It's undeniable that Verdansk has injected new vitality into Call of Duty: Warzone, arriving just when the game needed it most. The online community had previously labeled Activision's now five-year-old battle royale as "cooked," but the nostalgia-infused return of Verdansk has shifted opinions dramatically. Now, the consensus is clear: Warzone is "back." Even though Activision did, in fact, nuke Verdansk in the past, this seems to be of little consequence. Both returning players, who remember Warzone fondly as their lockdown entertainment, and those who have remained loyal throughout the game's evolution over the past five years, agree that Warzone is now more enjoyable than it has been since its explosive debut in 2020.
This return to a more fundamental gameplay experience was a strategic choice by the developers at Raven and Beenox. Pete Actipis, the game director at Raven, and Etienne Pouliot, the creative director at Beenox, spearheaded the multi-studio effort to rejuvenate Warzone. In an extensive interview with IGN, the duo delved into their approach to reviving the game, discussed the triumph of Verdansk’s Casual mode, and considered whether they should have restricted operator skins to mil-sim styles for a more authentic 2020 vibe. They also addressed the pivotal question on everyone's mind: Is Verdansk here to stay?
Read on to uncover the full story.
