The gulag
1v1 in the Gulag will return with the launch of Season 2. With this change, players will see the return of Warzone’s original overtime mechanic, the Domination-style flag checkpoint, in place of the Jailer .
In order to apply this change online more quickly, we have changed the Season 1 Gulag to improve 1v1 combat, but we are actively working on creating a dedicated 1v1 map for future seasons.
We’ve also made some logistical changes to the Gulag experience. Floor loot has been changed as well as the gear players will spawn with. We’ve updated the weapon stock to include assault rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns as primary weapons as circles progress. Shotguns have been removed from rotation, while handguns will remain available as secondary weapons.
For those who leave the arena victorious, the Gulag will grant players a greater financial reward. This financial change will allow players who redeploy to get back on their feet a little faster.
In addition to the increased financial rewards for kills mentioned in the previous section, the Gulag now generates money as floor loot to incentivize and reward players for prowling the arena.
money management
In addition to the Gulag changes, we are balancing money management in the Battle Royale by slightly reducing the financial rewards for completing Contracts. Additionally, we are increasing the minimum value of cash stacks from floor loot to $800 and cash registers to $500 (previously $100 minimum).
Additionally, Silver can be obtained through floor loot, containers, and Supply Crates from White Fortresses in Al Mazrah, but can no longer be found in Basic and Legendary Supply Crates.
This redistribution should allow for faster and more consistent play in finding resources.
Loot and Inventory
As we announced last week, we are moving away from loot windows/menus in favor of floating loot which will now be dropped into all containers in the world, similar to loot drops from Supply Crates.
This change is intended to improve the pace of the game by minimizing time spent navigating the UI and allowing players to get back into the action faster.
We were pleased to see that the new backpack system allows players to customize their inventory to suit their playstyle or squad role. As part of our ongoing efforts to balance combat, medium/large backpacks will no longer be available and eliminated players will drop floor loot instead of loot-filled backpacks. Each player will have the same backpack throughout the game, reducing the impact of stacking medical supplies, equipment, and killstreaks. We’ll continue to take your feedback into account and provide updates that make the loot experience easier for everyone.
Equipment
Gear has always been a central part of Warzone’s Battle Royale, and something we pay close attention to. The changes players saw with the launch of Warzone 2.0 and since have been made with the aim of providing a satisfying personal and team-based experience, while keeping gameplay challenging. As a result, we’re making new changes to how players acquire some or all of their gear.
Season 2 will introduce customizable Perk Packs! This feature will launch with a slightly reduced number of perks available, which we may slowly reintroduce over time. We want to walk you through this particular feature carefully, making sure that all perks available are useful enough and remain viable/balanced options.
Primary weapons will continue to be available at Supply Stations, but at a more affordable price, so players can achieve victory with the weapons they most desire. We’re also happy with the introduction of Tactical Drop Markers, after carefully reviewing their pricing. The price of Tactical Drop Markers has been reduced slightly so that squads can acquire their full loadouts faster. It is also possible, on very rare occasions, for players to find some in Al Mazrah loot. A second Public Gear Drop event has been added, meaning drops will now occur during the first and fifth circles of each game.
Additional changes…
3 plate vests
We are constantly evaluating the pacing of battles and have decided to make a change: all players will now start with a 3-plate vest. Vests of different sizes will no longer exist in loot in Battle Royale. This normalization will bring greater reliability to every fight from the start. We will continue to look at data related to optimizing downtime and improving the ability to recover after a fight.
Displacements
We’ve made a significant movement change that should yield better results for players in combat. Starting in Season 2, players will be able to kick down doors while placing their armor plates as if they were sprinting. This change includes a slight increase in movement speed by placing armor plates to allow players to get into cover more quickly when needed.
Refueling stations
In order to make refueling stations and their goods easier to access, we have revised our approach. Spawn locations have been added/adjusted, spawns will be static on the map, and Tactical Drop Markers have unlimited supply at all stations. As always, we will continue to monitor the overall balance of our financial economy and the availability of resources as we move forward.
Strongholds
Strongholds provide an alternative game experience with high payouts for those willing to tackle the objective (and for those willing to rob players of their rewards). We are committed to providing balanced combat for players who choose to enter Strongholds. Season 2 will bring changes to the rewards players receive when completing a Stronghold or Blacksite, as well as additional adjustments to the damage the AI deals to fighters.