Call of Duty has made one final move to try to bring back players to their Battle Royale game, by re-introducing the fan-favorite map of Verdansk to Warzone. Back in 2020, just before the Covid pandemic hit, Verdansk was introduced to gamers and quickly became legendary for both new and old players of COD. As the world plunged into chaos, Verdansk provided gamers with a place to make memories and interact with their friends while the world was in shutdown.
The initial success of Warzone and Verdansk was remarkable, with the map quickly achieving cult status and facilitating amazing moments for players, iconic locations, and incredible gunfights.
Fast forward five years, and Warzone has undergone countless changes, new maps and a consistently dropping player count. Alongside numerous core gameplay changes, updated mechanics and various changes to elements such as looting, backpack systems and vehicles, many think that Warzone lost its original charm and character over the past half a decade.
Now in 2025 and the release of Warzone Season 3, we have the return of Verdansk and with it, one final throw of the dice by COD to bring players back – but has it done enough?
Back to Basics
With the return of Verdansk, Warzone has reverted to its original features in almost every element of gameplay. Loot is floating again, original vehicles have returned, the backpack system is gone, and original contracts (including the contract multiplier) are back.
In essence, Warzone has returned to the basic Battle Royale experience it once was. Redeploy balloons, numerous ziplines, and gulag tokens have been removed, making deaths and tactics more crucial than ever. Squads no longer have the luxury of zooming around the map without fear of being eliminated, as they did with the 3x gulag tokens. Player rotations and movements now require more tactical planning.
Vehicles are now more usable and enjoyable. Those viral moments from five years ago, such as RPG-ing a truck from a helicopter, can be experienced again. The overall flow of the game seems to be more in line with the original experience, with initial panic looting, quiet moments for chatting with your team, and chaotic final circles.
Gulag and Guns
Another significant change is the return of the original gulag showers, a beloved feature among players. The original gulag was groundbreaking and gave players the chance to return to the action after death. Subsequent gulag designs failed to live up to the hype and contributed to player dissatisfaction.
The guns, a pivotal part of Warzone, have also undergone a notable shake-up with Verdansk’s return. Old assault rifle favorites like the Amax, Grau, and Kilo have made a comeback, along with the one-shot headshot sniper HDR. These weapons have quickly become meta due to their stats and nostalgia, pushing them to the forefront of players’ minds.
This shift in gun play has resulted in a more realistic and strategic approach in Verdansk, with gunfights feeling methodical and tactical, and a wider variety of guns to choose from.
Is Warzone Back?
It’s unlikely that Warzone will ever reach the same levels of popularity and player count as it did in 2020. Part of this can be attributed to the pandemic, where people had more time to play. However, Activision also did not anticipate such a significant drop-off in players over the following years.
Warzone has returned to its basic roots, offering a more grounded and tactical Battle Royale experience. Once the initial nostalgia wears off, it will be interesting to see how players respond to the changes implemented in Warzone and whether it will be enough to keep players parachuting back in to Verdansk.
