s been suggested that it will be a similar size to Warzone’s Rebirth Island. That map, which rolled out in late 2020 during Warzone’s first season, is more compact than Verdansk and Caldera, catering to frenetic close-quarter fighting. It also features a smaller player count to support faster-paced matches.

Two is better than one

That Warzone 2 will feature two maps shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Rebirth Island has been a hit with Call of Duty fans, providing not only a new environment to explore but upping the pace of the whole game. It particularly suited players who enjoy faster battle royale matches that don't drag.

From the limited information provided here, it sounds like Activision is hoping to replicate that success. The double map offering will expand Warzone 2’s appeal and, at the very least, ensure it provides the same features that current Warzone fans enjoy.

We’re still waiting for an official Warzone 2 release date. Earlier this year, Activision told investors the game’s development “is proceeding very well” and planned to officially reveal the sequel sometime later in the year. A report from January, however, suggests that the publisher expects to release Warzone 2 in 2023.

That sounds likely. Warzone launched in March 2020, and a three-year gap between the original and sequel is a strong possibility. We expect to know more about Warzone 2’s release date and potential maps later this year.

• Did you know Battlefield 2042's new Specialist has been leaked?

Warzone 2.0 is finally here, allowing players to drop onto the brand new Al Mazrah map. There have been significant changes to gameplay, including a new Gulag system and tweaks to the circle collapsing mechanics.

Where Warzone prioritized mid-ranged skirmishes, Warzone 2 bolsters diversity and variety in its battles. The map is filled with tense chokepoints, and players are even able to fight in the water now. It's a big change for sure, but one that comes hand in hand with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, as the two games will share a progression system and arsenal.

Now that Activision has lifted the lid on Warzone 2, and since Modern Warfare 2 has launched its Multiplayer and Campaign Modes, there's plenty of details to take a look at. You'll find breakdowns of everything we know about the game so far, right here in this guide. Gameplay, map changes, weapons and vehicles will all be covered. As new info drops, you'll find it here, with this page staying up to date right up to launch. 

Here's what you need to know about Warzone 2.

Warzone 2.0: cut to the chase

• What is it? The follow-up to Call of Duty's popular battle royale
• When can I play it? November 16, 2022
• What can I play it on? PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

Warzone 2.0: release times and platforms

Activision provided a full Warzone 2.0 release date during its Call of Duty Next presentation. Arriving on November 16, 2022, Warzone 2.0 launches for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and PC. Here are the timings: 

East Coast (ET): 1PM

West Coast (PT): 10AM

Australia (ACT): 5AM (November 17)

United Kingdom (GMT): 6PM

Europe (CET): 7PM

Despite previously tweeting that "a new generation" of Call of Duty is coming, this battle royale sequel isn't skipping last-gen consoles. 

Warzone 2's release on PlayStation will come as a relief to many, following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision. While there's been no end of discussion regarding the future of Activision franchises, it looks like this particular series will stay multi-platform for the foreseeable future.

Warzone 2.0: gameplay

Warzone 2.0's core first person shooter gameplay functions similarly to its battle royale predecessor. But thanks to the Call of Duty Next presentation, we've learned a lot more. In terms of gunplay and weapon mechanics, it's sharing its setup with Modern Warfare 2. Shooting, movement and weapon progression will have parity across the two titles.

What this means for Warzone 2 is currently a little bit unclear. Modern Warfare 2 has an extremely low time to kill, but Warzone allows you to equip armour. Movement is generally a lot more bulky, and has weight to it. You can hand from ledges and fire with a sidearm, and even dive to the ground, straight into prone.

One huge change to gameplay is the new Gulag, which pairs you up with another player for a 2v2 gunfight. There's AI enemies around too, and sometimes an AI boss enemy called The Jailer will appear. The biggest change here is that there is loot around the Gulag, which is brought with you if you make it out alive.

Underwater combat has been seriously updated for Warzone 2. It's going to play a part in Modern Warfare 2, and it seems to have been moved into the battle Royale mode as well. You can swim, dive and shoot from the water. Gadgets and equipment all behave differently in the water. For example, the Inflatable Decoy soldier will appear to be swimming when activated in the water.

Strongholds can be found around the map, and serve as AI encamp ents containing rare loot and loadouts. In general there are many more AI enemy encounters on AL Mazrah when compared to the last game.

