High Value Loot Zones (Launch, Mid-Season)
Introduced during Modern Warfare III and now coming to Verdansk, recognizable Points of Interest across the map may be identified as “High Value Loot Zones.” Get there before the enemy and you’ll be rewarded with higher tier loot than normal, with gear sometimes related to the type of POI it appears in. Watch out though; the entire lobby may be on their way to claim it too!
This looting meta also gets a significant update at mid-season, as additional Zones within named POIs begin to appear across Verdansk.
Buy Stations (Launch, Mid-Season)
Original Buy Station Inventory, Original Buy Station Placement (Launch)
It’s time to retrain your muscle memory and remember where all the Verdansk Buy Stations appeared, as these equipment hubs appear semi-randomly across Verdansk in the same places they spawned originally. Near the Comms Tower just south of TV Station? In the parking lot of Superstore? These are just two of the placements from the dozens of possible Buy Station locations. Expect a subset of the total Buy Station placements to appear during each match.
Interact with a Buy Station, and you’ll discover it’s pretty much identical to the original inventory interface, even down to the vertical list of purchases (with the Equipment type under the name, and icons added for quicker visualization). The actual inventory you can purchase has also been scaled back to match that of the original Verdansk; the only Balloons you can buy now are Plunder-related!
Also note there’s additional Buy Station items to buy in Plunder, mimicking those in the original game mode.
Current: Specialist Perk (Mid-Season)
One of the most important items of all from the current iteration of the game is set to be added into Buy Station inventories at the Season 03 Reloaded update. Perhaps it’s also hidden elsewhere…?Equipment: General, Tacticals and Lethals (Launch, Mid-Season)
Current Call of Duty: Warzone Equipment (Launch)
As part of your preferred Loadouts, the choices of Tactical and Lethal Equipment span across multiple Call of Duty games (MWII, MWIII, and BO6), based on the selection currently available in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Equipment: Retro Refresh (Launch)
Munitions and Equipment available as “floating loot” takes the appearance of items you remember originally. The pool of Lethal and Tactical Equipment in Verdansk has been adjusted to be closer to what was originally available when players first dropped into the field. The list is as follows:- Field Upgrades: Munitions Box, Heartbeat Sensor, Deployable Cover, P.D.S. (Decontamination Station), Trophy System, Loadout Drop Marker (Grenade and Crate), Armor Box, Recon Drone.[/*]
- Killstreaks: UAV, Advanced UAV, Precision Airstrike, Cluster Strike, Bunker Buster.[/*]
- Equipment: Flash Bang, Smoke Grenade, Concussion Grenade, Decoy Grenade, Snapshot Grenade, Stim, Frag Grenade, Semtex Grenade, C4, Spring Mine, Molotov, Throwing Knife.[/*]
Returning Lethal: Thermite (Launch)
“Explosive incendiary device that sticks to surfaces. Burns fiercely for a short while after impact and effective against vehicles. Sticks to all surfaces.”
Whether you’re preventing enemies from entering a tenement bloc doorway or wanting a sticky incendiary takedown that damages over time, Thermite is likely to be a game-changer. Though not guaranteed to down an opponent, Thermite is extremely effective at burning enemies, as well as vehicles to an explosive finish. Find it in loot or as part of your Loadout.
Equipment: Field Upgrades (Launch, Mid-Season)
Original Armor Box, Deployable Cover, Heartbeat Sensor, Munitions Box, Recon Drone, Trophy System (Launch)
“Time for a bit of argy bargy!”
The range of Field Upgrades to scavenge or purchase in Verdansk is based on the available equipment from the original Battle Royale Mode:
Armor Box (Loot, Buy Station Inventory): Deploy a box of armor for you and your teammates. The box can also act as an explosive device if fired at or close to another detonation.
Deployable Cover (Loot): Portable, rapidly deployable ballistic cover. Once deploys, it forms a protective barrier covering the Operator from the waist down if standing. Use it or mount weapons on it.
