Forge Your Path in Season 02 of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II and Call of Duty® Warzone™ 2.0, Launching February 15

February 08, 2023

by Call of Duty Staff

A new fast-paced Warzone 2.0 map in Ashika Island, the launch of Multiplayer Ranked Play in Modern Warfare® II, and the return of a modern-day samurai highlight the swift Resurgence coming in Season 02.

February 08, 2023

by Call of Duty Staff

FORGE YOUR PATH IN SEASON 02

Even in the face of chaos, the modern warrior walks an honorable path, one of integrity, respect, courage, honor, compassion, sincerity, and loyalty. Learning these ways of the warrior will separate the elite Operators from the rest of the pack, as the global conflict calls for a swift resurgence to an island off the coast of Japan.

Prepare to forge your path and create a legacy in Season 02 of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II and Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0, set to launch on February 15 across all platforms. In addition to a new WarzoneTM 2.0 map, which will be featured in Resurgence and DMZ game modes, this update will bring Ranked Play to Multiplayer along with four additional maps, as well as returning modes from the franchise's storied past. Expect plenty of new features across both games, including four new free functional weapons and the return of the modern samurai Daniel "Ronin" Shinoda.

Season 02 of Modern Warfare® II and Warzone™ 2.0 will launch on February 15 at 9 AM PT.

WARZONE 2.0 OVERVIEW

Welcome to Ashika Island

Resurgence gets a new front: a compact, Japanese-themed map called Ashika Island, which is roughly 30% larger than previous small maps.

Developed by High Moon Studios, Ashika Island is a centuries-old village currently under siege by Shadow Company forces. After dropping in through the mist, Operators can navigate an ancient shipwreck and ruins, modern apartments and town center, a sprawling beach club, a bustling port, an organic farm, or the fortified castle that looms over the entire island. They may even discover plenty of rooftop pathways or the underground waterway networks that can be used for stealthier maneuvers.

Learn more about Ashika Island in a deep-dive blog here.

Resurgence Mode Returns with New Map

Ashika Island is the perfect size for Resurgence, a frenetic game mode returning from the original Call of Duty®: Warzone™.

Available for all squad sizes – Solos, Duos, Trios, and Quads – within regular Playlist updates throughout the season, Resurgence allows for multiple respawns as long as one squad member is still standing.

In this mode, if a squad member is eliminated while one or more squad members are still alive, a countdown will appear beside their name. When this countdown hits zero, they will redeploy to the DZ. This countdown can be shortened by your squadmates if they perform specific in-game actions such as eliminating enemies, which incentivizes aggressive play. This countdown grows longer with each circle collapse until the final few circles — where all redeploys, save for those bought through a Buy Station — are disabled.

The last squad standing wins no matter how many redeploys they needed to stay in the match, so be prepared for a relentless battle.

New Feature: Restore Honor (Launch, Resurgence)

On Ashika Island, it takes incredible courage to return to where you once fell in battle, courage that is worthy of some valuable rewards.

Every Operator on Ashika Island will drop a dog tag upon death once per match (Resurgence), which can either be picked up by a squadmate or themselves after redeploying. Doing so grants a small Cash reward, as well as a single UAV ping that marks both enemy threats and nearby Supply Boxes.

Whether it is finding out who downed a squadmate or getting a head start on rebuilding a Loadout, choosing to Restore Honor is a solid strategy for continued survival.

New Contract: Search and Seizure (In-Season, Resurgence)

In addition to contracts originally in Battle Royale modes like Safecracker and Bounty, Ashika Island will have an additional contract — Search and Seizure — to take up for Cash and other in-match rewards. It is expected to go live in-season.

Search and Seizure involves reclaiming a stolen vehicle — either an SUV or a Patrol Boat — from Shadow Company forces somewhere on the island. After you accept the contract, the vehicle's approximate location is revealed on the minimap and as a marker in the overworld.

