Call of Duty: Warzone 2 is proving to be a massive success for Activision. While players will be able to access the original game via a separate application dubbed Call of Duty: Warzone Caldera, the new battle royale is proving to be a hit with many players. New features like Strongholds, Proximity Chat, and requesting to join other squads have all been received well, but DMZ has been a proper show stealer.
The PvPvE mode was rumored for several months and revealed shortly before Call of Duty: Warzone 2's launch, and though there is certainly room to improve, it has gotten off to a strong start. With a fun gameplay loop and some fast-paced thirty-minute matches, players looking for a Tarkov-like experience that is easy to pick up and play need look no further. Considering that the mode is still in beta, it will likely be expanded with more features, and a nighttime version of Al Mazrah would be a neat way to shake things up.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Nighttime in Al Mazrah
While there is no telling if a nighttime version of Al Mazrah will ever be released, it would not be surprising if one was added as part of Warzone 2's The Haunting event when it rolls around next year. Assuming this happens, that variant could be added to the rotation for DMZ, too, with players having a 50/50 chance between the day and night versions of Al Mazrah being selected for their match.
If players land on the night variant, it could be different in a few ways. In terms of benefits, enemy AI could have a far harder time seeing the player. In the current version of the game, being spotted by one enemy can be incredibly frustrating, as every other enemy in the area instantly becomes alerted fo the player’s position. This is why stealth is key, and it is something that could become significantly easier at night. If players want to clear the area around a Stronghold, they could be met with little resistance since they could get up close for takedowns without worrying about being spotted instantly.
While nighttime gameplay could make stealth easier, which would be useful since suppressors are basically a must for those looking to be sneaky in the current Al Mazrah, it would also make PvP aspects harder. If players are not properly equipped, they could struggle to spot other players lurking in the darkness, as they will have a far easier time blending into their surroundings. Not only would this push players to engage more with the thermal scopes in Call of Duty: Warzone 2’s Gunsmith, but it could also lead to a new sought-after item: night-vision goggles. Infinity Ward has already programmed functional versions of NVGs, as they feature in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign, so the asset could be ported over to DMZ. If the map is dark enough, finding the goggles could be as crucial as picking up a gas mask when looting.
With a night version of the map also able to shake up enemy spawn points and locked areas, adding even more gameplay variety, it could be more than just a visual change - though even that would help bring some freshness to the mode. DMZ has a lot of potential, especially if it receives significant support going forward. While a proper day/night cycle would not work due to the brevity of the matches, a darker variant of the current map would absolutely be viable, providing an experience that feels markedly different from the default DMZ.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
