Attention all Call of Duty players! Infinity Ward, the developers behind the popular franchise, announced on 25 January 2023 that the original 1v1 version of the Gulag will return in Season 2 of their battle royale Warzone 2. This news comes just a few days after the developers confirmed the return of the 1v1 Gulags via a tweet on 19 January 2023, expanding on their initial announcement with several new key details.
In an official blog post, Infinity Ward said they would revive the “original Warzone overtime mechanic – the Domination-style flag control point – in place of the Jailer.” In addition, the developers have enhanced 1v1 combat and plan on creating a dedicated 1v1 map for future seasons. Beyond this, several other “logistical changes to the Gulad experience” were noted, including those to ground loot, player loadouts, and the weapon pool in Warzone 2 Season 2.
Ground loot has been revisited as well as the Loadouts that Players will spawn in with. We’ve updated the pool to include Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, and Light Machine Guns as Primary Weapons as the Circles progress. Shotguns have been removed from the rotation, while Handguns will remain available as Secondary Weapons.
In addition, players who are victorious in the Gulag will also receive a larger Cash reward to help them get back on their feet faster. Moreover, Cash will now spawn as ground loot in the arena to encourage and reward players who are willing to prowl the arena. Together, these changes will likely revive the once intense one-on-one showdowns Call of Duty players know and love, as evidenced by the mostly positive reactions by fans.
Players were previously critical of the 2v2 and Jailer mechanics introduced in the Season 1 update. Some of the criticism included problems with communication, mismatched skill levels, and unfair 2v1 scenarios resulting in players getting killed faster. On the other hand, a smaller contingent of fans expressed disappointment with the decision, citing that the 2v2 and Jailer mechanics added an exciting new layer of strategy to the game.
All things considered, it will be interesting to see how Infinity Ward addresses the criticisms of the previous season and if the new changes will be positively received by the community.
These updates will be further detailed in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0 patch notes, which will be released before the Season 2 launch on 15 February 2023.