Operators must neutralize any Shadow Company forces guarding the vehicle, then pick up the key dropped by one of the soldiers and get the vehicle safely to its designated drop-off point. Expect heavy resistance en route to this destination, as the Shadow Company has been rumored to have their hands on some powerful hardware, ready to repel Operators venturing onto the isle…

New Public Event: Data Heist (In-Season, Resurgence)

Intel is power, especially during a Data Heist, a new exclusive Public Event on Ashika Island.

During the second circle collapse, three uplink stations will come online around the map, allowing players to download critical intel from them. In exchange for valuable in-match rewards, squads can hack into and stand near the uplink station to gain this intel, but they will face resistance from Shadow Company combatants guarding these precious machines.

Download progress can be sped up by eliminating these combatants, while other Operators can halt progress through contesting the station area directly or using a DDOS Field Upgrade.

Successfully completing a download rewards XP, Cash, and a random piece of Tactical Equipment. Squads that visit two or three uplink stations and successfully download their intel will receive increased rewards, such as a random Killstreak or even an Advanced UAV.

Additional New Features

Season 02 will include several notable changes to Warzone 2.0, including an updated Gulag that will host 1v1 duels, changes to armor plate vests and backpacks in Battle Royale, customizable Perk Packages in Loadouts, and more.

You can read more about these updates in Infinity Ward's Blog here.

In addition to these updates, a few new and returning features are also coming to the game:

Redeploy Drones (In-Season, Resurgence)

Redeploy Drones, the high-tech successor to the Redeploy Balloons you first used on Caldera, are the high-risk, high-reward way to reposition around Ashika Island, to be deployed during Season 02.

To use a Redeploy Drone, simply hook a cable up to the drone via interaction. After ascending to where the drone is hovering in the sky, an Operator will be launched in the direction they are facing, allowing them to parachute down safely to a distant location. While ascending, Operators can rotate around the cable to best position themselves for launch, and they can hip-fire weapons and detach at any point.

These new drones have a few differences compared to the Redeploy Balloons: notably, they can relocate to a safe area after a short period if they are within the circle collapse. Only a certain number of drones will reposition with each circle collapse, with all drones going out of commission after several circle collapses have occurred.

On the downside, their high-tech nature makes them easy targets for lock-on missiles, and they are too expensive for an Operator to replace. Instead, new drones will fly in after a short time if there is an available safe location to hover over.

New Combatant: Rusher (In-Season, Resurgence)

So far, AI Combatants are all about dealing damage from a distance, unless otherwise provoked to swing wildly with the butt of their gun. During Season 02, a new type of Combatant joins their ranks to fulfill that extreme close-quarters combat (CQB) role: the Rusher.

The Rusher may not have much in terms of health or armor, but what they lack in defense they make up for in increased agility and a deadly short sword. This adversary also packs a pistol in case a target is unreachable for a melee attack, as well as mini smoke bombs to use for repositioning.

Rushers are meant to be downed just as quickly as they sprint, especially in confined and indoor spaces where they are most effective. Expect them to hit the ground running in Resurgence mode, with AI only appearing under certain conditions such as during a Data Heist.

Discover the Secrets of Ashika Island

Like previous smaller-sized Warzone maps, Ashika Island has its own secrets for Operators to uncover. Use all of your senses and be curious during Resurgence matches, and you may just stumble upon some Legendary Supply Boxes or other items that can help you toward victory.

DMZ Expansion to Ashika Island, New Crown Faction

From the first missions of Al Mazrah to the uncovering of Building 21, the new DMZ experience has significantly evolved thanks to a growing community committed to building up that Contraband stash and reading every last bit of intel gathered.

In Season 02, Operators will begin their journey again with a new Exclusion Zone to infiltrate: Ashika Island.

As mentioned in Infinity Ward's blog, Season 02 will see DMZ experience its first reset, allowing all Operators to start with a clean slate while keeping all permanent content they earned in Season 01, along with their Insured Weapon Slots.

Following the reset, a new faction known as Crown, available to Modern Warfare II owners, will add additional intrigue alongside a refresh of familiar missions and their rewards, granting Operators new permanent unlocks like Operator Skins and Weapon Blueprints as well as Contraband.

