Infinity Ward’s take on the battle royale genre through Warzone has been a major success, but here are five key features that could drastically shake up the game.
Infinity Ward’s first foray into the popular last-team-standing game type has been met with a great deal of success, attracting over 50 million players in its very first month.
However, the free to play title could grow tiresome for dedicated players if a few vital features aren’t introduced to spice up the experience. Here are five additions that we think would be a perfect fit for Warzone.
Implement a ranked playlist
The competitive title has barely been out for a few weeks and the player base is already growing restless due to the enforced skill-based matchmaking system. SBMM can be great as an option, but it should never be forced across the board.
One simple solution to this issue that has plagued many battle royale titles over the years, is to introduce a competitive queue. Let the best of the best play against the best, when they feel like it. Casual playlists should offer an escape from the sweat-fest of a ranked mode.
Similar to the likes of Apex Legends’ Ranked Leagues, or PUBG’s ranking system, Warzone would benefit greatly from a truly competitive ladder. It would provide a sense of progression and give players new goals to work towards.
A standard Trios ranking could be introduced first before branching out into duos, quads, or potentially even solo ladders. Each competitive playlist could be reset at the beginning of each season to keep the experience fresh as Infinity Ward rolls out new weapons, map changes, and more.
Unfortunately, given that Modern Warfare’s multiplayer has been available for seven months and still doesn’t have a ranked system, this one is unlikely to happen.
Kick things up a notch with Hardcore mode
The current Warzone experience is fun to mess around with, but for players seeking a truly competitive experience, a Hardcore playlist could be just what the game needs. Especially if the aforementioned ranked mode never sees the light of day.
Many Call of Duty titles over the years have featured various Hardcore modes that limit the Heads-Up Display, decrease the time to kill (TTK), and create a harsher multiplayer experience overall. What if Warzone offered that same, heart-racing feature?
The TTK in Warzone is already in a decent place, no one wants to scavenge for 20 minutes and die in half a second if overall health is to be reduced. But there are a few unique ways that a Hardcore playlist could change things up in Warzone.
Once you go down, there might not be a Gulag waiting for you. Death could be permanent with no option to buy teammates back. Powerful loot could be harder to come by. Loadouts and UAVs could be far more expensive than usual. There’s certainly potential to raise the stakes with a Hardcore mode in Warzone.
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Change the map with in-game events
Verdansk is an enormous battle royale map. The locale features a wide variety of unique areas that lend to distinct combat opportunities. But after weeks of hot-drops remaining the same, and certain regions getting no love, it could be time to introduce some in-game events.
While the free to play game is still early into its lifecycle, a few teases have already been spotted in this regard. The dam may have started leaking, underground bunkers look ready to open up, and new playable areas could be on the way.
There are a few ways that Infinity Ward could change things up across the map. While new areas are more than welcome, there are simpler ways to make current locations more appealing.
- Read More: Warzone April 30 update brings back Bounties
Perhaps an in-game heist comes to an end at the prison complex one week. For a set period of time, this unpopular landing spot could be littered with higher-tier loot and bundles of cash. This could be an easy method of incentivizing players to change their tactics on a regular basis.
Going dark in Verdansk
Many battle royale titles have tacked on nighttime modes in the past, and after a piece of community concept art caught fire, Warzone would clearly be the next perfect fit.
With a night-vision mode already accessible in Modern Warfare’s multiplayer component, many lighting systems, and game mechanics are already in place for a pitch-black battle royale.
This variant could kickoff at dusk, with players dropping into a dimly lit map. As the fight rages on, however, it could slowly transition into an ominous, nighttime battle, requiring players to scavenge for night-vision goggles to make their lives easier.
All-out Warfare
Last but not least, what if Warzone introduced a playlist just for fun. A chaotic, nonstop, action-packed playlist where every single player drops into the map with their custom loadout already prepped.
Similar to Fortnite’s Solid Gold mode, every piece of loot on the ground could be a high-tier drop. Armor could spawn in bundles of five. Money would appear in the five-figure range for every pickup. The possibilities are endless.
Toxic gas could close in much quicker than usual, forcing players together at a more rapid pace. This would drop the average game time and truly emphasize the chaotic-nature of the mode. There’s no time to sit about and camp, ‘All-out Warfare’ would truly mean all-out warfare.
One last tweak could even see the Gulag adopt a similar level of chaos. Players could load in with a weapon of their choice, and spectators could throw out actual grenades instead of rocks. Just to keep the two combats on their toes.
These are just a few ways that Infinity Ward could shake things up and keep Warzone’s popularity on the rise. While new weapons and cosmetics are fun for a while, drastic changes will be keeping players around for the long haul.
Perhaps a few of these ideas may actually see the light of day as new updates continue to roll out week after week.