The future of Call of Duty: Warzone 3 is still up in the air, with reports saying it all depends on how Verdansk does when it returns.
If the iconic battle royale map can't pull in enough players and keep them around, Activision might ditch the next Warzone.
Verdansk was the battleground that gave Warzone its early edge in 2020. Since then, the game has had a hard time keeping the same level of excitement.
Cheating, lag, and players getting burnt out on the game's mechanics are all pushing the numbers down. Activision is now banking on a Fortnite OG-style comeback to get players excited again.
Rumor has it that the map will be back as it was in 2020, bringing back the old-school vibes with a refined twist.
However, nostalgia alone might not be enough. As newer, more refined battle royale titles emerge, Verdansk must do more than rely on familiar ground. It has to deliver an engaging experience that holds players' attention long after the initial hype fades.
Activision's already showing how big this decision is. Season 3 of Black Ops 6 and Warzone was initially set to launch on March 20, but it was delayed to April 3 to ensure that everything is polished.
The team mentioned the update as a "big moment" for Warzone, hinting that a lot is on the line with this return. Industry insiders like TheGhostOfHope (a prominent leaker on X) are suggesting that if Verdansk doesn't keep players, Activision won't bother with Warzone 3, even though it was supposed to release with Call of Duty 2026.
This would be a big change for Call of Duty's battle royale, especially since every main release since 2020 has come with a new Warzone. If Warzone 3 gets canned, it could mean Activision's done with Battle Royale.
Before anyone even brought up Warzone 3, the current state of Warzone was already causing some concern. Player numbers have been steadily declining, especially in December, when Steam saw a loss of over 100,000 players. Most are saying it's all the cheating, the overstuffed economy with microtransactions everywhere, and performance issues that have been getting under everyone's skin.
For Season 2, the team behind Warzone chose to delay content updates and focus on refining quality-of-life elements. However, the jury's still out on whether these changes will bring Warzone back to its former glory.
TimTheTatman and other streamers have already made it known they're not planning to return, instead turning their attention to newer games with fresh takes. If Verdansk doesn't live up to Activision's hopes, we might witness some major shifts in the Call of Duty scene.
Verdansk's return as another update is whatever, but it feels more like Warzone's last shot at saving itself.
Warzone 3's future is up in the air, and how Verdansk does in the next few months will decide if the franchise keeps going this way or switches things up.