Published on: 03/12/2021

The Rise, Fall, and Re-Rise of Warzone

With the announcement of a brand new map and the completion of a high-stakes esports tournament, Warzone is back. When Call of Duty: Warzone first launched in March 2020, it quickly became an industry-changing title. It totally disrupted the face of the battle royale genre, establishing itself as a dominant force in the space. Within one year, the game had reached more than 100 million players. It had become an extremely lucrative and popular platform.

However, as time went on, Warzone would see itself becoming a breeding ground for trouble. It suffered from numerous controversies, issues, and ultimately, abandonment. By the dozen, huge creators began leaving Warzone in favour of other titles, such as Apex Legends.

Will Warzone’s new map make the game better than ever?

Warzone: Where It All Began

Back in 2020, when Warzone first dropped, it was an exciting time for fans of the franchise. Within mere weeks, the game was seen as a mega-success, and gameplay was dominating the faces of Twitch and YouTube. It seemed that overnight, content creators began pouring resources into the game, filling it with life.

Personally, I fell in love with Warzone instantly, despite having a rocky relationship with Call of Duty. In fact, I’d go on to secure a Guinness World Record by playing Warzone later on in 2020. It honestly was a fantastic platform to play on. Although, a fair portion of the popularity can be attributed to the timing of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All of a sudden, millions of people had a lot of spare time and no way of leaving their homes.

And so, it grew, with fans eagerly exploring the (then) new Warzone map.

See also: Is Warzone the Best Battle Royale Game Ever?

The Crash Commences

In late 2020, moving in to early 2021, the numbers continued growing. However, all was not well within the world of Warzone, for several reasons. Firstly, the platfrom had become a gathering place for hackers and cheaters, and the game was quite simply plagued. Bizarrely, Raven Software, the developer behind Warzone, did very little to prevent these hackers from taking over the game.

As the months wore on, more controveries were being scattered around the battlefield. There were invincibility and invisibility glitches, audio issues, skins that couldn’t be seen in the dark, and an increasingly toxic community brewing. Within the space of two or three weeks, some of the Warzone’s most popular creators, such as DrDisrespect, temporarily abandoned the title.

It was a blow for sure, and the overall approval ratings for Warzone began rapidly dropping. Ultimately, it seemed as though there was no coming back from the crash.

Warzone’s New Map: Caldera

New hope for Warzone? With the new Warzone map, Caldera, the internet is abuzz once again with the battle royale fever. However, it doesn’t end with a new environment – although, it is the first new Warzone map to drop in two years.

Raven Software, the chief developer, has also promised a platform-first anti-cheat system, to target those pesky hackers. We’ve seen whispers of fresh changes coming to the Warzone platform. At their core, they’re designed to address concerns players have had for years in Verdansk.

They include the likes of restrictions on loadouts, ‘nerfing’ of certain tactics, equipment, and perks, and the removal of specific ‘overpowered’ upgrades. Furthermore, vehicular combat has been addressed, as has ‘boots-on-the-ground’ movement and the overall stability of the platform.

Will the new Warzone map breathe fresh life into the game? It sure seems like it.

Written by: Grant Taylor

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