Summary
The near future of theCall of Dutyfranchise just became a lot clearer thanks to August 28’sCall of DutyNext event, which gave more insight into the next iteration ofWarzone, as well asBlack Ops 6’s Zombies and core multiplayer. Thanks to the event, fans were able to see some firsthand gameplay ofWarzonein theBlack Ops 6era, with a lot of details also releasing around what maps will be present in the battle royale’s future.
It seemed obvious thatCall of Duty: Warzonewould receive a new map to match the themes and setting ofBlack Ops 6, and this was confirmed with the official reveal of the game’s Area 99 map. To the surprise of some fans, however, it was also confirmed that the originalWarzonemap, Verdansk, will also eventually be returning to the title alongside Area 99. The smaller size and varied POIs of Area 99 are very reminiscent ofCoD’s original Blackout battle royale mode, while Verdansk offers the perfect callback to the more modernWarzoneexperience, hopefully leaving fans of all preferences satisfied in theBlack Ops 6era.
Call of Duty: Warzone’s New Maps Are Hoping to Capture the Best of Both Worlds
It is clear that Area 99 is the bold statement that Treyarch and Raven Software are hoping to stamp onWarzonefor theBlack Ops 6era, with the map being a love-letter to some of the most iconic past experiences in theBlack Opsfranchise.The map is essentially entirely based around Nuketown, arguably the map that is most synonymous withBlack Opsmultiplayer, expanding on the historic area to show off its surrounding shipping and testing facilities.
Area 99 is set to be a smaller map than usual large-scaleWarzoneexperiences, beingdesigned for the battle royale’s Resurgence mode, which allows players to respawn as long as someone in their squad is still alive. Keen fans ofBlack Ops 4’s Blackout mode will recognize the similarities between Area 99 and Nuketown Island, one of the most prominent POI’s from Blackout. Despite its smaller size, Area 99 seems to emulate a flow and composition that is quite comparable to Blackout, as its underground area is reminiscent of Nuketown Island’s bunker, while the inclusion of POIs like the Pods serve as callbacks to beloved maps like Blackout did. Clearly, Treyarch wants to pay homage to howBlack Opsoriginally introducedCoDto the battle royale genre, and Area 99 seems like a good way to do that.
The Return of Verdansk Has Been a Long Time Coming
In terms of standardWarzonegameplay,Black Ops 6’s era of the BR will kick things off with the pre-existing Urzikstan map, but players will not have to wait long for a familiar location to make a return. It was recently announced thatVerdansk will soon be returning toWarzone, with Spring 2025 being the current release window for the map. Of course, Verdansk is the map that started it all forWarzone, thrusting the title to the forefront of the saturated battle royale genre and already being the source of intense nostalgia for many fans.
Huge parts of theWarzonecommunity have been wanting areturn to Verdansk ever since its replacement by the Caldera map in 2021. While Verdansk did re-appear in an altered state forCold War’s ‘84 variant, as well as appearing inWarzone Mobile, fans still wanted a faithful full-scale return, and this will finally happen next year. Verdansk is set to return with all of its original POIs, allowing players to re-experience the map with the added twist ofBlack Ops 6’s new weapons and equipment.
This sets up theBlack Ops 6era ofWarzonevery well in terms of appealing to a huge number of fans, giving players a great level of variety in terms of the pacing and feel of theirWarzoneexperience.While Area 99 is not a complete return toBlackoutlike some fans might have been hoping for, its composition and locations are a fair match, while fans ofCall of Duty’s more recent BR history are being given the chance to return to what is arguablyWarzone’s most successful map ever.