Heartbeat Sensor (Loot, Updated): AKA the “baby monitor”, this limited-use tablet displays rough information about nearby enemies using the current interface. The device is no longer a Tactical (it is now a Field Upgrade) and uses the more upgraded awareness system of the current model, with faster detection at greater distances.
Munitions Box (Loot, Buy Station Inventory): Deploy a box of ammo and equipment for you and your teammates. Expect to refill your Primary, Secondary, Tactical, and Lethal weaponry if you interact with it. The box can also act as an explosive device if fired at or close to another detonation.
Recon Drone (Loot): Remote controlled drone that marks enemies and also offers tactical visuals across the area around the Operator. It cannot mark enemies with the Cold Blooded Perk and is easily shot down.
Trophy System (Loot): Deployable autonomous defense system that destroys up to three nearby pieces of equipment and projectiles. Useful to affix to a vehicle, or in a location you don’t wish to leave. Is the “Big Bertha meta” back?
Returning Field Upgrade: Portable Decontamination Station (Mid-Season)
Drop this Field Upgrade to protect yourself from encroaching gas, adding to the tactical options in end-game scenarios.Equipment: Killstreaks (Launch, Mid-Season)
Original Cluster (Mortar) Strike, Precision Airstrike, UAV (Launch)
The selection of support Killstreaks echoes those available in March 2020, with the Cluster Strike, Precision Airstrike, and UAV (revealing enemies on your Tac-Map for a short period of time) available. The current Advanced UAV (showing enemies over a wider area with increased sweep frequency) is also added to this line-up due to its added tactical benefits – though it is only available if players use three consecutive UAVs. All Killstreaks are available from the Buy Station or as ground loot.
Current Bunker Buster (Mid-Season)
Scheduled for arrival at mid-season, the available Killstreaks are expanded with the arrival of vertical explosive ordnance; the Bunker Buster, which could be the weaponry you need to pry foes dug inside apartment building interiors.Contracts (Launch, Mid-Season)
Original Bounty, Most Wanted, Scavenger Contracts (Launch)
Three of the Contracts currently available in Call of Duty: Warzone are confirmed for Verdansk, coming in their original iterations:
Bounty: Hunt down a player within an enemy squad using your Tac Map to see the approximate location of your quarry. Eliminate the target before another team can! Eliminating your target will award your team with cash and a UAV ping centering on your fallen target’s location.
Most Wanted: Let the enemy come to you by marking yourself as a most wanted target. A large crown icon appears around you and your squad for all rival Operators to see. The next few minutes are deceptively simple; just survive with your squad until the timer ticks down. Killing enemies and opening supply caches will lower the amount of time you need to survive the mark! Surviving the mark will respawn all your eliminated squad mates and award you with a nice sum of cash.
Scavenger: Three special Supply Crates are indicated by an icon on your Tac Map. Once the first one is opened, the second is marked, followed by the third once both boxes are collected. Reach and open each yellow-glowing Crate for a chance at rarer loot, a guaranteed armor satchel from the final box, and a direct injection of cash.
