Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 won’t replace the original Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone’s sequel is almost here, but the questions about what will happen to the original game still linger for a lot of players. Thankfully, Activision answered them today as part of a larger blog post on Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. The sequel’s arrival won’t mean that the original game is shutting down. Instead, Call of Duty: Warzone will become Call of Duty: Warzone Caldera and continue to be playable, after a brief intermission in service.

According to Activision, the launch plan for Warzone 2.0 also includes a relaunch plan for the original game. Warzone will go offline at around 11 a.m. EST on Nov. 16 as the game’s fifth Call of Duty: Vanguard season ends. Shortly after, at 1 p.m. EST, Warzone 2.0 will come online and be available for all players to jump into for free.

Warzone 2.0 will then become the focus of developer Raven Software, as the team attempts to ensure a smooth launch and makes sure the game’s “free-to-play ecosystem is running effectively.” After a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday, the original Warzone will be brought back online under its new title. Its launch is planned for Nov. 28.

The idea of Warzone disappearing forever was a concern for many players, especially considering that cosmetic items from the original game aren’t going to transfer to the sequel — though veteran Warzone players will get a special reward in Warzone 2.0. But all of their cosmetics will remain available in Warzone Caldera, which will continue to have progress tied to all previous Warzone-related Call of Duty games. Progress for Warzone 2.0 will only be tied to Modern Warfare 2, at least for now.

Warzone fans may have been particularly concerned due to Blizzard’s handling of Overwatch 2. While that game was only sort of a sequel, it entirely replaced the original version, taking Overwatch offline completely. The good news for Overwatch players: At least their cosmetics transferred to the new game, so they weren’t gone for good. But it seems Activision isn’t taking a similar route in either direction for Warzone 2.0.