A wealth of information was recently revealed about the next steps for Call of Duty: Warzone, with the title being set for some exciting changes that will coincide with the November launch of Modern Warfare 3. Alongside changes that will shake up the core movement mechanics of the game, fans now have a solid idea at what kinds of maps will be made available to play in the near future.
The recent Call of Duty Next presentation had a dedicated section for Call of Duty: Warzone, with the major announcement being that a new core map called Urzikstan is set to release in December. As well as exploring this new map, fans will eventually be able to re-experience Rebirth Island, giving a new boost of hope for the original and beloved map Verdansk to be given a second stint in the spotlight.
Call of Duty: Warzone: A Potential Return To Verdansk
Verdansk was the map that thrust Warzone into popularity upon its 2020 release, being the first-ever map for the battle royale game. With Verdansk being the staging ground for Warzone's early days, it is no wonder that the map has become a cult favorite within the game's community. Upon the release of the comparatively disappointing Caldera map in 2021, Verdansk was removed from the Warzone roster, leaving many fans to become instantly nostalgic about the map and the "glory days" that it fostered. There has been a demand for Verdansk to return for some time, with vocal groups of fans demanding that it be reinstated alongside any new core maps that Warzone periodically receives.
Of course, it is understandable why Activision does not want to split Warzone's community between several large-scale maps, so the concept of Verdansk returning has long been seen as wishful thinking. However, with the recent announcement that Warzone will eventually reinstate the Rebirth Island and Fortune's Keep maps in 2024, Verdansk could easily reappear in the near future. Rebirth Island was introduced in 2020 as a smaller-scale BR experience for Warzone's Resurgence game mode, with 2022's Fortune's Keep serving the same purpose. The reintroduction of both these maps in 2024 makes more sense due to their smaller size, with their separate game modes being able to co-exist alongside the game's main playlist. As such, the return of both maps sets an early precedent that Activision is willing to revisit older experiences, and it makes sense that Verdansk should eventually get the same treatment.
Warzone could easily feature its own four or even five-year anniversary event, for example, revisiting some of the classic locations and playlists that put the game on the map. This could bring about a brief event that has Verdansk as the core Warzone map for an in-game season, finally giving fans the surge of nostalgia that they have wanted for so long. Modern Warfare 3 is leaning into a similar sentiment with its reintroduction of classic MW2 multiplayer maps, and so it only seems right that Warzone fans should enjoy the same classic experiences.
While it is important that the Urzikstan map gets its own time to shine, a brief reappearance of Verdansk once the map is established could be a great boost for Warzone overall. With Warzone being set to adopt the same movement system as Modern Warfare 3 in the coming months, a Verdansk reintroduction could be a perfect blend of old and new for the popular battle royale title.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.