Returning Original Contract: Recon (Launch)
“Recon that point, soldier!” Original Contracts are back: Find the rugged tablet with the flag icon and activate this to update your Tac Map, and advance to an objective marker. You and your squad need to stand within a small radius around the objective – a comms station – and upload data. The more squadmates are nearby, the quicker the capture. Complete the upload for Loot and Cash along with a “peek” at the next “safe area” to reach, via a yellow circle on your Tac Map. Just be aware there’s a flare fired skyward as you’re capturing, which can attract rivals. But the results are worth it, especially as finishing multiple Recons stacks the reward allowing you to see several safe areas.Returning Original Contract: Supply Run (Launch)
“Race to the Buy Station, soldier!” Pinpoint a tablet computer with a timer icon and activate the Supply Run Contract, which marks out a specific Buy Station for you or your squad to reach within the allotted time. Get there for a Cash reward and Firesale prices on most items. Even better, there’s no cost for picking up a Self-Revive Kit or redeploying a fallen teammate. The Loadout Drop Marker is not discounted. You can only select one discounted or free item before the Buy Station returns to its normal prices, so choose wisely, and since time is short on this one, you might wish to use a vehicle to quicken your pace.Returning Feature: Contract Multipliers (Launch)
“Contract payout increased!” Keep an eye on completing contracts throughout an entire match, as the original Contract Multiplier system is back! This is an additive bonus to each completed contract payout after the first one, which increases every time you or your squad successfully completes a contract. Need cash fast? Then consider the following:- Complete more than one contract for additional bonus money. The type of contract isn’t important; finish any contract you like![/*]
- Every contract across Verdansk receives an additive bonus 30 percent to its cash payout.[/*]
- The bonus is capped after you finish the fifth contract. And no, this bonus doesn’t apply to XP![/*]
Returning Contracts: Big Game Bounty, Recon (Train) (Mid-Season)
“Stay on the train to receive intel on the next gas spread!” Big Game Bounty: Band together to place a Big Game Bounty on the player with the most eliminations in the match, then hunt them down and defeat them to earn a 20 second instantly activated Advanced UAV and a tidy sum of cash. Recon (Train): With the arrival of the Train moving around the rail lines of Verdansk at Mid-Season, the returning Recon Contract also becomes available on the train’s cargo carriages. Activating this is riskier than a normal recon as data uploads happen on the train itself.In-Match Public Events (Launch, Mid-Season)
Original Fire Sale, Jail Break, Loadout Drop, Restock (Launch)
The following in-game Public Events – match-changing incidents occurring towards the final circle collapses – are confirmed for Verdansk, as one of following three familiar Public Events within a match may (randomly) occur, with more to be revealed at Mid-Season.
- Fire Sale: Expect major discounts at all Buy Stations for most items.[/*]
- Jail Break: All eliminated players immediately redeploy into the match.[/*]
- Restock: All Supply Crates on the map close and the loot is refreshed, substantially increasing the available loot.[/*]
- Loadout Drop: Additionally, during the second and fifth circle collapses, free loadouts drop from the skies.[/*]
Original Capture the Flag Gulag Variant (Launch)
Fail at victory the first time during a match, and you’re sent to the infamous Prison Showers Gulag, for a 1v1 confrontation with the victor redeploying. As with the original Verdansk, all three Gulag variants are returning, along with the optional, raucous rock-throwing from the cellblocks above. For a closer look at all three Gulag variants, check out the Tour of Verdansk Blog here.
Though technically a variant, the only way to emerge from the Gulag victorious is to claim the Gulag flag, if defeating your opponent is proving trickier than anticipated. A flag is positioned in the middle of the map, appears after a short time delay. The winning player is the one that either dispatches their rival as normal or captures the flag within the time limit.
Verdansk Vehicles and Rebalancing (Launch, Mid-Season)
Heli, Cargo Truck, LTV, Polaris RZR Pro R 4, ATV (Verdansk, Launch)
As the topography of Verdansk sometimes favors rapid transportation across the dangerous open terrain, it’s worth test-driving the five different vehicles coming to the Big Map, including the return of a fan favorite Helicopter.
All vehicles are available in the same set of locations to those that appeared in the original map. Additionally, there are no tire punctures or fuel-refilling to worry about; each vehicle has a health meter and when it reaches zero, it explodes and flames out, just as it did originally.
All vehicles are receiving a tuning pass. This rebalancing is designed to ensure these handle and steer in the spirit of the original iteration of the game, with more rapid acceleration and handling.
Helicopter: AKA Heli
A stalwart aircraft for maneuvering across the map with haste, and with rotor blades that can double as slicing and dicing implements, the Heli allows four players (including the pilot) to rule the skies, providing they aren’t downed by enemy missile or sniper fire. Dropping out of an airborne helicopter and using it as a blunt explosive implement is also a favored tactic.
