Call of Duty: Warzone, like other battle royale games, is constantly evolving. One of the ways that the game changes on a consistent basis is through its playlists, with Raven Software making weekly adjustments to the lineup - though this does not always go over well with Call of Duty: Warzone fans.
The most recent example of fan outrage due to playlist changes came directly from Call of Duty: Warzone streamers, as the well-received Vanguard Royale playlists were completely removed from the game. However, this is just one of many times where the community has voiced concerns about playlist changes. In the past, Plunder has been removed, something that has infuriated gamers. Likewise, the removal of the challenging Iron Trials 84 game mode let to some controversy.
With Call of Duty: Warzone players regularly sharing their disappointment with playlist changes, developer Raven Software has gone out of its way to clarify why the changes are made. The studio’s decision-making process for playlists was highlighted in a special blog post, with the post being informative and providing a clear idea of the developer’s logic. Split into several sections, the breakdown is as thorough as it can possibly be, and fans should be glad to have insight into the selection process.
After explaining that it is hard to balance different squad sizes and the 20 different modes that have appeared in the game, the section called “Player Motivations” begins. Here, Raven Software discusses how an objective-based player may like Payload as much as they enjoy Plunder, so it is okay to swap the two out from time to time. According to Raven, it is constantly monitoring playlist success and data. The next section, “Surprise and Engage,” essentially says that the game would get stale if it was only regular battle royale and normal Plunder playlists year-round. While many do love the default playlists, it is hard to argue against the idea that the game would start to feel old if they were the only options.
The “Squad Sizes” section sees the developer discussing how it always aims to have a playlist option for fans of solos, duos, trios, and quads. Finally, the “Communication” section highlights how player voices are important in choosing playlists. The developer also mentions that it has shifted to announcing playlists a few weeks ahead of time to give regular players and Call of Duty: Warzone pros time to plan ahead.
Overall, the blog post is an interesting read, especially for those confused by some of the changes made in the past. With new playlists added yesterday, more coming on February 10, and Call of Duty: Warzone Season 2 beginning on February 14, there will be plenty of changes made to the game soon.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: Raven Software