Finally, there's a new shop system that allows you to make purchases during a match. Here's the new features at a glance:

• Squadmate Buy Back: Just like in Call of Duty: Warzone, you’re able to buy back a teammate after they’ve been taken down either in combat, or failed to return from the all-new Gulag.
• Buy Gear: Just like the function of the original Buy Station, you can purchase equipment such as Gas Masks, Killstreaks, Armor, and more.
• Limited Equipment: Some items are likely to be limited in number, and once purchased, they are gone from the Shop.
• Buy Weapon: Prior to a match, your main preparation is focused on creating a number of custom weapons for your next match in Al Mazrah.
• You purchase these custom weapons from here. Note this takes the place of a full Loadout (your Primary, Secondary, Tactical, and Lethal as well as Perks).
• Custom Weapons are constructed in the Gunsmith, and then bought here. They take up your weapon slots. Tacticals and Lethals are very common ground loot. Perks will not be available in Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 at launch.

Vehicles

Expect plenty of vehicles in Warzone 2, such as boats, tanks, and helicopters. Each feature new physics models, supposedly making them more authentic to both drive and destroy.

"Some vehicles are heavier, some will slide more, have more traction, or less traction and as you're driving them around and you're encountering them and other squads of playing with them, you can choose to shoot off the tires to kind of impact the handling, you can have them – they react to explosive differently based on their weight," we were told during the Call of Duty Next presentation.

Given the more varied landscape of Al Mazrah, with its rivers, hills and motorways, it's likely that vehicles will be a huge part of traversal. Here are the vehicles we know about so far:

• Hatchback car
• Cargo truck
• Rigid inflatable boat
• ATV
• UTV
• Tactical vehicle
• Light tank
• Gunship
• [REDACTED] EV

Warzone 2 map

Alongside the Warzone 2.0 release date, a Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer reveal, and further news on the mobile Warzone spinoff, Activision revealed Warzone 2.0's map. 

Called Al Mazrah, it's the biggest COD battle royale map yet and this first leaked back in May. Referred to as an "interesting mix of geography," mixing the desert with industrial areas, towns, a city, water, and "cool elevation." You'll find plenty of explorable caves and subterranean spaces, letting you swim across points of interest (POI) across the map. 

Activision also outlined a huge change to the battle royale’s circles. Traditionally, we've seen battle royale games like Fortnite and Apex Legends employ one large circle that gradually decreases, ensuring games don't get drawn out. However, Warzone 2.0 opts for a different approach, using multiple circles which separate and eventually rejoin.

Al Mazrah offers up 18 POI locations, which we've detailed below:

• Oasis
• Taraq Village
• Quarry (Al Safwa Quarry)
• Rohan Oil
• Al Mazrah City
• Hydroelectric
• Marshlands (Mawizeh Marshlands)
• Caves (Sattiq Caves)
• Port (Hafid Port)
• Sa’id City
• Observatory (Zaya Observatory0
• Al Sharim Pass
• Cemetery (El Samman Cemetery)
• Ahkdar Village
• Sawah Village
• Sarrif Bay
• Al Bagra Fortress
• Airport (Al Malik Airport)

Warzone 2.0: trailers

Launch trailer
Warzone 2 finally received its launch trailer. And it's set to Freebird, no less. You should check it out below, it's a pretty action-packed.

Reveal trailer and Call of Duty: Next
While we'd known about Warzone 2.0 for some time, we only got our first real look at this during the Call of Duty Next presentation on September 16. Giving us a full Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer reveal too, you can watch this below, and we've also linked the full showcase:

Warzone 2.0: news and rumors

Summer Game Fest provides a small Warzone 2 update
We got some further details at Summer Game Fest 2022, though Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's campaign was the focus. Speaking to Johanna Faries, GM for Call of Duty and Jeff Negus, cinematics lead at Infinity Ward, we got a small update on the planned sequel.

Asked what fans can expect by host Geoff Keighley, Faries called this a "transformational moment for the entire franchise." Continuing on, she explains future games will be created on one shared engine, which includes, as she calls it, Warzone 2.0. 

So, what will that bring? Faries explains "there will be a standalone experience of Warzone for existing players." Asked for further details , Faries replies that Warzone 2.0 will "be an extension of the Modern Warfare 2 universe". Sadly. she doesn't confirm any gameplay specifics, but you can watch this interview in full below:

Lessons learned
In a call with press and content creators in February 2022 (via CharlieIntel), Warzone's developers admitted they "f****d up" with Warzone and called the battle royale's state at the time "embarrassing". 

Activision Game Director Josh Bridge admitted that the team wasn't happy with the state of the game and that it had "learned the upper limits of their technology" when trying to integrate other Call of Duty games into Warzone over the years. 

According to the developers, trying to build Warzone into future Call of Duty titles following its release caused "significant development challenges" and saw the free-to-play game suffer from major issues -- as well as losing its own identity. 