Cargo Truck
Parked at every Fire Station across the map, this heavy-weight truck is slow to accelerate, lacks swift e-braking and steering maneuvers, but can really take a pounding in the damage department. Offering easy boarding access to and from the flatbed, the rear of the truck also offers a modicum of protection if an Operator drops to a more prone position.
LTV: AKA Light Tactical Vehicle
Taking the place of the SUV from the original Verdansk is the re-tuned LTV. This workhorse of Verdansk offers a mixture of protection and speed and can be swung around tight corners with a well-timed e-brake and enough previous acceleration. It also has reasonable uphill and off-road terrain prowess for up to four Operators. You’re also guaranteed to find one at the Promenade car dealership.
Polaris RZR PRO R 4
Now wrapped in an understated but formidable matte black finish, this swift, rapid-accelerating off-road tactical RZR has light armor, but excellent handling and power across all types of terrain, with mountain goat-like agility and impressive performance, whether you’re weaving through the steep wooded tundra close to Gora Dam or weaving through the burning barricades of Downtown.
ATV: AKA All-Terrain Vehicle
The Kongo Offroad 4x4 is a two-seater all-terrain machine with almost no protection, but exceptional acceleration, top-speed, maneuverability, and off-road capabilities. Though designed for two Operators to sit back-to-back, perch a third on the front hood for an unconventional increase to your carrying capacity.
Verdansk: Circle Collapse Pacing (Launch)
“You’ve got gas closing in fast. Get to the safe zone!”
The collapsing circle of acrid gas that suffocates stragglers and forces Operators to rotate into ever-shrinking arenas performs similarly, and relentlessly, just like in the original map. Expect Loadout Drops during the second and fifth of the six circle collapses, and a wide variety of final locations to claim victory at, though “dead zones” – end-game areas which lack cover or maneuvering choices – are being minimized to lessen matches that conclude like the infamous Verdansk Stadium endgame; where it was almost impossible to extricate any teams dug in on the roof.
Map Interactive Elements (Launch, Mid-Season)
Vertical Ascenders (Launch to Mid-Season)
Verdansk returns with the two types of Ascenders you remember – Interior and Exterior – and there are distinct plans involving each:
Interior Ascenders (above): Rope or cables spanning vertical interiors, like the sluice towers of Gora Dam, the inside of the Airport Control Tower, or the Hospital elevator shafts, are accessible at launch in all modes.
Exterior Ascenders (above): Ropes up to a yellow L-shaped metal overhang attached to a deck, balcony, or rooftop exterior, are also planned for inclusion in Verdansk. Nowadays these are part of your regular maneuvering, but Exterior Ascenders were completely absent from the original game, and didn’t arrive in Verdansk until Modern Warfare 2019’s Season 5, almost five months after launch.
To maintain the classic feel of Verdansk, expect no Exterior Ascenders to be available at launch in Battle Royale, except in a few, very particular areas where a rival team could exploit the verticality of a building to reach a power position that is almost impossible to overrun. Yes, that means the Stadium will be getting Ascenders. Almost everywhere else, gameplay will be focused on other means of traversal, just as players did five years ago.
Then, as Season 03 progresses, Exterior Ascenders are scheduled to be added across Verdansk in Battle Royale modes in the same locations as you remember them.
Plunder Mode will have all External Ascenders available at the start of Season 03.
Original Train Station Interior Access (Mid-Season)
First unlocked during Modern Warfare 2019 Season 5 (August 2020), the interior of the covered footbridge, and a mezzanine shopping mall within the Train Station POI, is scheduled to open, along with a surprise or two!Original Moving Train (Mid-Season)
The Verdansk Express; a fearsome-looking train with numerous, loot-filled carriages, is reported to be heading towards the map at Mid-Season. Moving along a pre-determined path in a large circle around much of the rail lines, it can’t be controlled by Operatives… yet![[REDACTED]] Interior Access (Mid-Season)
New areas both on the surface and within subterranean [[REDACTED]] across Verdansk are being actively monitored for signs of [[REDACTED]]. Additionally, partially redacted reports of [[REDACTED]] that haven’t been seen [[REDACTED]] also tracking intel that [[REDACTED]].Additional: Quality of Life Improvements (Launch, Mid-Season)
A number of additional gameplay enhancements are coming to the game. Be sure to continue consulting the Call of Duty: Warzone Patch Notes for more information on these and other improvements.
