After months of hype and teasing, Call of Duty: Warzone is finally here. The sheer volume of leaks that have preceded the new Battle Royale meant that the announcement is hardly surprising, but what is surprising is that the game is not actually a part of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Although the two titles are linked and Modern Warfare players can gain benefits from playing both, anyone can jump into Warzone free of charge.
This daring but unexpected move surprised a community who thought they knew practically everything about Warzone after the relentless stream of leaked information, but that isn't the only thing the game is doing differently. While many of the Battle Royale staples are still present - the ever-closing circle, the parachute drop start, the scattered loot - Warzone does a lot to differentiate itself from its competitors. Foremost among these innovations are the ground-breaking changes that it has made to the familiar Battle Royale respawn systems.
Laying the Groundwork
Since games like PUBG and Fortnite first helped propel Battle Royale into the insanely-popular genre it is today, there haven't been many new ideas regarding what happens to competitors after they've been killed. For a lot of players, the biggest problem with the respawn system of Fortnite and PUBG is the lack of incentive to see a game through after death. What was once the strength of the system becomes something of a weakness as players abandon games the moment they die. This can be particularly irritating in party games, where players who die early have to choose between helplessly spectating their surviving partner/s, or starting a new solo game and potentially getting out of sync with their friends.
Apex: Legends was the first big game to bring a major change to how Battle Royale titles handled respawning, particularly in team games. Just like its genre predecessors, it's possible to revive a downed ally by interacting with them in Apex, but it's also possible to revive one who has died completely. This process is requires the dead players' surviving allies to carry the banner which dropped on their death to a respawn station.
The problem with this system is the onus that it places on the surviving players, to drop whatever they were doing and revive their deceased ally. Although it's beneficial for the team to bring back a deceased ally, that doesn't mean it's always the best idea. This uncertainty can be a gateway to harassment and toxic behavior, particularly when teaming with random players. It's difficult to enjoy a game while dead team-mates are abusive about not rushing to revive them as quickly as possible.
Off To Siberia
In comes Call of Duty: Warzone, with what is probably the most radical take on the Battle Royale respawn system so far. When a player first drops to zero health and armor in Warzone ,they can be revived by an ally as is standard in other games, but it's when they die completely that things get really interesting. Newly defeated players who still have team-mates on the field are sent to the Gulag, where they face off in a 1v1 fight against another defeated player. Whoever comes out on top of the cage-match wins the right to respawn, parachuting back in above their surviving team-mates.
This system gives every player a chance to redeem themselves and return to the fight on their own merit. More crucially, it takes the burden of respawning them off their allies' shoulders, allowing everyone in the team to remain focused on the business of winning the Battle Royale. This is especially important as not only does an extra player mean more firepower and more eyes of the field, but there are also some features of Warzone that require three players to activate, like the Advanced UAV.
Pay to Win
Interestingly, the Gulag isn't the only way for a defeated player to return to the battlefield in Warzone. Dead team-mates can also be respawned by paying for them at one of the many Stores scattered across the map. This gives cash-rich players a chance to buy back their dead teammates,and incentivizes those who've died to stick with the game and their team instead of immediately moving on after death.
The combination of these two systems, the Gulag and the paid respawn, means that players are spending a lot more time on each match of Warzone than they would in another game. Some might consider this a negative, particularly solo streamers who'd prefer to give their audiences constant excitement, rather than waiting to see if they'll get the chance to play again. But the knock-on effect of everyday gamers having more of a reason to invest in each round is yet to be seen. Certainly, the Gulag is a brilliant design choice, offering a nerve-wracking test of skill and even the occasional opportunity for some juicy revenge.
Call of Duty: Warzone is now available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
