Welcome to Warzone!

The free-to-play and cross platform experience, Call of Duty: Warzone, is available to download now, for free. You do not need to own the full version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to download, play and enjoy Warzone. Call of Duty: Warzone is free for everyone. 

Warzone is a massive combat arena, set in the expansive and dense city of Verdansk, where up to 150 players will battle for victory, across two distinct epic modes of play, Battle Royale and Plunder.

How to Get Warzone 

For owners of the full version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Warzone will replace the previously named ‘Classified’ panel in the Main Menu. A one-time early access will give Modern Warfare owners the ability to download Warzone at 8AM PDT. For Modern Warfare owners who are current and have the most recent title updates, the download will be a 18-22GB. Once download is complete, Modern Warfare owners will “unlock” the Warzone panel, which was previously classified, and can enter the lobby and play.

The rollout has started. Expect your game to update shortly. 

For non-owners of the full version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Warzone will be available to download free in respective first-party stores starting as early as 12 PM PDT. Head to the store and search for ‘Warzone.’ Choose Call of Duty: Warzone to download. Warzone is a 80-101GB download for new, free-to-play users. Download could take up to several hours depending on bandwidth, service provider, additional regional factors and will vary by platform. The full version of Call of Duty:Modern Warfare is not required to play Warzone.  

For more in-depth information on downloading, read our detailed download article. 

Warzone Orientation: Combat Training

When you first enter the Warzone lobby, you’ll have to demonstrate you’re fit for battle by completing Warzone Orientation. This training goes over specific mechanics all players will need to know to put their best boot forward in Warzone. Completing orientation rewards you with an Operator skin for Domino (playable character). 

Warzone Orientation details Call of Duty: Modern Warfare basics like movement, firing, equipping weapons, switching weapons, and mounting your weapon. Plus, you’ll learn Warzone fundamentals like pinging; picking up, dropping, and using inventory items like Armor Plates; activating and completing in-match Contracts; collecting and using in-match currency; using Buy Stations to purchase items like Redeploy Tokens and Killstreaks with in-match currency; and more. 

After Warzone Orientation is complete, players can participate in optional “live fire exercises.” This is a match of Warzone Battle Royale played with all bots instead of public matchmaking, so you can better get the lay of the land, a feel for certain weapons, and mastery over mechanics. 

In addition to the Warzone Orientation and Battle Royale Practice, all players can get additional information, tips, and more from the comprehensive Official Warzone Strategy Guide. 

This Official Warzone Strategy Guide is available online and completely free. The guide features extensive overviews of all the mechanics of Warzone, a complete interactive atlas of the Warzone map with zone insights, deep dives on both modes, more than 250 tips, and more. Plus, it will be updated regularly with new content. 

Pre-Match Preparation: Operators and Loadouts

Before entering your first Warzone match you must choose an Operator (a playable character), then at Rank 4 you will be able to craft your own personalized loadout.

Operators can be chosen from one of two factions: Allegiance or Coalition. Each faction has a default Operator that you can play with before unlocking additional Operators. Operators can be acquired through the Battle Pass system, Store, or through completing in-game tasks, like the Warzone Orientation. Once you’ve chosen your Operator, go to the weapons tab to craft your loadout. 

Loadouts are an essential part of Warzone, allowing you to customize your setup that best suits your style of gameplay, particularly in the Plunder game mode where you start the match with your loadout. Remember, you are given default Loadouts until Rank 4 is reached when the ability to create your own loadouts is unlocked. 

Choose your weapon, then further customize it in Gunsmith. In Gunsmith, you can equip a myriad of attachments which change the look and capabilities of a weapon. Level up your weapon to unlock more attachments and equip them. In addition to Gunsmith, players can use weapon blueprints - customized weapons that are crafted to cater to a specific playstyle. Blueprints range from Common to Legendary which indicate the rarity of the blueprint in respect to a particular playstyle. Blueprints can be acquired by completing challenges, through the Battle Pass system, or from the Store. Using blueprints allows you to enjoy the benefits of certain attachments even if you’re weapon isn’t completely leveled up. 

