Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2added several unique game modes to its paid multiplayer suite in 2022, including Prisoner Escape, Third-Person Moshpit, Invasion, and Raids. These new modes fit nicely into the rotation and create a welcome alternative to the traditional Team Deathmatch or Domination. However, one ofModern Warfare 2’s most intriguing new modes came in the highly-anticipated DMZ, which paints an exciting future for the franchise. Despite DMZ’s flaws, it should serve as the baseline for allCall of Dutycontent moving forward.
DMZ and theBattle Royale juggernautWarzone 2.0are similar on paper, as both are free-to-play with a large, sprawling map full of PvP and PvE encounters. In reality, they play very differently, as DMZ is more focused on PvE and completing missions to progress with various factions. Alternatively,Warzone 2.0is more focused on PvP and surviving to be the last player or last squad standing. DMZ’s main appeal is in the high-risk, high-reward of its extraction genre. Whereas most newCall of Dutycontent serves as mere distractions, players can dive deep into DMZ and dedicate themselves to it.
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How DMZ Should Influence Future Content
TheCall of Dutyfranchise hasn’t exactly shied away from its inspiration from other games in the past, andModern Warfare 2is no exception. In DMZ, 22 teams of three must explore a large map to gather loot and complete objectives, then extract to secure the loot for their personal stash. While DMZ doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel for extraction games, it does offer a low barrier of entry and plenty of content to keep players engaged for weeks, if not months on end. The systems in place for DMZ keep the mode fairly high-stakes while giving more casual players some leeway with its freedom of choice.
Most content that ends up being added toCall of Dutyare multiplayer maps and modes, along withbattle passes and new cosmetics to unlock. These certainly give things for players to do, but they are ultimately fairly shallow experiences. DMZ adds considerably more to do within each match, as the world of Al Mazrah is absolutely packed with objectives, threats, and other players to encounter. The missions players choose also make each encounter with other players feel risky and intense, as players lose all their loot if they die, potentially causing them to restart progress on some missions.
The risk of each DMZ match starts with the weapons and equipment players choose to bring into the map. Once in a match, they can decide how aggressive or passive they’d like to be. They can gather a little loot, pick up a few weapons, and extract within the first few minutes. Or, they can engage hostileStrongholds, hunt enemy squads, and battle for rare loot around the map. The sheer amount of things to do while playing DMZ is impressive, even if there’s not much to do after players extract. Between matches players can choose their loadout and which missions they’d like to tackle next.
Besides multiplayer updates and seasonal content,DMZ could have a broader influence on futureCall of Dutytitles. Recently, leaks emerged from a canceled open-world version of theBlack Ops 3campaign, which sparked discussions about switching up the structure for futureCall of Dutycampaigns. If the franchise were to move to open-world, developers could draw inspiration from DMZ for creating different objectives and enemy bases within a large environment. An open-worldCall of Dutycould combine the series' signature blockbuster action withMW2’sadvancements in AI while offering the freedom of choice seen in DMZ.
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DMZ Provides Approachability and Promise
In a genre that is typically reserved for a more hardcore audience,Call of Duty’sapproachability and tight gunplay are what help DMZ stand out from the rest. Other popularextraction games likeEscape from Tarkov,Marauders, andHunt: Showdownall have slower gameplay with long animations and deeper economy systems that create a more punishing experience. The main path for progression in DMZ comes from the missions chosen before a match, which challenge players to complete tasks like extracting five of a particular item, visiting six different locations, or repairing five vehicles.
Since DMZ launched in beta, there is plenty of room for improvement and the mode is sure to evolve and expand over time. In its first couple of months, there have already been several tweaks, additions, and minor updates to DMZ, with the biggest being Building 21. This is a separate area from the regular Al Mazrah map that’s highly dangerous and competitive.Building 21 has some of the best loot and toughest enemies in all of DMZ, making it a true challenge for even the best players.
The addition of Building 21 brings the tension of DMZ to a whole new level and provides an additional goal for players to strive toward. If DMZ were to continue adding new locations and upping the challenge, the potential could be endless. Offering tougher challenges is one of the best ways to keep a game’s active players engaged.MMOs likeFinal Fantasy 14do this by coming out with new dungeons, higher level caps, etc. Many games will also unlock harder difficulties after beating their campaign, and some will even add hardcore modes post-launch that introduce punishing features like having to restart the game if the player dies.
Possibly the biggest area for improvement for DMZ comes in its economy. Since the money and the majority of the loot extracted in DMZ get converted to XP, there are no vendors and no real economy. The mode’s tension and depth could be heightened further by allowing players to keep cash, which they could use to purchase keys, weapons, or equipment. Despite this, DMZ offers players experiences that are far more cinematic and high-stakes thantraditionalCall of Dutymultiplayermatches.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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