Squad Redeploy at Buy Stations (Launch)
Got more than one Squadmate ready to get back into the action, but only a second or so to buy them back? Then select “Redeploy All” at the Buy Station, and providing you’ve got sufficient funds, all teammates can drop back into the action with a single purchase. Naturally, if you’re short on cash, you can still choose specific players (likely those with fewer skill issues) to join you back in the match.Weapon Inspect to View Attachments (Launch)
Whether you’ve just picked up a weapon from ground loot, a fallen foe, or a Loadout Drop, you can now immediately see a list of the Attachments the weapon is equipped with at any time by inspecting it. During the inspect, in the bottom-right corner of the screen displayed the icon and name of each Attachment. This feature can be toggled on or off in the Settings > Interface > Gameplay HUD Menu.
Prioritize Favorite Loadout in Gunsmith (Launch)
Now, when you’ve finished your preferred Loadout in the Call of Duty: Warzone Gunsmith, and set it to Favorite in the Loadout Options, the Loadout is prioritized and moved to the top of the list.Tac Map Zoom and Centering Settings (Launch)
New Tac-Map settings under "Map Assist" offer improved control options: Auto Zoom & Center, Auto Center, Zoom & Center Once, Center Once, and Off — giving players flexibility in how their map behaves for better navigation during a match.Detailed Death Recap Widget (Launch)
Every time you’re eliminated in a match, you’re likely to get a glimpse of your opponent and a brief HUD message regarding how they managed to defeat you. This Death Recap will be further augmented with more details showcasing gameplay elements that the attacker utilized during the fight. Current and new recaps include:
List of attackers with their name, weapon, damage and hits (this appears currently in Call of Duty: Warzone).
Affected by Live Ping: If the enemy had you pinged via line-of-sight.
Affected by UAV: If the enemy had you pinged in the minimap via a UAV, UAV Tower (if available), or Advanced UAV.
Affected by Unsuppressed Weapon: If firing your weapon revealed your location on the minimap to nearby enemies.
As the season progresses, this feature will roll out additional gameplay tracking elements, assisting you in understanding how you were felled in combat, and more importantly... how to get the upper hand in your next fight!
Updated Squad Widget (Field Upgrades) (Launch)
When playing in Duos, Trios, or Quads, it’s important to know what your teammates are carrying. Yelling questions over comms is one option. But a better plan is to quickly check the Squad Widget (the HUD in the bottom-left corner of the screen). This lists the members of your Squad, with icons showing their Armor Plates, Gas Mask, and Killstreak. Now the Field Upgrade each Operator is carrying (or a white dot if they aren’t) is displayed, allowing for at-a-glance information.Ping Duration Settings (Launch)
A new setting has been added that lets you control how long pings stay on your screen. Choose from multiple options to make pings disappear quickly or remain visible for longer.Secrets of Verdansk: Redacted Content (Launch, Mid-Season)
“You really know Verdansk inside and out!”
Between March 2020 and December 2021 when Verdansk was an active map, investigations across the combat zone began to reveal a host of hidden items, communications, and evidence, much of it hidden well away from prying eyes. Upon your return to Verdansk, it’s well worth your time checking out-of-the-way places, searching for clues, and finding [[REDACTED]] allowing you to [[REDACTED]] both old and new. With a wealth of history over the last five years, [[REDACTED]] opening up, [[REDACTED]] including tracking [[REDACTED]] than ever before!
