Call of Duty creators Activision and Infinity Ward have offered a bizarre tease about the return of a controversial maneuver in the FPS game, seemingly confirming that it will become more easily available in Warzone 2, and perhaps be included as part of the next CoD once the Call of Duty Modern Warfare3 release date arrives. A mysterious package sent to a variety of professional Call of Duty Warzone 2 players, including FaZe’s Kris ‘Swagg’ Lamberson, hints strongly at the return of the loved and hated slide canceling. Nevertheless, this has to be one of the most elaborate gaming reveals of 2023.
If you’re unfamiliar with slide canceling, it’s a movement trick popular in Call of Duty that allows you to sprint, double tap crouch to execute a slide, but then exit the slide mid animation so that you avoid incoming fire without losing forward momentum. While it is possible in both CoD Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2, it requires a complex series of settings adjustments, compared to previous Call of Duty games where it could be performed more organically.
Which brings us to the recent, and very convoluted, teaser. Various professional Call of Duty players have been sent a package containing a number of items, including a blanket, a bar of soap, a cell phone, a small collection of tools, a pair of sliders, and a tin can. After some lateral thinking and investigation, it turns out the sliders actually contain a cell phone battery hidden in the sole, while the bar of soap has a small container with a SIM card inside.
After using the SIM and charging the phone, players receive an SMS message which reads “You’re expected to move more quickly in Al Mazrah.” Al Mazrah, you no doubt remember, is the Warzone 2 map. Combine that with three of the items – slides, a can, and a cell – and you’ve got seemingly a big hint that slide canceling is coming back: slide, can, cell. You can see Swagg discovering the hidden message in the video below:
Since the message makes mention of Al Mazrah, we can perhaps assume this change will apply to Warzone 2, potentially as part of Call of Duty Season 5, which began on Wednesday, August 2. Alternatively, this could suggest that slide canceling will make a full return for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.
Slide canceling has previously been the subject of debate and controversy among CoD players. Some view slide canceling as a legitimate and expert technique, which can be used to bolster the performance of the most capable players. Others argue that it creates an even greater skill gap, whereby higher-level players who can consistently execute slide cancels gain an even greater advantage of those who play Call of Duty less often.
If you’re still in the midst of it in CoD MW2, check out the best Warzone 2 guns. Alternatively, try some of the other greatest battle royale games on PC.