Things Activision Blizzard Needs To Get Right About Warzone 2
The "Call of Duty" franchise is as wildly popular and lucrative as ever, and its battle royale offshoot, "Warzone," is no exception. That being said, the game certainly has room to improve and potentially win over more players with the eventual release of "Warzone 2," which is rumored for a 2023 release. Even though "Warzone" has seen its fair share of success, an SVG survey of over 4,000 gamers found that many players consider the FPS franchise to be overrated.
As it turns out, there is a lot "Warzone" has done to sabotage its own success. Even so, the game still has achieved many impressive accomplishments, like surpassing 100 million players for "Warzone" on its own. With that big of an audience willing to invest their time and money in the game, there's all the more reason for Activision Blizzard to step up its game. And since the publisher has been sold to Microsoft, the time may be ripe to create a sequel that far surpasses the original "Warzone." These are the big improvements that "Warzone 2" can't afford to miss making.
Activision Blizzard should implement player feedback
This point goes for just about any game franchise, though it's specifically important for Activision Blizzard to consider with "Warzone 2," since feedback for "Warzone" has often gone unheard and unimplemented. Obviously, companies that prioritize keeping their player base happy will be more successful in the long run. It's a win-win, and "Warzone 2" could be a chance for the developers to fix some of their missteps with the original "Warzone."
Though there have been some improvements to "Warzone" over time, like improved accessibility features, there's still a lot left to be desired. For example, many players have spoken out about how the free-to-play game occasionally feels more pay-to-win.
Even popular streamers like Ninja and Dr. Disrespect have cultivated quite a love-hate relationship with the game even they can't change. Given the influence streamers can have on large audiences of fellow gamers, it would be strategic for Activision Blizzard to try to listen to their feedback, as it likely represents similar complaints from their larger fanbases. Having a popular streamer on the side of "Warzone" could make a big impact on the game's bottom line.
Of course, gamers can't be expected to universally love everything about "Warzone." Even if the team behind the next "Warzone" game ends up better incorporating fan feedback in the future, big names like NickMercs and CouRage leaving the original game is a pretty bad look. The former's departure actually speaks for another one of the major areas Activision Blizzard has to focus on if "Warzone 2" is to succeed.
Cheaters have got to go
This is a big one for "Warzone 2." Of all the problems that have plagued "Warzone," cheaters have been the hardest for the game to shake. Despite numerous efforts from Activision Blizzard to put a stop to this persistent problem, hackers continue to create an unbalanced, unpleasant, and downright disappointing experience for "Call of Duty" gamers of all levels.
Given "Warzone" is a free-to-play game, it makes sense why its player count is so astronomical — and this makes controlling cheaters a challenge, especially when some don't have a problem with simply creating a new account every time they're kicked from the game.
If cheaters are still a problem in "Warzone 2," it'll be a lot harder for gamers to forgive Activision Blizzard than it was when the company was just testing the waters with a battle royale format in the original "Warzone." After all, nobody wants to play a game they know they can't win, not even streamers who repeatedly play the game for a living.
Proactive bug fixes
By now, it's up to Activision Blizzard to understand just how monumental past mistakes can be in the eyes of millions of players. Of course, every game has its bugs and issues, but for a AAA title with a big team behind it, some of the issues in "Warzone" have left a lasting impression with gamers. From tournaments being ended over glitches to endless respawn loops keeping the game from being even slightly fair, "Warzone" players have seen it all. It's especially frustrating when history seems to repeat itself over and over, as new bugs surface in "Warzone" on an ongoing basis.
From character skins that sent players into an invisible void to a weapon glitch that turned players and their guns into creepy monsters and many more, the bugs in "Warzone" can really make the game feel unpolished. Whenever "Warzone 2" releases, it will be important for Activision Blizzard to present it as a finished product, even if that means sacrificing map size or otherwise scaling down to focus on getting more right from the get-go. While some might say that players can't complain much since the game is free-to-play, the reality is they still deserve a great experience, or at least one without consistent gameplay-altering glitches.
If "Warzone 2" is going to compete against other popular battle royales, it has to improve upon the mistakes of its predecessor. Whether players feel hopeful or doubtful, Activision Blizzard has hinted to fans that it hopes to fix the future of "Call of Duty." All that's left is waiting for an official "Warzone 2" release date.