Verdansk Boosts Warzone, Developers Confirm Its Staying

It's undeniable that Verdansk has breathed new life into *Call of Duty: Warzone*, and the timing couldn't be more perfect. The online community had previously labeled Activision's now five-year-old battle royale as "cooked" until the nostalgia-laden Verdansk revival turned things around. Now, the internet is buzzing with declarations that *Warzone* is "back." Sure, Activision nuked Verdansk in the past, but that seems to have little impact now. Players who drifted away but cherished *Warzone* as their lockdown escape are flocking back to the iconic map that kickstarted it all. Meanwhile, loyal fans who stuck with the game through its ups and downs over the past five years are raving that *Warzone* is more enjoyable now than it has been since its explosive debut in 2020.

This return to a back-to-basics gameplay experience was a deliberate choice by developers Raven and Beenox. In a comprehensive interview with IGN, Pete Actipis, the game director at Raven, and Etienne Pouliot, the creative director at Beenox, shed light on the multi-studio effort to rejuvenate *Warzone*. They delved into their approach, highlighted the success of Verdansk's Casual mode, and discussed whether they considered restricting operator skins to mil-sim for a more authentic 2020 experience. They also tackled the crucial question on everyone's mind: is Verdansk here to stay?

Continue reading to uncover all the details.