In the lead-up toWarzone 2’s release,Call of Dutyfans wondered how Activision would be approaching the older game. Eventually, they got their answer, with the originalWarzoneset to be preserved in astandalone game dubbedCall of Duty: Warzone Caldera. Though many were happy to learn the old gameplay style and their cosmetics from the past several premium games would be accessible through this other application, Zombies fans may understandably be shaking their heads at the very concept of two activeWarzonegames.
The fact that Zombies has existed since 2008 but has not yet received its own game (aside from some mobile-only titles) is confusing. After all, Zombies Chronicles forBlack Ops 3was one of the most successful pieces of DLC ever released, and though the co-op mode has struggled recently, many would surely jump on a standalone release. Unfortunately, it is unclear if that will ever happen, asWarzonecontinues to be the main focus forCall of Duty.
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A Standalone Call of Duty Zombies Game is Long Overdue
When looking athow successfulWarzone 2’s launch has been, it makes sense why the franchise has been built around the free-to-play battle royale. However, many have felt that this focus has been detrimental to the other aspects of the series, with the multiplayer and co-op offerings in the premium games suffering since everything is tied toWarzone. With Zombies players already bothered that the mode’s fully voiced playable characters were stripped away in favor of Operators, the existence ofWarzone Calderafeels like a continuation of the problem.
DespiteZombies Chronicles 2 being leakedand a standalone Zombies game rumored for many years, neither have come to fruition. Meanwhile,Call of Duty: Warzoneis getting two significant releases back-to-back, with yet another on the way inCall of Duty: Warzone Mobile. Though Zombies has always been a bit of a niche mode, it is still hugely popular, and the fact that it has not gotten its own game after over 14 years is absurd, especially whenWarzone- which only debuted in 2020 - is getting so much love.
Given how many studios are under theCall of Dutyumbrella, there is no reason Zombies should be left to rot untilthe next Treyarch release. Leakers and dataminers have indicated that content is ready for a standalone game, yet it may never come, much like howBlack Ops 4’s second season pass was done away with. This is a shame, as Zombies could find a ton of success through a paid game of its own or even a free-to-play release likeWarzone.
A collection of every Zombies map in one place, a proper campaign, a map creator forCall of Dutyfans on consoles - these are all things that a Zombies-only game could provide. AfterCall of Duty: Vanguard’s massive failure to shake things up, the mode needs a big win and a return to form, and a dedicated game might just be the one thing that can revive the Zombies community. Sadly, asWarzonecontinues to get separate games and more content, it seems like it is all that matters to Activision.
In a perfect world, Zombies would be able to thrive alongside the heavy hitters likeWarzone, but it is consistently treated as something smaller than what it really is. Fans have held out hope ofa dedicated Zombies releasefor some time now, yet as time passes, all the leaks and rumors seem less likely to come to fruition. Meanwhile,Warzoneplayers can find multiple apps on their consoles dedicated to the battle royale title, with another coming to their phones in 2023. Though it is great that battle royale fans are getting so much content for their favorite mode, this stellar support also highlights the continued mistreatment ofCall of DutyZombies, and it is a shame that its many fans get nothing likeWarzone 2orWarzone Calderato sink their teeth into.
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