Operators will be able to complete missions either back in Al Mazrah, within Building 21 if they have keycard access, or by infiltrating Ashika Island. This new map will be central to the experience's continued narrative, and other new features like Boss Hideouts to test even the most seasoned Operators.

New Boss – Bombmaker – and Weapons Case on Ashika Island

The one who rules over Ashika Island knows how Operators will infiltrate the Exclusion Zone and will be more than prepared to defend his domain by any means necessary.

The Bombmaker's location is currently unknown, but Operators will be able to find him somewhere on Ashika Island. He holds a new Weapons Case for Season 02, which contains all-new permanent rewards for Operators to flaunt within and outside of DMZ.

Note: Al Mazrah and Building 21's Weapons Cases will remain the same for Season 02, so be sure to grab those too if you have not extracted all 13 of those rewards.

More information on DMZ, including how to access Building 21, is detailed in Infinity Ward's blog here.

Points of Interest Updates in Al Mazrah

Intel from Al Mazrah indicate that a downed aircraft has been spotted north of Sa’id City, with plumes of thick, black smoke visible from the summit above the Sattiq Caves Complex. Elsewhere, enemy reinforcements have [[REDACTED]], resulting in a subterranean [[REDACTED]] between multiple points of interest in the North. Also, we are confirming reports of [[REDACTED]] being recommissioned, and ready for passengers on the main [[REDACTED]] in the region.

Given the amount of existing reconnaissance in this release, this intel will be declassified as part of a Tactical Overview to be released tomorrow.

MODERN WARFARE II OVERVIEW

Get Ready for Ranked Play

Those who claim to be the best in Modern Warfare II Multiplayer will have to prove it in Ranked Play, a new Multiplayer experience built in collaboration with Treyarch and the Call of Duty League.

This feature-packed, stand-alone competitive Multiplayer mode uses CDL-approved rules, restrictions, maps, and modes all while rewarding players with exclusive items and visible skill ranks to show off with pride. Work your way up through seven Skill Divisions — from Bronze to Iridescent — all the way to the Top 250, where your name will be displayed on a special Top 250 leaderboard. Earn Skill Division Skins based on your highest rank for that Season, including a set for finishing a Season in the Gold Division or above for the first time, as well as unique rewards given out each season.

As you fight to increase that Skill Rating (SR), you also climb through a separate set of Ranked Play Ranks (1–50); this does not reset with each season. Everyone starts at Rank 1 and can climb towards Rank 50 by winning matches to earn Stars, with each win equaling one Star earned. Every 5 Ranks will update the player's Rank icon and award a set of exclusive Ranked Play rewards, including Skins at Rank 5 and Rank 50 - along with other rewards.

Stay tuned for a dedicated Ranked Play blog detailing these rewards, the ranking system, and more.

Four Maps for Multiplayer at Launch

Core Mode and Ground War Operators, get ready to deploy to more locales around Al Mazrah and Spain in Season 02:

Dome (Core Map)

Located at the highest point in Al Mazrah, Dome bears a striking resemblance to one of Call of Duty®'s classic maps.

This small- to medium-sized map is built for fast-paced combat with three main buildings surrounding a central street area. One of these is the iconic domed structure, which has a small catwalk that provides incredible views over most of the map's outdoor spaces.

However, just know that the metal grates on that catwalk can be easily shot through, and sidearms can be used on ladders.

Zaya Observatory (Battle Map)

Zaya Observatory will be available in Ground War and Invasion modes, where the combat area will be expanded to fit all of Al Mazrah's tallest natural point of interest.

The Battle Map version encompasses the entire science facility and adjacent cliff sides. Observant operators will find solace along the mountain side flank routes. While a narrow space for vehicles, tanks and other armored vehicles can be used to effectively hold critical choke points. With main thoroughfares cut off, infantry should resort to navigating the facility buildings to bypass any vehicle obstructions. For when you have no other option but to sprint across an exposed road, be sure to keep smokes equipped to deter any rooftop sniper fire.

Those skills learned from Battle Royale, DMZ, and the Special Ops mission Defender: Mt. Zaya more than apply to this Ground War map.

