The Call of Duty: Warzone nuke event was a major topic of discussion for several months, but back in April, fans saw Verdansk change forever. Overrun with Zombies, there was no choice but to call in a nuke, containing the outbreak before it could spread outside the country. As a result, the modern-day version of Verdansk was gone for good, with the undead hordes that roamed the country being taken down along with it.
Since the nuke event took place, Call of Duty: Warzone fans have been fighting through Verdansk 84. With time rewound back to the 1980s, there are no undead in sight, with gamers seeing a more vibrant version of Verdansk from long before the outbreak. However, while the Zombies may be gone for now, players should not expect them to say gone forever. Raven Software has several options if and when it brings them back, and with each option making sense, it seems more likely than not that gamers will be battling the walking corpses again someday.
Option #1: The Return Of Call of Duty: Warzone’s Zombie Royale Mode
The first option for the return of Zombies would see one of Call of Duty: Warzone’s playlists returning. Zombie Royale debuted in October of last year, and when the mode came, it immediately captured the attention of players due to its unique premise. Once killed, Call of Duty: Warzone players would transform into Zombies, forced to search for vials that contain a cure which can bring them back to life. Vials were secured by killing opponents, meaning that survivors had to deal with other human NPCs as well as countless Zombies.
Playing as Zombies was especially entertaining, as the undead had unique abilities that helped give them a fighting chance against human players with long-range guns. Massive jumps allowed Zombies to fly through the sky, closing distance fast and getting on top of rooftops to ruin vantage points. An EMP blast allowed vehicles to be stopped and enemies to be stunned, while a gas grenade weakened and slowed opponents. A fast run speed, hard-hitting melee attack, and outlined enemies made hunting a lot of fun.
With over a hundred Zombies closing in on survivors at the end of the match, Zombies royale was fun for both winners and losers. Unfortunately, it was a limited time mode, meaning that it has not been seen for seven months. A variant of the mode did return for part one Call of Duty: Warzone’s nuke event, though it lacked the vials feature and was built around the ending cinematic. Still, this mode was popular, making a return a viable option for a Zombies comeback. In fact, the perfect time for the return of Zombies Royale is not too far off.
Option #2: A Perfect Fit For Call of Duty: Warzone’s Haunting Of Verdansk Event
The Haunting of Verdansk event is where Zombies Royale made its debut, making it a solid option for a comeback. However, that is not all that could be done with the second coming of the Halloween event. Likely to kick off in October, players should expect to see plenty of horrifying sights around the map. From ghosts floating in windows to the victims of Leatherface and Jigsaw, plenty of the same frights could return. However, players should also expect to see some Zombies lurking throughout the map.
In the lead-up to the nuke event, Zombies slowly overtook Verdansk, spreading from one location to the next as time went on. Starting at the Vodyanoy shipwreck, the undead moved to the Gulag before taking over the Bank, Dam, Superstore, and Gas Station of the map. This same method could be used to make the nighttime version of Verdansk 84 feel more alive, with players finding more and more Zombies as the days and weeks pass. However, Raven could take a different approach to its use of Zombies in Haunting of Verdansk 2021.
While Zombies could still haunt the map, they could be treated like the jumpscare crates from the event’s previous appearance. On rare occasions, players could find a Zombie lurking around a corner, jumping them out of nowhere. From bathrooms in Promenade to cellars in the Farmland, single Zombies could be hiding out. While killing them could drop special pieces of loot, the more natural scares they could bring would be a lot of fun. While Call of Duty: Warzone’s guest character roster will likely grow larger during this event, Zombies may end up stealing the show once Haunting of Verdansk returns.
Option #3: Playing A Role In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s New Warzone Map
However, the biggest reason Zombies will likely return in Call of Duty: Warzone is because they are integral to the modern-day story. Like it or not, there is no changing the fact that they undead were the reason Verdansk was destroyed. This means that Zombies do exist in the Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare universe. As such, while players may be in the 1980s now, they are expected to come back to the modern day with Call of Duty 2022. If this does happen, then the Zombies will likely need to be addressed.
With a new Call of Duty: Warzone map supposedly coming in 2022, the same year that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is expected to release, it seems fitting that the Zombies return as well. Just like Verdansk 84, they could usher in the new map, setting the stage for the major change. They could also feature in small easter eggs or even be the cause for the new map’s destruction, with history repeating itself and a nuke being dropped once again. There is no shortage of options when it comes to giving the Zombies a purpose, and the 2022 map may even find a way to keep them around permanently.
With the Blackout mode’s use of Zombies back in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 proving popular with fans, something similar may happen in 2022. The new map could feature PvE enemies scattered throughout certain zones, making permanent homes in certain parts of the map. These areas could offer more risks and more rewards, giving them a different feel than other points of interest. With other battle royale modes like Fortnite doing PvE and PvP well, Call of Duty: Warzone could aim to the same. Regardless of which path is taken, though, Zombies seem poised to return. With story significance, a popular playlist, and a Halloween event all serving as gateways for a comeback, fans should not be shocked if they see more glowing eyes in Call of Duty: Warzone one day.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.