One of the worst kept secrets in gaming was finally confirmed after months of rumors and speculation. Activision and Infinity Ward confirmed that Call of Duty: Warzone is the Battle Royale mode that leaked months ago, putting it in direct competition with other major Battle Royale games like Apex Legends and Fortnite. Like those games, Warzone is also a free to play title, though many fans began wondering what that means for the subscription based services like PlayStation Plus.
Following the announcement, confirmation from each of the major platforms regarding subscriptions quickly followed. When Call of Duty: Warzone kicks off tomorrow, PlayStation 4 users can immediately jump in for free, even those without an active PlayStation Plus subscription. However, players who currently have PlayStation Plus will get a special bonus in the form of a free Combat Pack from the PlayStation Store. Unfortunately, it isn't known what's included in the pack, though more information is to come on launch day.
The news isn't quite as good for everyone else however. While the Combat Pack is a timed exclusive until October 1, 2020, Xbox One and PC users can't just hop on right away. Xbox One players will need an active Gold or Game Pass Ultimate subscription in order to jump in. On the other side, PC players have it a little easier, though they'll still need an active Battle.net account in order to access the new Battle Royale on the Blizzard desktop app.
Once in, 150 players will join up and drop in to the Verdansk map in groups of three to see who can stay alive. As expected, players can loot and scavenge for items though cash can also be found and used to nab equipment, field upgrades, and more. Contracts can also be fulfilled during a round to earn more cash and rewards, while a special 1v1 Gulag mode grants a respawn to the victor after being knocked out for the first time.
While Activision is attempting to get in on the lucrative free to play Battle Royale scene with Warzone, it's also attempting to lure players who may not enjoy that style of game with its other free to play mode called Plunder. In this mode, players can respawn as many times as needed, which will likely push players to take more risks. Take out opponents, loot, hold key locations, and complete contracts to collect cash with the first team to reach $1 million declared the winner.
Call of Duty: Warzone launches on March 10 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: PlayStation Blog; Activision Blog