Al Malik International (Battle Map)

Located at the southern tip of Al Mazrah, this modern airport mixes traditional and modern architecture to host both business and leisure activities, and will be available in Ground War and Invasion Modes.

The Battle Map version of this locale comprises of the tarmac and main airport building, allowing Operators to take hold in all the familiar spaces within the Terminal or take to the roof for more advantageous angles. Meanwhile, those looking for vehicular combat have plenty of runway to use for getting around the Battle Map quickly.

Similar to the Zaya Observatory map, not much is different between this Battle Map and the point of interest within Battle Royale or DMZ, save for the boundaries to keep matches focused within this area. Use those sightlines and other tricks from past experiences, and you will be more than ready for takeoff.

Valderas Museum (Core Map)

The other Core map launching at the start of Season 02 is Valderas Museum, returning since first appearing in the Modern Warfare II Beta.

Infected, Gun Game Headline Returning Modes

Modern Warfare II Multiplayer is getting a half-dozen modes that veterans of the Call of Duty franchise know as some of the greatest hits over the past two decades. Plus, the return of Hardcore:

Infected (Launch)

Ever since Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare 3 (2011), this mode is known for being infectious fun.

In Infected, Operators must avoid the chosen Infected player at all costs. Every survivor eliminated joins the Infected team until none remain or until the five-minute time period elapses.

Jump into this game mode with friends or make some of your own in the 18-person lobby… Just don't get too attached to those who may wind up joining the infected ranks!

Gun Game (Launch)

One of three party game modes launching in season, Gun Game is a competition of overall gun skill. Every ranged elimination awards a different weapon, while melee eliminations put your opponent one weapon back on the 18-weapon rotation. Show off your prowess with a variety of weapon categories, then finish the job with a Throwing Knife to win.

Grind (Launch)

The third mode whose roots trace back to Modern Warfare 3, Grind is Kill Confirmed with an added twist: enemy dog tags are stackable and must be banked at one of two fixed locations.

Bank multiple dog tags at once to maximize point gains, but be sure to stay alive to avoid giving the enemy a ton of tags!

Hardcore (Launch)

As previously announced, the Hardcore playlist will return in place of the Tier 1 playlist at the start of Season 02.

The initial Hardcore playlist will feature a mix of traditional modes with the classic ruleset veterans of the franchise are familiar with, including decreased health that cannot be replenished outside of Stim shots, as well as a limited HUD.

Whether you appreciate a more realistic FPS experience or want a place to hit those Longshots for Platinum Camos, head into Hardcore and be sure to watch your six.

Drop Zone (In-Season)

Care Package lovers, look no further.

Drop Zone is another classic mode that debuted in Modern Warfare 3. A derivative of Hardpoint, Drop Zone sends a Care Package down into occupied Drop Zone areas every 15 seconds.

Perfect for those wanting to ramp up their Killstreak elimination numbers or who just love pure chaos, expect this to be among the modes available in weekly Playlist rotations at launch.

All or Nothing (In-Season)

With only Throwing Knives and a pistol with no ammo, can you rack up 20 eliminations to win this special Free-for-All party game mode? Every Operator get additional Perks starting with Scavenger, which allows for ammo pickups after the first elimination. Like other party game modes, feel free to bring the squad in or make new "friends" in the lobby.

One in the Chamber (In-Season)

As the name implies, every Operator gets a handgun with one bullet in the chamber for this Free-for-All variant. Every elimination awards an additional bullet, and Operators only have three respawns. Ensure your aim is true and practice good trigger discipline; the Operator with the most eliminations wins.

Raid Episode 2 Coming Mid-Season

Atomgrad was just the beginning.

Price, Farah, and Gaz will be back later in Season 02 with Episode 2 of the Raid, a continuation of the Modern Warfare II Campaign.

Prepare to squad up for whatever gauntlet lies ahead — even if it means finding unlikely allies to help tie up those loose ends.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Walk the Path of the Ronin: Launch Event

Following the way of the warrior will lead to the spoils of war.

