Everything we know about Season 2 of COD: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific
Call of Duty has been topping headlines lately following the announcement that Microsoft is purchasing the title’s publisher, Activision Blizzard, for a record-breaking $70 billion price tag. While most of the speculation surrounding the game has been about whether the franchise will eventually become Xbox exclusive, there’s still plenty to postulate with regards to the game’s current state as Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific’s Season 2 launch peeks over the horizon.
Shortly after the announcement of the acquisition, the developers behind Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific delayed the upcoming Season 2 content to give them more time to work out some of the games’ instability issues. After a series of patches, many of those issues have been smoothed over (though there’s plenty more still to work out), and everybody is turning their eyes toward Season 2 while wondering what changes it will bring.
Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 2 release date
Source: Activision
Call of Duty: Vanguard Season 2 multiplayer changes
Source: Activision
Granted, the new Ranked multiplayer mode will still be in beta at launch, but players for the first time will have the opportunity to challenge their skills with Call of Duty League-approved rulesets and visible Skill Ratings. The game mode is a joint effort between Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games with more information being released via a dedicated broadcast from the Call of Duty League and Treyarch coming at a later date.
Source: Activision
In addition to Casablanca, players will also get a second medium-sized, three-lane map titled Gondola. Gondola will provide longer sightlines along the path where an actual gondola travels above a gulch and fire watchtower, but players will want to be mindful of the abrupt stop that hovers above a cliff. The map also includes a power plant and caves for those who fancy getting up close and personal with their combat. Both Casablanca and Gondola will be available at launch of Season 2.
Source: Activision
Source: Activision
Early speculation about Season 2 had fans hopeful that the classic game mode Ground War would be making its return to the franchise for the first time since 2019’s Modern Warfare remake. However, it appears that early teases for a larger game mode that included armored war machines were pointing toward the return of Arms Race, not Ground War. Players would be forgiven for not making the connection with this long-lost game mode, as it has only previously appeared as a temporary mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Details on Arms Race and the armored war machines intended to go along with it were scarce, though it is expected to drop mid-season.
Source: Activision
Call of Duty: Vanguard zombies changes
Source: Activision
Players will be able to hop through gateways to visit arenas, much like in Der Anfang, with one portal actually leading to the Dark Aether itself. Survive enough rounds in Der Anfang or Terra Maledicta, and you will eventually come across the newest supernatural villain for Zombies, Zaballa the Deceiver. Players will need to be cunning to survive the face-changing trickster who has the ability to hover away from Operators and cause electrical eruptions from underground. If that doesn’t sound challenging enough, Zaballa is also resistant to many forms of attack, so plan your assault wisely.
Source: Activision
Two new wonder weapons will also be joining the armory for Call of Duty: Vanguard zombies players. Players can unearth the Decimator Shield while exploring Terra Maledicta, an all-new wonder weapon that provides protection as well as the Decimation Blast ability. Longtime fans of classic Call of Duty zombies modes will instantly recognize the second weapon, the much-loved and oft-fought-over Ray gun. The ray gun can be found in the mystery box or dropped as lucky loot during zombies matches.
Source: Activision
A story quest will also be added alongside the Objective where players will unlock a series of narrative events via special tasks in their attempt to locate the missing page from the Tome of Rituals. Easter eggs will also be returning to Vanguard Zombies by paying homage to “Origins,” a classic map from Black Ops II. Players will need to pick up a shovel and get to digging if they’re going to discover all of what Terra Maledicta is hiding beneath the sand.
Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific Season 2 battle royale changes
Source: Activision
Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific’s development studio, Raven Software, has been the central battleground for unionization efforts by employees following a seven-week strike and the failure of leadership to formally recognize the union that had been formed during that time. Prior to releasing details for Season 2, the studio has attempted to make good on promises of better transparency by recently detailing the process of deciding playlist rotations.
Source: Activision
Players will start with their own custom loadouts which can contain weapons from any of the last three Call of Duty titles — 2019’s Modern Warfare, 2020’s Black Ops Cold War, and 2021’s Vanguard — as well as one field upgrade. Much like traditional Deathmatch modes, the two teams compete to reach a set goal for kills first; however different power-ups like Contracts and Buy Stations, as well as High Value Target events, Double Point zones, and Bonus Point crates can shake up the outcome of any match at any time.
Source: Activision
Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific’s Season 2 update will bring a large collection of changes to Caldera, including two new points of interest and new ways for players to traverse the Pacific island’s terrain. A factory previously producing phosphate between the Mines and Docks has now been repurposed and is spewing out Nebula V, the toxic gas that engulfs players as the circle collapses. While players may recognize most of the factory’s floorplan, there are a few new surprises waiting for them such as enemy soldiers protecting the facility and tramp in the central building just waiting for an unexpecting squad to pass by. The loot that can be found inside of the dangerous facility could be worth it, however, as it is more valuable on average.
Source: Activision
Nebula V ammo and bombs are in extremely limited supply around Caldera. While the ammunition is no stronger than regular bullets picked up, it does have the additional benefit of causing a player who is downed by them to emit a toxic gas cloud. Should anybody dare get close to the downed Operator they will experience complications similar to circle collapse: coughing, blurred vision, and damage over time to either the player or their gas mask.
Source: Activision
With all these new Nebula V threats, players may be wondering whether there is anywhere safe from the toxic gas taking over Caldera. Portable Decontamination Stations will be made available as field equipment that can be found on the map. These portable devices will filter the air around Operators for several seconds, providing some respite from Nebula V ammo, bombs, and the circle collapse. They’re not without risk, however, as all Operators are alerted to the location of one via their tac map when it is activated.
Source: Activision
Players can take to the skies in the new aerial vehicle that will be added to Vanguard modes of Warzone Pacific. The Bomber is a chunky air-to-ground striker that is deadly to infantry as well as vehicles. Uniquely, Bombers will also have the ability to destroy loadout drops, a hardcore play that can massively change the tide of a match. Even Anti-Air-Guns are at risk of being pummeled by Bombers, but there is one weakness: Fighter Planes. As strong as the bomber is, it and the fighter plane both will see health decreases as part of the Warzone Pacific update following player feedback.
Source: Activision
As dense as these changes are, they’re just the start to plans for Season 2. Raven Software has teased that players should expect “substantial changes” to the prison island closer to the mid-season update. Other quality of life changes are being implemented, as well, such as gas mask animations no longer interrupting Operators who are aiming down sites. More details and patch notes for Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific and Call of Duty: Vanguard are expected as the Season 2 launch closes in.
Call of Duty Points
While a portion of Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific’s Season 2 content will be available to players for free, a large part will be locked behind the Battle Pass paywall. Pick up 2,400 COD Points to purchase the Battle Pass bundle for tier skips and to access all of what Season 2 has to offer.
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