How To Get A Nuke In Warzone 2.0
Ending a match by dropping a nuke has been a part of "Call of Duty" as far back as the original "Modern Warfare 2" back in 2009. In most iterations, doing so immediately ends the match in a win for the player or team who managed to deploy it, giving them an exciting and explosive victory. However, being such a powerful tool, it's always been notably tricky to unlock, making it both deadly and a mark of skill. Thus, most committed operators aim to get a nuke at least once, if possible.
In past entries, getting a nuke was a straightforward, albeit incredibly difficult, endeavor. Killstreaks of twenty-five to thirty (depending on the game) would reward the nuke as a devastating final prize. Of course, this meant even pros would have trouble unlocking it, but there were never any questions about what one had to do for the explosive finale. In "Warzone 2.0," however, getting a nuke has been turned into a more considerable challenge that stretches across multiple matches and concludes with a thrilling mission that makes players feel worthy of earning a nuke and an automatic win.
Moreover, the nuke is a secret reward and was only discovered and used in November 2022 by YouTuber Stellar and his squad. Thanks to their efforts, the "Warzone 2.0" community now knows what needs to be done to get a nuke. It's anything but easy, though.
Get a nuke through the Champion's Quest
Ultimately, players can get a nuke through the "Champion's Quest." However, simply unlocking this quest is a challenge in itself.
Before the nuke quest becomes available, a player or squad must win five matches in a row (per Charlie Intel). The nuke is a secret unlockable, so players won't see any counters or indications that they are moving towards something bigger with each win. If operators can stick with it and perform consistently enough to pull off five wins, it will trigger the conditions needed to materialize the "Champion's Quest" opportunity.
After achieving that remarkable feat, players only need to jump into a sixth match, and the "Champion's Quest" will automatically trigger. A message will pop up on the screen to let gamers know, and three new markers will appear on the map. These will indicate where to head to begin the quest and construct the nuke.
Collect the elements
"Champion's Quest" requires players to collect three elements across the "Warzone 2.0" map to construct the nuke. This is easier said than done, however. While markers will let operators know where these elements are, holding even one will bestow harsh penalties.
The first element that will appear is Beryllium, and picking it up will saddle players with a unique Most Wanted crown that reveals the player's location to opponents — letting them know who's holding the element and going for a nuke win (per GameSpot). The next element will be Plutonium which will slowly damage the player carrying it in addition to nearby allies, harming both armor and health. Finally, Tritium will scramble the carrier's radar and, once again, affect nearby allies, keeping them in the dark for the duration of the match.
Once these elements have been gathered, players will still have to stay alive until the bomb is airdropped and it is location revealed. This will be all the more difficult, as getting the last element will also cause a Jailbreak (per Digital Trends), emptying the Gulag in "Warzone 2.0" and flooding the map with opponents who will be aware that a nuke is nearly deployed.
If they can hold out, players will eventually see the bomb site revealed and be able to move on to the last stage of the quest.
Assemble the nuke
Once the bomb is delivered, a timer will start, and players will have just five minutes to get the elements to the site and finish its construction. If they can complete the assembly, the nuke will arm, and a new two-minute countdown will start. Players will need to defend the bomb against opponents, all of whom will now know precisely where the bomb is (per GameSpot).
It only takes seconds for an opposing operator to disarm the bomb, so defending it can prove extremely difficult — potentially making for the tensest two minutes players can experience in the game. However, if a squad can hold out until the end, they'll be rewarded with a spectacular ending, including a nuclear explosion and a screen declaring the team "Warzone Champions."
It's worth noting that players will have three chances to complete this quest after unlocking it (per GameSpot). If they cannot pull it off, they can try twice more before teams are forced to win another five matches to unlock the quest again. With a bit of luck, some skill, and three shots at the prize, "Warzone 2.0" veterans may just pull off the ultimate trick in the game.