The latest Warzone 2 season 3 update brings with it several bundles that offer a distinct bonus in the Call of Duty DMZ mode, causing outcry over potential “pay to win” offerings. Activision’s multiplayer game has just begun its third season, and there are already several bundles that offer exclusive DMZ bonuses, with potentially even scarier ones on the way that could see notorious MW2 operator Roze rise back to the top of the playing field.
Right now, you can spend 1200 CoD Points to buy the Bomb Squad operator skin in-game for EOD Specialist, which grants you a fourth Active Duty Operator slot – currently the only way you can get access to this bonus. The bundle comes with a number of pieces of equipment that each offer a ‘DMZ Bonus Effect.’ The operator skin starts rounds with a free Medium Backpack, while the included gun has a 15-minute insured cooldown.
For reference, a bundle of 2400 CoD Points costs $19.99 / £16.79, so you’re looking at roughly ten dollars for this package. While this is certainly cause for some concern, it’s the DMZ bonuses promised in future packages coming over the next month that have players worried for the future of the Tarkov-style extraction mode.
Probably the most terrifying of these is the Roze and Thorn bundle for 1800 CP, which sees perhaps Call of Duty’s most notorious operator get her classic Warzone 1 look back – albeit in a colour scheme that should be a little easier to pick out on the battlefield. Instead, however, she gets a DMZ bonus effect that gives her a free UAV whenever her gear slot is empty, giving her the perfect way to rush down other players at an advantage as soon as she drops in.
Elsewhere, a Classic Ghost bundle for 2400 CP gives the character everyone’s favourite look from the original 2009 MW2, complete with skull-faced mask and cool shades. It also gives the operator a free two-plate armour vest every time the slot is otherwise empty. König, meanwhile, gets a free self-revive to fill the empty slot as part of the Dark Rituals 2 bundle, which also retails for 2400 Cod Points.
“Welcome to the new era of CoD,” a post on the Warzone Reddit proclaims. One commenter laments “Pay to win microtransactions creeping their way into CoD,” while another says, “Not sure I like the future of DMZ.” Some bonuses are definitely more concerning than others, though. One user remarks, “I don’t care about the armour, but UAV is too much. Imagine three people with this skin hunting down spawn with three UAVs. Nah, that’s not cool.”
It’s important to stress that these bonuses are for the DMZ extraction mode only, so if you’re playing regular Warzone 2 or MW2 multiplayer you won’t come up against players starting with an equipment bonus. Nevertheless, this could certainly mark a turning point in the balance of Call of Duty, and it’ll be interesting to see how players – and Activision – respond in the coming weeks.
For now, make sure you’ve got the best Warzone 2 guns for season 3 and you’ll be set to dominate on the Warzone 2 map. Check out the best FPS games on PC if you’re after even more high-octane shooting action.