Warzone 2.0 has unsurprisingly proved massively popular since its launch back in November, but a couple of features many players are clamoring for are an alternative map and the return of a favorite game mode. The good news is that they’re on the way; here are all the changes in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 Season 2, including the upcoming Resurgence Map. This article has again been updated with new information shared by Infinity Ward regarding its new MW2 ranked system. We’ll tackle Warzone 2 season 2 changes first, then Modern Warfare 2 later in the article.
Warzone 2 Season 2 Launch Date
Season 2 of Warzone 2.0 was originally penned to start Feb. 4, but it has since been delayed to Feb. 15. The news comes after rumors of a possible delay were in the cards due to dwindling player count and much restless fan feedback regarding the state of the game. Per usual, Season 2 doesn’t specifically apply to Warzone 2.0 alone, as Modern Warfare II will be experiencing a content update as well.
Update Changes in Warzone 2 Season 2
While the biggest change coming to Warzone 2 is the arrival of a new Resurgence map (detailed below), there are a few more beyond that coming too. Infinity Ward has already stated that changes are coming to the Gulag, looting, and loadouts. A blog post later this week is set to offer more concrete details the scope of the changes, which might also include an update to the DMZ mode. Precise details on all of that remain tight-lipped, but we’ll be sure to keep this post updated as and when we learn more.
Ashika Island Resurgence Map in Warzone 2
Per the previous section, Warzone 2’s Season 2 is highlighted by the addition of Resurgence and a “brand new smaller map for Warzone 2.” Resurgence was a welcome addition to the Warzone formula when it was first released for the original game back in 2020 as it allows for faster pace games. Many players found it to be more enjoyable due to a smaller player count and map size, as well as a respawn option after dying.
The smaller map in the original game was called Rebirth, but that’s not returning for Warzone 2. This time around, it’s called Ashika Island, which is an all-new design — though one that is undoubtedly inspired by the beloved Rebirth design. Ashika Island looks a little larger by comparison, but its big point of difference is that it sees the return of Castle.
For those who don’t know or remember, Castle is a multiplayer map from 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War. It actually returned for last year’s entry and has been rumored to be making a return to this year’s multiplayer map pool. So far, though, it appears as though it will only be making an appearance as a Warzone 2 and DMZ-only point of interest for now.
You can check out a detailed overview of all Ashika Island POIs here for more on the map.
Season 2 DMZ Changes
DMZ is receiving a pretty hefty update for Warzone 2, Season 2. First and foremost, there’s obviously an all-new location to raid over on Ashika Island, but Al Mazrah has also been given an overhaul of balancing changes too. There are changes to modify the spawn mechanism of enemy AI, including their accuracy at range. There are also new improvements to Building 21. You can read a full overview of everything in our detailed article here.
Update Changes in Modern Warfare 2 Season 2
On the multiplayer side of Call of Duty, Season 2 is expected to bring a few new changes, headlined by the addition of Ranked play. Additionally, new multiplayer maps, modes, weapons, and much more will join the game.
MW2 Ranked & Skill Divisions Explained
Ranked Play has been in the works for some time and will see Treyarch head up the competitive side of the game. Ranked was supposed to join during Season 1, but it wasn’t ready in time, and in its place fans received the “CDL Moshpit,” which is the entry point for competitive CoD. CDL Moshpit replicates the ruleset and bans the Call of Duty League implements, although it does take time for the game to match the ruleset due to the time it takes for pros and the league to come to agreements on what’s competitively sound.
Now we know for sure that Ranked is coming with Season 2, introducing 4v4 competitive CoD gameplay across three gameplay modes: Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, and Control.
There are six maps in the rotation:
- El Asilo
- Embassy
- Fortress
- Hotel
- Hydro
- Mercado
Infinity Ward has this week detailed the Skill Divisions in MW2 Ranked:
- Bronze — 0-899
- SR Silver — 900-2,099
- SR Gold — 2,100-3,599
- SR Platinum — 3,600-5,399
- SR Diamond — 5,400-7,499
- SR Crimson — 7,500-9,999
- SR Iridescent — 10,000 SR minimum
- Top 250 — 10,000+ SR
SR is gained/lost depending simply on whether you win or lose a match. Individual performance and your team’s overall performance will impact the amount of SR you gain or lose each match. Ranked Play will mimic the same Maps/Modes and settings the CDL pros play with in CDL2023. Every MW2 player will begin their career in Bronze.
All Other New MW2 Game Modes
In addition to ranked, there are many more new game modes coming to Modern Warfare II in Season 2, including Hardcore, Infected, Gun Game, Grind, Drop Zone, All or Nothing, and One in the Chamber.