The developers said they are "determined to fix the issues with the game", which is something that was emphasized in the blog post confirming Warzone 2 is in development.

"Naturally, we have exciting plans in the works across the franchise this year, but currently the team’s focus is strictly on the Warzone experience we are all playing today, addressing current frustrations, and tackling several important requests from our community," the post reads.

It sounds like, even with a new generation of Warzone in the cards, players of what could become known as "Warzone Legacy" won't be left behind.

Not an Xbox exclusive
Following the announcement of Microsoft's planned $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard earlier this year, there was uncertainty over what the takeover would mean for the future of the Call of Duty series. The main question: Will future games come to PlayStation? 

Good news for PlayStation players: it's looking like they will for the foreseeable future.

In a blog post announcing the deal, Xbox head Phil Spencer said: "Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward". This ambiguous statement didn't exactly confirm whether current Activision Blizzard franchises, like Call of Duty, will become Xbox exclusives at a later date.

Spencer then tweeted that he had "good calls" with leaders at Sony and had confirmed Microsoft's "intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard" as well as the company's "desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation". "Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship," Spencer wrote.

This didn't exactly instill confidence among Call of Duty PlayStation players; many worried about what these "existing agreements" are. After all, Spencer didn't explicitly say future Call of Duty games will be on PlayStation. 

In a report by Bloomberg, four anonymous insiders, who claim to have knowledge of the deal, told the outlet that the next three Call of Duty games are slated to release for PlayStation as well as Xbox consoles. The sources told Bloomberg that Activision had already committed to these releases before the acquisition and so Microsoft intends to honor it. 

These three games are apparently the now-confirmed Modern Warfare 2 reboot (aka Call of Duty 2022), another Call of Duty game from Black Ops Cold War developer Treyarch (potentially delayed to 2024) and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.

Clearing things up even more, though, is a blog post published by Microsoft in February 2022 that offers more clarification and addresses Call of Duty specifically. That post says it will stay on PlayStation even beyond these existing agreements. 

The post states that, “to be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision." Further to that, Microsoft "have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love.”

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Call of Duty: Warzone 2 will be released as a standalone sequel next year on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5, despite Microsoft’s planned acquisition of series publisher Activision Blizzard.

That’s according to a recent report from Bloomberg, which claims that at least the next three games in the Call of Duty franchise will be distributed on PlayStation platforms. Those games are expected to be Modern Warfare 2, due to release later this year, another game from Black Ops Cold War developer Treyarch, which is planned for 2023, and Warzone 2.

Following the announcement of Microsoft’s agreed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, many suspected that Microsoft would quickly make future Call of Duty titles exclusive to its Xbox consoles. 

Xbox boss Phill Spencer addressed the issue, suggesting that upcoming titles would still release on PlayStation to abide by “existing agreements” made between Activision Blizzard and Sony.

Beyond these next three Call of Duty releases, however, the future of the series is unclear. 

Sony’s contractual agreements with Activision Blizzard will reportedly wrap up by the time the acquisition is finalized by the middle of next year. If Microsoft chooses to deprive Sony of future Call of Duty games, Warzone 2 could be the final game of the series to release on PlayStation.

Analysis: multiplatform for now, but it won’t last

Both Sony and Microsoft made clear last week that the next few Call of Duty games won’t be Xbox exclusives. In its first public response to the acquisition deal, Sony said it “expect[s] that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform,” while Spencer said he didn’t want to “pull communities away” from PlayStation.

That means PlayStation fans can rest easy for now, but the future may not be so bright. Once those contractual agreements have run their course, it would be prudent to expect future Call of Duty titles to move to Xbox, and only Xbox. Microsoft will be keen to deprive Sony of one of gaming’s best-selling franchises, so it can claim all Call of Duty sales revenue for itself and place its platform above Sony’s.

That exclusivity could be rolled out partially over time. Call of Duty games may release on both platforms, with specific content – such as DLC, game modes, and maps – reserved for Xbox, similar to the exclusive content that PlayStation has enjoyed for the past several years. Or, Microsoft may be willing to take the immediate sales hit and make every ounce of Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox all at once, much like it’s doing for Starfield.

As for Warzone 2, there are no details on what the game will look like, but we can be pretty certain of a few features. First of all, it would be more than a little surprising if it wasn’t free to play. Warzone launched in the free-to-play model, which has quickly become the standard for the genre. Even PUBG Battlegrounds recently went free-to-play, and saw tremendous growth in its player base because of it. 

Other than that, the fact that the game is described as a standalone sequel suggests it will bear little content connection to its predecessor, so don’t expect to carry over any of your skins or unlocks to this next game.

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