What's new in Warzone 2? Aquatic combat, new Gulag, AI combatants, and more explained

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is just around the corner. The successor to the popular battle royale game Warzone will arrive with a host of upgrades and changes. It is expected to be an obvious upgrade over the 2020 release and will expand on everything that made the first game popular, along with offering a plethora of new features.

Warzone launched on March 10, 2020, and was an instant hit in the battle royale genre. It combined various types of terrain, from open fields to clustered buildings, with fast-paced FPS gameplay. The formula worked, and the title quickly accumulated a large playerbase. Warzone 2 aims to carry this legacy forward in a grand and innovative manner. This article will take a closer look at all the changes that are coming to Warzone 2.

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Everything new coming to Warzone 2

Warzone 2 will be played on a large map called Al Mazrah, parts of which are accessible through the Ground War modes in Modern Warfare 2. The new location will allow all the latest game mechanics and systems to shine.

The community got a glimpse of the content in WZ2 during the Call of Duty: Next event, where 150 popular streamers were given the opportunity to try the offering before its final release. Here's everything that will be available in Warzone 2 upon launch:

Advanced AI combatants

Modern Warfare 2's advanced-AI enemies will spawn across different locations in Al Mazrah. These areas, called Strongholds, will contain high-tier loot and items that will enable players to buy custom loadouts from the game's new Shop.

These AI combatants will vary in their lethality levels, and players have the option not to engage with them at all. However, it is essential to note here that Al Mazrah won't just contain real players, and users might encounter these bots. They won't actively pursue players, but because of the advancements in this department, they should not be underestimated and will behave like real soldiers.

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Reinvented Gulag

New Gulag system (Image via Activision)

The Gulag system is also getting major changes. Unlike the previous Gulag in Warzone, the upcoming game will see players dropped inside a prison, where they have to pick up loot off the ground and engage in 2v2 combat.

Alternatively, gamers can avoid the 2v2 fights and look for the Jailer. If he is eliminated, they can get access to the key and escape the prison.

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Collapsing circles and safe zone changes

Circle Collapse (Image via Activision)

In Warzone 2, instead of gas, there will be a storm pushing players into the safe zone; multiple safe zones will be spread throughout the map. These circles are going to shrink and eventually converge into a single safe zone, bringing all the players to one area for an epic showdown.

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Aquatic combat and advanced movement mechanism

Aquatic combat (Image via Activision)

Warzone 2 features aquatic combat and advanced movement mechanisms. Gunfights in Al Mazrah can take place in the air, water, and on land. Users will get to utilize the numerous water bodies spread across the map to flank their enemies.

Moreover, with the introduction of boats, gamers can decide to engage in combat while navigating streams and water-logged areas. Swimming and advanced movement mechanisms like ledge-hanging will allow players to approach a situation as they deem fit.

All these inclusions will add to the variety of Al Mazrah's offered content, ensuring there are no dull moments throughout the game. However, popular movement techniques such as slide-canceling won't be a feature in the upcoming battle royale game.

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Vehicle combat system and unique vehicles

New vehicle combat system (Image via Activision)

Players in Warzone 2 will be able to jump or climb onto moving vehicles, shoot out of their windows, and damage their doors and tires. Boats, helicopters, etc., will gradually run out of fuel. Thankfully, gas canisters and stations will be available at different locations on the map, through which users can refuel their vehicles. Moreover, players can also re-inflate their tires.

All the new vehicles that will be available in Al Mazrah are the Tactical Vehicle, UTV, Light Tank, Heavy Chopper, and Rigid Inflatable Boat.

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Removal of loadouts and perks

Loadout drops will not be included in Warzone 2. As a result, custom loadouts cannot be equipped simply by going to a Loadout drop and picking it up. Also, perks will not be available at launch. That said, gamers will be able to purchase customized weapons from Shop in the game.

While previous rumors suggested that perks and loadout drops would be back in Warzone 2, there is no official word or confirmation on this from the developers.

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A new Shop

Replacing Buy stations are Shops. Here, players will be able to buy back their squad members’ gear, such as armor, gas masks, different types of equipment, and weapons. However, these are custom weapons made through the Gunsmith system and won't come with perks.

The equipment will be limited in number, and once purchased, it will be gone from the Shop.

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This is all the new content coming to Warzone 2. The game officially launches on November 16, along with DMZ mode for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5.