Fact check: Will Warzone 2 be free-to-play?

Warzone 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the franchise's popular battle royale experience, is slated for a grand release on November 16, as announced during the Call of Duty Next event in September. As per Activision's announcement, the upcoming game will be fully integrated with Call of Duty Modern Warfare II's universe, which hosts brand new innovations in multiplayer gameplay.

Warzone, Call of Duty's first stand-alone battle royale title, was released back in 2020 and has been free-to-play since launch with regular content updates. With Warzone 2's launch date rapidly approaching, fans may find themselves wondering whether the sequel will retain the original game's free-to-play model.

---

Will Call of Duty Warzone 2 remain free-to-play like its prequel?

Fans will be pleased to know that the sequel to 2019's Warzone will be free to download and play on different platforms such as PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, just like its predecessor. Activision will include micro-transactions in the form of seasonal battle passes and stand-alone cosmetics to support the game's development and continuation.

Activision's upcoming IP will arrive with brand new weaponry, new modes, maps, and interesting features. It will also be in complete sync with Call of Duty Modern Warfare II's universe, which was released late last month.

While the original Warzone will remain active, players will not be able to shift the content they own within the iconic game to its sequel. One will have to build their inventory and progress from the ground up in Warzone 2.0.

---

Call of Duty Warzone 2.0: Every new feature we know so far

As per the first official intel release, Warzone 2.0 will launch with a brand new map called Al Mazrah, which is expected to be very large in size and presents diverse geographical features connected by air, land, and water. The massive metropolitan area is marked with multiple man-made and natural structures, including coastal areas, deserts, rocky peaks, industrial areas, rivers, and more.

Alongside real-life players, Al Mazrah will also be inhabited by AI combatants. Defeating them will result in the dropping of impressive loot and exclusive items. One can also choose to avoid fighting such combatants as they will not seek out players who choose to ignore them and focus on the victory. However, defeating them will give players a chance to obtain an exclusive item, allowing them to unlock one of the customized Gunsmith weapons for free.

Warzone's sequel will allow players to traverse Al Mazrah through the usual land and air routes. Interestingly, the map will also encourage fans to travel through its aquatic features. Players will now be able to swim across water bodies or use vehicles like the RHIB or Armored Patrol Boat to travel faster.

This new era of Call of Duty has finally allowed the developers to expand into the territory of water-based movement and combat, something that was missing in the franchise up until Modern Warfare II.

Warzone 2.0 will also feature a brand new Gulag experience where players can team up and fight against enemies to escape the prison. In addition, the game will host the long-rumored DMZ mode, which is based on Escape From Tarkov's brutal extraction mode.