At the beginning of Season 02, the Path of the Ronin Challenges will present all Operators with seven challenges to be completed in Warzone 2.0 or Modern Warfare II based on the Seven Virtues of Bushido: Integrity, Respect, Courage, Honor, Compassion, Sincerity, and Loyalty. Each challenge comes with a reward for completion, such as a Gun Screen or a Weapon Charm.

Complete all seven challenges in Warzone 2.0 or Modern Warfare II and get the new Crossbow functional weapon.

Five New Weapons, Three in Battle Pass

New armaments and returning favorites highlight the weaponry to be available in Season 02 at launch and in-season. Get three of these new weapons through the Season 02 Battle Pass and the remaining two through seasonal challenges.

ISO Hemlock Assault Rifle — ISO Platform (Launch, Battle Pass)

A powerful and enhanced rifle from Expedite Firearms is designed to take both 5.56 and subsonic .300 BLK ammunition, providing battlefield-advantage in any situation.

How to unlock: Free weapon within the Season 02 Battle Pass.

KV Broadside Shotgun — Kastov Platform (Launch, Battle Pass)

Bringing the power of the 12 gauge to the Kastov Platform, the KV Broadside is the fastest-firing semi-auto firearm in the shotgun class. Destroys targets at close range with impunity.

How to unlock: Free weapon within the Season 02 Battle Pass.

Dual Kodachis Melee Weapon (Launch)

A powerful melee weapon that can quickly move towards a target with a longer-range attack. Each swipe has an impressive range and faster forward motion towards enemies compared to the Knife melee weapon, though this comes at a slight cost, a slower strafe and sprint speed.

How to unlock: Free weapon within the Season 02 Battle Pass.

Crossbow (Marksman Rifle Category) (Launch Window)

Silent and agile, this high-performance crossbow fires 20.0" bolts with exceptional lethality. Exclusive customization, distinct functionality, and unique ammunition types put this weapon in a class of its own. Standard 20.0" bolts are recoverable, and are undetected by trophy systems.

How to unlock: Complete all seven Path of the Ronin Event challenges, or purchase via Store Bundle.

Also expect a new Marksman Rifle – the Tempus Torrent – to be available at midseason, as well as a new lethal equipment piece, the Shuriken.

Remember: each new weapon comes with a brand-new set of camos to unlock for use across all your weapons. Expect well over a dozen new camos to be available to unlock by the end of Season 02.

New Personal Watercraft Vehicle

Complementing the armored Patrol Boat and the midsized RHIB, the Personal Watercraft (PWC) is a nimble seacraft capable of swiftly carrying up to two Operators across any body of water in Ashika Island or Al Mazrah.

Consider the PWC the ATV of the sea: one of the faster ways to get around the map with little protection for its driver and one passenger.

Although it is considerably weak compared to the other available watercrafts, the PWC's quick speed makes it a hard target to hit.

Ronin Returns at Launch

A Japanese American who embodies the modern-day warrior, Ronin is the marquee Operator available at the start of Season 02.

Daniel "Ronin" Shinoda (Launch)

Returning from Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® (2019), Ronin is the ex-Special Forces fighter known for his mastery of multiple fighting styles and unconventional warfare.

His name comes from the rough translation of "wanderer," which came about during the feudal era of Japan when a samurai had no master. Forging his own path, Ronin is a known saboteur who can pick apart foreign defense systems and perform special reconnaissance like no other Operator can.

From the ashes of ARMISTICE, Ronin took it upon himself to maintain balance between different factions as their wars spilled over into Urzikstan and Al-Mazrah. Living by a new code of honor, Ronin found a new master he can serve, one that cannot be corrupted: balance, itself.

Sony Combat Pack Available (Launch Window)

PlayStation® Plus subscribers already have their own samurai descendent ready to face the trials of Ashika Island. Shortly after the launch of Season 02, Hiro "Oni" Wantanabe will get a new set of gear — the "Oni Pyroclast" Operator Skin — that suits the journey of those willing to take on the Samurai Code.

In addition to this new Operator Skin, PlayStation®Plus subscribers will receive the following in their Season 02 Combat Pack: the "Oni Carver" SMG Blueprint, the "Oni Slasher" Assault Rifle Blueprint, the "Yoroi" Weapon Charm, the "Crimson Oni" Animated Calling Card, the "Golden Dragonfly" Sticker, and the " Grinning Oni" Emblem.

