Skip to main content

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's integration with Warzone is getting messy

Caught in the cross-fire.

Activision's grand plan for Call of Duty involves integrating traditional games in the series with the phenomenally successful battle royale Warzone. It's an idea that in principle benefits players, with cross-game progression for soldiers, weapons and even the battle pass. But in practice it has been a messy business.

When Black Ops Cold War began its integration with Warzone, the battle royale received a raft of weapons from Treyarch's shooter for use out on the field. Players predicted weapon balance chaos and so it proved, with three weapons from Black Ops Cold War overpowering the Warzone meta over the Christmas break. Three weeks later, Warzone custodian Raven released a nerf for the DMR 14, the Type 63, the Mac-10, and dual pistols in a bid to improve the state of the game. Now that the Call of Duty community has had time to dig into the detail, many feel these nerfs do not go far enough. The dreaded DMR, it seems, is still the go-to choice.

Shooter metas change as new weapons are added, and Call of Duty is no different. But what's interesting here is this new nerf update from Raven starts the beginning of a weapon feel difference between games.

Watch on YouTube

Raven's recent tweaks to the DMR and co are exclusive to Warzone. The guns remain untouched in Black Ops Cold War multiplayer. So, Call of Duty fans who play both games now have to keep track of two separate lines of balance updates to the same set of weapons that already work differently in two separate games.

Overall, the gun integration has gone badly. Players have complained about weapon stats that don't make any sense, poor quality skins and broken damage numbers. I've mentioned the broken meta - considered by some to be the worst Call of Duty meta ever - Warzone suffered over Christmas as Black Ops Cold War's weapons took effect. Raven's nerf is in place, but established Call of Duty content creators who fuss over changes to weapon balance have revealed the ultra powerful Black Ops Cold War weapons remain ultra powerful. Call of Duty YouTuber Xclusive Ace reports in the video below that the DMR may be a little more accurate post-update, which is quite the thing.

Watch on YouTube

It's an awkward situation given Activision's cross-platform, cross-game strategy here. When you boot up either Black Ops Cold War, Warzone or Modern Warfare, you're presented with a three-pronged menu screen that gives each game a slice of the virtual real estate. It's a unified front, a message to Call of Duty fans that no matter which game you play, the ecosystem has you covered.

But season one of Black Ops Cold War and Warzone hasn't gone as smoothly as many players had hoped. Fans of Black Ops Cold War who have no interest in playing Warzone aren't thrilled at the constant in-game push towards the battle royale. Confusingly, Warzone has two AK-47s, one labelled Black Ops, the other Modern Warfare. I've mentioned the menu screen, but there's more: you have to play Warzone to unlock some Black Ops Cold War cosmetics, which is annoying if you own Black Ops Cold War and don't play Warzone.

For example, at level 30 of the season one battle pass you unlock the Bad Blood skin for Park, as well as Park's season one battle pass mission. This mission includes four objectives that, once completed, unlock two skins, an emblem and a calling card. The fourth objective requires players to play Warzone.

"Just wanted the skin at the end so I did all the challenges (multiple times because they barely even tracked) but since they don't let you see the challenges in advance I found out that I had to play an entirely different game for the one thing I wanted out of this," said redditor iceyk111.

"It's not a debilitating issue but I hate Warzone with a burning passion (no offense to any Warzone players but it's simply too slow for me) and would appreciate alternative challenges for people who don't want to switch TO AN ENTIRELY OTHER GAME!"

Speaking of the battle pass, I've already reported on how Modern Warfare deserves a next-gen update and a full-blown second year. As it stands, season six is its last, with only scraps of new content to shoot for. While Modern Warfare players can buy and level up the new season one battle pass by playing Infinity Ward's game, no new Modern Warfare content is included within it. It feels like Modern Warfare is being left behind in this new, integrated future.

Raven's decision to tune Warzone's Black Ops Cold War guns separately from Black Ops Cold War itself sparks an interesting question: should Warzone break off from the yearly Call of Duty series to become its own, entirely separate ongoing game, with its own set of operators and weapons? I can't see it happening myself, given Activision's realisation that Warzone is the ultimate shop window for new Call of Duty games. After all, the company revealed Black Ops Cold War within an in-game Warzone event.

Watch on YouTube

Perhaps more reasonable is for all Call of Duty games to be built on the same engine. Infinity Ward did wonders with 2019's Modern Warfare and Warzone. Black Ops Cold War, which runs on a different engine, feels like a step back in many respects. If the Call of Duty games were built on the same engine, weapons would in theory at least feel consistent across the various experiences. I wait with interest to see how 2021's big new Call of Duty game, no doubt an effort from Sledgehammer, tackles this issue. Do players face Warzone getting an influx of new guns from yet another new game in just 10 months' time? If so, will Black Ops Cold War be left behind after just one year, as Modern Warfare has?

Activision presents Call of Duty as an open church, but it's clear that at this early stage in the new way, there are more than a few loose ends. Meanwhile, players of each game - Black Ops Cold War, Warzone and Modern Warfare - feel like their favourite would do better as a lone wolf.

Read this next

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com