For more information on customization and blueprints read up on these three articles:

·     Weapon Blueprints Explained

·     Loadouts Basics

·     Gunsmith

*A Note on Progression:

For players who also own the full version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, progression is completely unified with Warzone. Player XP and Weapon XP earned in Warzone carries over to Multiplayer and Special Ops game modes. In addition, any Battle Pass tiers, and content unlocked by playing or items purchased can be used in both the full version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and the free to play Warzone. Player XP, Weapon XP, and Battle Pass progression can be earned by playing Multiplayer, Special Ops, or Warzone.

There are no level caps in Warzone. This is completely free-to-play, no purchase necessary. Jump in, and play.  It’s that simple.

For free-to-play Warzone players, information on player progression including unlocking weapons through Enlisted Ranks and Seasonal Officers Ranks is outlined in our Player Progression Article.

The Two Warzone modes of play

At the launch of Warzone, players can drop into two modes: Battle Royale and Plunder. Here’s a brief overview of both alongside a few insights for success. 

Mode: Battle Royale

Win Condition: Be the last squad standing.

Team Composition: Squads of three at launch

Redeployment Mechanics: Self-revive kits which arepurchase-able with in-match currency from Buy Stations or can looted in-match; Squad Buybacks which allow you to purchase a teammate’s redeployment from Buy Stations, or The Gulag (A 1v1 deathmatch that only occurs after the first elimination; the winner is granted redeployment back into the match). 

Key Game Mechanics: Looting. Get inventory items on the ground, in Supply Boxes, from Air Drops, by completing in-match Contracts, from Buy Stations, and from killing enemy players. 

Additional Insights: Calling in a Loadout Drop gives you access to your personally crafted loadouts, plus perk benefits. 

Mode: Plunder

Win Condition: Collect more Cash than opposing teams. The first team to collect $1 Million starts a two-minute timer; the leading team after the two-minute bonus round is the winner. 

Team Composition: Squads of three at launch

Redeployment Mechanic: Respawns enabled. Respawn occurs after a set delay period which can be shortened with a Self-Revive Kit. 

Key Game Mechanics: Deposit Cash to protect it. Upon your death, a percentage of any held Cash is dropped and potentially picked up by enemy teams.

Additional Insights: Get Cash from looting, robbing banks, completing Contracts, and killing enemy players. 

Earn customization content and more through the Battle Pass System in Warzone 

The Battle Pass system features 100 tiers of content that players unlock as they play Multiplayer, Special Ops, or Warzone. The Battle Pass system contains 20 free tiers that players can earn, or players can purchase the Battle Pass or Battle Pass Bundle (includes 20 tier skips) to get access to unlock the items in all 100 tiers. 

Free-to-Play Warzone players gain access to unlock the following with the purchase of this Season’s Battle Pass:

·     Instantly grants two playable Warzone Operators - Ghost ‘Jawbone’ skin and Thorne ‘Marshland’ skin plus their respective Operator Missions to unlock more skins for each Operator.  

·     11 total Operators and 12 total Operator Missions to unlock additional skins for each Operator. This includes the two Operator Missions for the iconic Modern Warfare Operator – Ghost.

·     21 weapon blueprints (3 blueprints earned at free tiers within the Battle Pass system). These 21 blueprints include two handguns, one melee weapon, and 18 primary weapons which can be used in Warzone loadouts.

·     1300 Call of Duty Points which can be used to purchase future Battle Passes or go towards cool Store items like the Tomogunchi, a watch featuring a virtual pet that develops and grows based on how you play.

·     Finishing Moves, XP and Weapon XP Tokens, calling cards, emblems, weapon charms, and more.

Want more intel on Warzone? Read the free Official Warzone Strategy Guide which features more than 250 tips, an interactive atlas of Verdansk, loadout suggestions, and more, available now at CallofDuty.com.

Issues with downloading Warzone? Contact Activision Support here.  

For more information and the latest intel on Warzone, visit www.callofduty.comand follow @CallofDuty on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

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