This Combat Pack is will be available on February 22.

Prestige: Level Up to Rank 450

Time to put those Double XP tokens to good use.

At the start of Season 02, the Prestige Rank cap will be increased to Prestige 10, with the level cap increased to 450. Specifically, players can unlock the following new Prestige Ranks, which come with a new icon beside their name:

Each Prestige Rank also unlocks a new set of Challenges. Complete these to earn new Calling Cards, including Animated Calling Cards for completing full sets of Challenges.

As stated previously, all progress will not reset at the beginning of each season. Players will continue ranking up at the level they ended Season 01 at, whether it was before the Prestige Ranks (1-55) or within the Prestige Ranks (56-250).

More information on this Prestige system can be found here.

Combat Record, Leaderboard Update

Warzone 2.0 Combat Records will come online as part of Season 02. The statistics present in the Warzone 2.0 Combat Record will only be from the activation date forward, and will not include statistics from Season 01.

Furthermore, Leaderboards for Modern Warfare II Multiplayer will be online as part of Season 02.

For additional updates, be sure to check the Patch Notes.

OUT OF COMBAT OVERVIEW

Centralized Patch Notes

To better serve the global Call of Duty community, Patch Notes will also be available on the central callofduty.com website at www.callofduty.com/patchnotes starting on February 15, and localized in all languages that this blog is available in. This includes Spanish, German, French, Italian, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese.

These Patch Notes will be available for every major update, such as the upcoming patch for Season 02. Information on emergency updates will either be added onto existing notes on this platform, or on either Infinity Ward's social media channels for Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0's DMZ, or Raven Software's social media channels for Warzone 2.0 Battle Royale.

As always, you can also view Patch Notes in-game by visiting the Quick Menu.

New Arrivals at the COD Shop

Time for new loadouts:

There is new gear for every Call of Duty player now available in the Call of Duty Shop.

For the first time ever, get rewarded in-game with a purchase of Call of Duty Xbox X Performance Thumbsticks – MWII, linked here. This pack of thumbsticks, all done with a Task Force 141 design, include two high-rise thumbsticks for pro-level precision and control, a left high-rise stick for dramatically smoother movement with less force and more grip, and a right high-rise stick gives for pro-level precision while aiming and faster target acquisition.

Upgrade to Modern Warfare II, Get Rewarded in Warzone 2.0

Purchase Modern Warfare II to get access to a ton of content across three modes, including the ability to unlock 14 exclusive Operators to use across both games, as well as other ways to quickly level up the available 30 Weapon Platforms and over 50 Weapons through Multiplayer and Special Ops.

Modern Warfare II owners also get Premium XP while playing Warzone 2.0 — at the end of each match, owners will receive additional XP on top of any XP that can be earned by all players.

Plus, as already mentioned, those who own Modern Warfare II will have access to all the content coming in Season 02, including Crown Faction Missions in DMZ.

Those who want even more benefits should consider upgrading to the Vault Edition, which grants four additional Operators — Ghost, Farah, Price, and Soap as Red Team 141 — the FJX Cinder Weapon Vault, an ultimate version of a Weapon Blueprint with 50+ attachments included, the Season 02 Battle Pass along with 50 Battle Token Tier Skips, and more.

Stay frosty.

UPDATED 2/10/2023: Updated information on Dog Tags (these are only available in Resurgence Maps) and Prestige Maximum Level (450, with four levels) has been added to this blog.

© 2023 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, and MODERN WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com and www.youtube.com/callofduty, and follow @Activision and @CallofDuty on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

February 02, 2023

A new Exclusion Zone is coming to DMZ along with several other important changes, but Insured Weapon Slots and permanent unlocks are here to stay. Read more about what is coming to DMZ in Season 02 here.

February 01, 2023

Resurgence Mode returns on a new battleground in Warzone™ 2.0 starting in Season 02. From details on its history to breakdowns of all seven major points of interest, prepare for a deep dive on Ashika Island.

January 25, 2023