The original Call of Duty: Warzone experience returns at the start of Season 3 with the arrival of Verdansk, the map that marked the launch of the franchise’s Battle Royale.
Now rebuilt from the ground up, the map aims to preserve its original identity while implementing quality-of-life improvements. Verdansk will be available starting April 3 at 9AM, one day after the launch of Black Ops 6 Season 3 on April 2.
Verdansk Fully Rebuilt
The new version of the map has been reconstructed to provide a balanced experience between immersion, improved movement, and gameplay faithful to the original Call of Duty: Warzone version.
Familiar, Enhanced, and Improved
The Verdansk experience in Season 3 is divided into three categories:
- Familiar: Most structures, roads, and scenery are a faithful recreation of the original map, preserving approximately 95% of the playable area.
- Enhanced: Some structures have been slightly revised with beneficial adjustments while maintaining the essence of the 2020 version.
- Improved: New elements have been added in certain areas to enhance the player experience without altering the map’s original combat flow.
Gameplay Highlights
The return of Verdansk brings back familiar mechanics and gameplay elements, blending classic features with modern additions from Call of Duty: Warzone.
- Refined movement: Adjustments have been made to bring movement closer to the experience from the early days of the game.
- Classic match structure: 150-player lobbies, original announcer, mid-air shooting, and classic infiltration cinematics.
- Classic loot mechanics: Original supply crates, floating loot, and traditional Buy Station menus return alongside current Loadouts and Perks.
- Iconic vehicles: Helicopters and four ground vehicles are back, retaining the driving mechanics and feel of the original version.
- Gas circle dynamics: The gas closure system follows the same format from five years ago, with Loadout Drops occurring in the second and fifth circles. "Dead zones" have been minimized for a more dynamic late-game experience.
Season 3 Additions
Beyond Verdansk’s return, Call of Duty: Warzone Season 3 will introduce new modes and events:
- Game modes: 150-player Battle Royale, Plunder, and mid-season ranked matches in Verdansk. A new casual Battle Royale mode will allow 28 players to face up to 120 bots before jumping into main matches.
- "Return to Verdansk" launch event: Players can earn free rewards, including two Modern Warfare 2019 operators, the Kali Sticks, a themed outfit for Caine, and other cosmetic items.
- New free weapons: The Kilo 141 assault rifle (available upon downloading and launching the game), the CR-56 AMAX rifle, and the HDR sniper rifle will be obtainable throughout the season.
More details on the new Verdansk, including a full map tour and an atlas, can be found in the game’s official materials.