Hardcore is one of the most-requested new modes coming to the game after the disappointing Tier 1 mode had replaced it up until now; Twinfinite has written about it in detail here.
Gun Game, Infected, and Grind will arrive with the update on day one. However, Drop Zone, All or Nothing, and One in Chamber won’t come until mid-way through the season.
If you’ve not heard of Gun Game, it’s a classic CoD party game mode in which players fight in a free-for-all match, with each new kill changing the weapon they’re using. The winner is the first player to get a kill with every weapon, and the final weapon is typically some form of melee or one-shot gun.
All New MW2 Maps in Season 2
Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 will see the launch of four new maps:
- Dome (6v6)
- Valderas Museum (6v6)
- Zaya Observatory (Battle Map)
- Al Malik International (Battle Map)
Al Malik International and Zaya Observatory are the game’s new Battle Maps. Those who played the game’s beta should recognize Valderas Museum, which was removed for the full launch but makes a big return for Season 2.
As for Dome, Infinity Ward has said it “bears a striking resemblance to one of Call of Duty’s classic maps.”
Prior to Infinity Ward’s recent announcement, leaks had been swirling that Castle would be introduced for Season 2, but that has been confirmed as not happening. Castle originally debuted in 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War and was remade for Call of Duty: Vanguard.
All Season 2 New Weapons & Operator
Each new season of CoD typically introduces a few new weapons and a new Operator, and this season actually goes a step further and adds five weapons. The leaks ahead of full patch details had been working overtime, but now we know exactly which ones will be added to the pool.
Modern Warfare 2 Season 2 will add the following new weapons:
- ISO Hemlock Assault Rifle
- KV Broadside Shotgun
- Dual Kodachis
- Crossbow
- Tempus Torrent Marksman Rifle (Mid-Season Launch)
Alongside the weapons, the newest operator is named Ronin, who was previously in Modern Warfare 2019.
New Modern Warfare 2 Raid Episode 2
There’s a new Raid coming for Episode 2 which follows up on Atomgrad, but it isn’t coming until later in the season and won’t be available at launch. Infinity Ward explains:
“Price, Farah, and Gaz will be back later in Season 02 with Episode 2 of the Raid, a continuation of the Modern Warfare II Campaign.”
Modern Warfare 2 UI update coming in Season 2
Players have been very vocal about the ugly UI in Modern Warfare 2 ever since the game’s launch. Twinfinite wrote about it extensively, calling its design better suited to Netflix than CoD. Thankfully, the devs have been listening and are making some big changes for Season 2. These include:
These changes include the following:
- Improved navigation and organization of Camo menu
- More polished Social tab, including improved channel swapping and player muting
- New “My Bundles” screen
- Quick equip items from Battlepass, My Bundles, and Store
- Reticle previews in Store and Gunsmith
- Improved clarity of attachment blocking logic in Gunsmith
- And many more bug fixes
There’s also an audio update coming to the game for Season 2, which is a “newer and more advanced system” designed to help players better hear steps and other sounds through objects.
Shared Updates Between Modern Warfare 2 & Warzone 2
If the first season set any sort of precedent, Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0 will receive a few shared changes across the games. The primary change will be the addition of more Prestige ranks with new rewards to gain, as both games share a universal leveling experience. Players should also expect plenty of quality-of-life changes, as bugs and glitches litter both titles.
Why Did Season 2 Get Delayed?
Season 2 was scheduled for a Feb. 4 launch, yet Activision and Infinity Ward decided to push back the launch to Feb. 15, stating both parties have seen the feedback on the state of Call of Duty.
The argument for the delay can be split down the middle, with equal blame going between Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0. On the multiplayer side, fan sentiment has seemingly been very disappointing, with the player count drop-off matching that feeling. Modern Warfare 2 launched in a rough state, missing staple features, and with little content. Our review was indicative of those sentiments, and almost three months later, not much has changed.
Conversely, while Resurgence returning is great, the actual state of the game has caused much grief in the player base. The original Warzone wasn’t perfect by no stretch of the imagination, but Warzone 2.0 seems to exacerbate the problems with a much faster time-to-kill and the end game turning into a “self-revive” party. Many fans are hoping for an overhaul to the game’s design, and while Infinity Ward has mentioned the team has seen the feedback, pushing back a major content update by two weeks doesn’t scream major overhaul inbound. It’s also important to note that Call of Duty seasonal updates have always been split in half, so while Resurgence is coming, it doesn’t mean it’ll be a day-one addition.
There you have it, all of the changes in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 Season 2 and the release date. Below, you’ll find plenty of content to keep you up to date on everything CoD related.
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