I played MW19 Verdansk ahead of its return to Warzone, and I have a concern

Verdansk is just around the corner, and fans of Warzone are undoubtedly excited for its return. As we near the re-release of the iconic map, I decided to take a trip down memory lane and check if it was as good as I remembered. Unfortunately, since OG Warzone no longer exists, I had to take a different route to set foot on the map.

If you have read our guide on how to play OG Verdansk right now, it should be clear how I got back on the map. It was quite simple. I had to install MW19 and set up a co-op session (Spec Ops) with my buddies.

Sure, it wasn't PvP nor was it battle royale, but I got to experience the original map along with the original weapons, visuals, numerous POIs, and most importantly the movement system.

As someone who has been playing Black Ops 6 a lot lately, I grew accustomed to Omnimovement, and going back to the mechanics of MW19 felt quite different and this is where I have my concern.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

How would Omnimovement fit into Verdansk in Warzone?

While playing Verdansk in MW19, I realized how much Warzone has changed in the past couple of years. This is especially true for me when it comes to movement mechanics.

Taking a look back at OG Verdansk before its return in Warzone (Image via Activision)

Sure, the title has changed in several ways, but what immediately caught my attention was the movement. Both games are vastly different when it comes to gameplay. Modern Warfare 2019 was much more grounded, and the place where fans discovered a bug in the movement system, which was later introduced as a feature and yes, I am talking about slide cancel.

So, coming back to Verdansk, the game felt smooth. Movement is quite difficult to explain as it is something that must be experienced. Sure, it doesn't have the feature set that Omnimovement from Black Ops 6 brings to the table but it did not feel like I was missing out on anything. Instead, the gameplay felt better on my mouse and keyboard setup.

Also read — Verdansk key art in Warzone revealed, and it is a callback to the OG one

While I was trying to survive these enemies, I wondered if Omnimovement would have helped me survive these rounds without much effort. Then I realized, yes, it would, and could alter completely how Verdansk was played back in the day.

So here's where my hot takes begin. I believe Omnimovement could be game-changing for Verdansk, but I can't say for sure if it will do that in a bad or a good way. Let me explain.

Back in the day, combat was much more grounded. Movement, while more fluid, was quite limited. If you have played OG Verdansk for hours on end, you would realize that after a point, it's not about who can aim better but who can outsmart you on the battlefield.

The game becomes predictable, and it is all about reading your opponent's next move. This allowed you to gain the upper hand in combat.

Omnimovement was introduced with Black Ops 6 (Image via Activision)

But things are about to change. With the introduction of Omnimovement, the map will see more spontaneity integrated into it. Players might pop off from any angle and take you out. If you were expecting someone to run into your room with slide cancel and aiming to counter that, you might just get caught off-guard, leading to your demise in-game.

The overall pace of gameplay will undoubtedly see a massive increase. You will barely have time to catch a breath, especially when playing against those who are in or higher than your skill group.

But that's not all. We will also see a drastic change in the type of loadouts that the players will use. Weapon classes such as Assault Rifles will see a lower pick rate, and SMGs will dominate the meta. Slow, heavy-hitting firearms won't be the go-to pick for many.

And finally, I believe the reliance on vehicles for traversal will decrease. Now, many will argue that couldn't be further from the truth. The map is huge and vehicles will be mandatory for safe traversal. Sure vehicles will be useful but I don't believe they will have a major role moving forward.

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I say that because not only do we now have Omnimovement to take advantage when moving between cover with ease, but also that the new version of the map will introduce more areas for players to take cover in. This will enable players to utilize Omnimovement in places where the game didn't allow earlier.

So, based on my observation, I think if you are coming from the original version of the map and are expecting the same experience, you could be disappointed. The map as you know it could change for the better or worse, depending on how fans decide to take advantage of the new mechanics on the classic map.

But if you're new to the title and want to see what the hype around Verdansk is all about, you won't notice these changes. I can't wait for you to drop into Verdansk, one of the best battle royale maps ever created in Warzone's history.

Verdansk returns to Warzone on April 3, 2025, along with the Season 3 update.

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Edited by Sijo Samuel Paul