What’s new in Warzone 2? All major differences between Warzone and Warzone 2

After months of rumors, leaks, and speculation, Call of Duty: Warzone 2 was finally revealed to the world at Call of Duty: Next on Sept. 15.

While the original focus was on Modern Warfare 2 and its multiplayer component, Warzone 2 goes hand-in-hand with the new entry to the franchise and also got a blowout of information and even some live gameplay from the 200 content creators in attendance.

This is not just an expansion or update for the original Warzone game from 2020. Warzone 2 is a new experience built from the ground up on the same engine as MW2, and there are a ton of differences between the new game and the original title.

Here are all of the major differences between the Warzone games.

Loadouts are different

The biggest and likely most jarring change is that full-fledged Loadout purchases are different in Warzone 2. Now, players can head to “The Shop” to buy custom-created weapons and other limited items.

Functionally, “The Shop” serves the same purpose as Buy Stations in Warzone. But in Warzone 2, the stock on offer is way different—but with some returning items that players will be very familiar with.

You can still buy back teammates, and you can also buy equipment like gas masks, killstreaks, armor, and more. But actual Loadouts are no more. This time, you can only buy custom weapons created before the match.

Here’s how you can earn a Loadout in Warzone 2, according to Activision:

• “Shops – Players can use in-match Cash at the Shops (new name for the Buy Station) to purchase their Primary Weapon from their created Loadouts.
• Loadout Drop Public Event – Loadout Drops will drop into Al Mazrah in the middle of Battle Royale matches. However, these are not limited or assigned to individual squads, but instead can be accessed by any players.
• Strongholds and Black Sites – Players can also earn their Loadout in the early game as a reward for clearing a Stronghold or a Black Site.”

Tacticals, lethals, and perks are not available at Buy Stations. Tacticals and lethals can be found as “very common” ground loot, but perks will not be available in Warzone 2 at launch.

Looting changes

Warzone 2 features a new backpack system. In battle royale, supply boxes will pop out items that players can pick up. But when you interact with any other loot container, like a duffel bag or medical case, they will function within their own loot menu.

“When a player dies, they will drop their Primary Weapon on the ground and their Backpack, which contains the rest of their content, and is accessed through a loot menu,” Activision said.

Swimming, new vehicles, and boats

Al Mazrah features several rivers and water-logged areas to explore. With Warzone 2 and MW2’s new swimming mechanics, including the ability to shoot pistols underwater, there’s way more variety in the landscape than before. And that includes boats to traverse the water.

“With a vast map the size of Al Mazrah, clandestine swimming up river tributaries, underwater ambushes and exploration, as well as quicker movement courtesy of the RHIB or Armored Patrol Boat is all possible, expanding your combat options considerably, using the tactics you’re learning during Modern Warfare II Ground War combat,” Activision said.

There are “over a dozen” unique vehicles in Warzone 2.0, and they can all be customized. Not only that, but some vehicles will need to be gassed up to continue using as they will run out of gas after extended usage.

Split gas circles

The encroaching gas circle will now split into multiple areas, giving players a choice of which safe area to take on as the game continues.

“A choking storm gradually envelopes the Al Mazrah landscape, you may be familiar with the encroaching wall of vapor from your time in Verdansk and Caldera,” Activision said. “This time, however, expect variations within the circle collapse. One possible occurrence may be the result of extreme weather pattern anomalies resulting in the safe zone splitting into multiple circles throughout a match that reconverge into a single safe zone as the match gets closer to the final circle.”

Two-vs-two Gulag

In the Gulag 2.0, starting with a weapon is a thing of the past. You begin with your fists and will need to loot your weaponry to fight either an enemy player or an AI-controlled enemy that has a key that you need to escape the prison.

“The Gulag will be a two-vs-two environment where randomly paired Duos must coordinate to take down their opposition,” Activision said. “All players will receive a predefined Loadout — at launch, this will be a Pistol or a Shotgun, a Lethal Grenade, and a Tactical Grenade — with highly effective weaponry and gear placed toward the map’s center.”

The biggest change, though, is the inclusion of the AI enemy, who will spawn in the Gulag with you.

“The Gulag will also include a Jailer, who will appear in the middle of the match to help speed up combat,” Activision said. “Defeating the Jailer will return all four Gulag prisoners back into the Battle Royale, which offers a dilemma: Do both Duos agree to wait and fight this powerful enemy together, or does one get greedy and try to go for the elimination victory?”

There’s no longer an overtime flag to capture, either, so camping won’t work.

“If neither the team nor the jailer is eliminated after a brief period of time, all four operators lose,” Activision said.

Enemy AI Strongholds and Black Sites

AI-controlled Strongholds and Black Sites are found all around Al Mazrah. These areas are full of AI enemies that are defending a location that you and your team can choose to fight them to find “impressive loot” inside. Alternatively, they can be ignored entirely, because “AI won’t actively pursue you or your squad, and you can choose never to interact with them,” according to Activision.

“There are more than human Operators active within the Al Mazrah warzone; this is a living, breathing world with a number of AI combatants ready to defend their patch of land, all integrated into the fabric of the world,” Activision said. “If you choose to engage AI combatants, expect a different type of firefight compared to player versus player.”

Third-person playlists

MW2’s third-person playlists will also be coming to Warzone 2, added into the game on a weekly rotation during season 01.

“This shift in perspective could completely change the Battle Royale fundamentals in Call of Duty, allowing for different visibility tactics and an altered, but still action-packed gameplay feel,” Activision said. “Modern Warfare 2 owners can already get a taste of Third-Person now through the game’s Multiplayer.”