Call of Duty: Warzone Season 1 launches on November 6, 2026, introducing two new maps, full Modern Warfare 4 integration, new weapons, gameplay mechanics, and a Nintendo Switch 2 version. Activision confirmed the details in its November 2 briefing, outlining significant changes to the free-to-play battle royale experience across supported platforms.
The update goes live at midnight Eastern Time on November 6, equivalent to 9 PM Pacific Time on November 5. Alongside the new Hajin Battle Royale map and Zodiac Resurgence map, players will gain access to 33 Modern Warfare 4 launch weapons, new Elite Perks, additional equipment, and revised progression systems.
Season 1 also marks Warzone’s debut on Nintendo Switch 2, bringing the free-to-play shooter to Nintendo’s current-generation handheld for the first time. Switch 2 players will have access to Hajin, Zodiac, and the other supported maps and playlists.
The update arrives alongside Modern Warfare 4 Season 1, which introduces additional multiplayer content, DMZ changes, and new weapons.
Hajin is the new large-scale Battle Royale map, taking Warzone to the Korean Peninsula. Its setting connects directly to the Modern Warfare 4 campaign and features 13 major points of interest spread across urban areas, coastal environments, and wilderness.
The map covers locations in both North and South Korea and introduces two variations of its Gulag. Eliminated players will compete in one-on-one encounters inside compact arenas featuring different cover arrangements. Both environments are exposed to weather conditions, while spectators can observe encounters from ground-level viewing positions.
Although Hajin also appears in Modern Warfare 4’s DMZ mode, Activision confirmed differences between its DMZ and Battle Royale versions. These include changes to the advancing gas, vehicle availability, loot distribution, and environmental features.
Zodiac, meanwhile, is a smaller Resurgence map built around the DRC Advanced Systems drone manufacturing headquarters in South Korea. Developed by Beenox in collaboration with Infinity Ward, it features 10 points of interest connected through factory interiors, elevated rooftops, research facilities, underground routes, and coastal terrain.
Key areas include the central Admin tower, the railway-connected Trackline section, and the industrial Furnace area. Other locations include Solar, Old Mines, Dispatch, Depot, Sentinel, Cooling, and R&D.
Verdansk and Rebirth Island will also return during Season 1. Verdansk receives additional landmarks, including the Signal Station, Grazna-7 Launch Complex, Overlook skyscraper, and Drone Labs.
Full Modern Warfare 4 integration changes Warzone’s weapons and progression systems. Player levels will reset with the new season, allowing players to progress and optionally Prestige across multiplayer, DMZ, and Warzone.
All 33 Modern Warfare 4 launch weapons will become available in Warzone, alongside additional Season 1 armaments. These weapons support Weapon Prestige, Apex Attachments, and Warzone-specific Mastery Camos.
Weapons from Modern Warfare II, Modern Warfare III, Black Ops 6, and Black Ops 7 remain accessible through a separate Legacy tab. However, legacy weapons will not support several Modern Warfare 4 features, including weapon customization, new Mastery Camos, and build-sharing systems.
Previously earned Operators, skins, blueprints, and various cosmetics from those games will also carry forward into Warzone. A new Operator Skin Toggle will provide additional control over the character appearances players see.
Season 1 adds several mechanics intended to change how squads move, fight, and interact with the environment.
The Zipline Launcher is a new Field Upgrade that allows players to create temporary traversal routes between elevated locations. Once deployed, the zipline remains available until retrieved or destroyed. Both allied and enemy Operators can use it, and players can fire pistols while traversing.
Another addition is the Grabber Drone, a remotely controlled flying device capable of collecting loot, moving environmental objects, and carrying Operators. Players can use it to retrieve equipment from inaccessible locations or transport downed teammates closer to safety before reviving them. Its limited battery life restricts how long it can operate.
Interactive objects also become more prominent. Movable fuel barrels can be positioned as explosive traps, while dumpsters, concrete barriers, and other objects can provide cover or block vehicle routes.
Weapon Augments introduce another method of improving weapons during matches. Players can obtain these limited upgrades through portable Fly Buy Stations delivered by drones.
Ground Ops activities provide additional opportunities to collect equipment and tactical advantages. These include drilling safes, activating surveillance towers, recovering cargo from drones, and locating radioactive barrels using Geiger counters.
Activision is also introducing Grind for Royalty, a seasonal challenge system that uses individual player statistics to generate personal objectives. Completing challenges can unlock weapon cosmetics, including the Gold Excellence and Gold Mosaic camos in Season 1.
The Perk system has been revised to include 18 options. Fifteen can be selected before a match across three standard slots, while three new Elite Perks are obtained during gameplay.
Elite Perks occupy a fourth slot, with only one permitted at a time. Athleticism improves movement and aiming mobility, Phantom helps Operators evade enemy reconnaissance systems, and Fieldcraft provides faster regeneration of armor and equipment.
Other gameplay adjustments include making Tactical Sprint available without requiring a Perk, although its duration will be slightly reduced. Players will also be able to drag teammates while reviving them, allowing injured squad members to be moved away from exposed positions.
Activision additionally confirmed weapon balance adjustments, improved footstep audio, and visibility changes across the maps.
Warzone Season 1 will feature standard Battle Royale and Resurgence playlists alongside Casual variants. Additional modes include Rally Point, Massive Resurgence, and Loaded Resurgence.
Rally Point takes place on Zodiac and supports up to 20 players. It functions as a training-oriented experience where squads can explore mechanics, complete contracts, and fight hostile soldiers.
Massive Resurgence supports up to 120 players on Hajin, combining large-scale combat with the redeployment mechanics associated with Resurgence.
Loaded Resurgence supports up to 44 players on Zodiac and Rebirth Island. Players enter with their selected loadouts, retain equipped weapons after elimination, and earn additional Perks through combat.
Two further limited-time modes, Extreme Resurgence and Rockets and Snipers, are planned for the mid-season update.
The progression overhaul also connects Warzone to the revamped Modern Warfare 4 Battle Pass, with Season 1 introducing shared Battle Pass and BlackCell progression.
One important platform change accompanies the update. Activision confirmed that Warzone will no longer be playable on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One starting with Season 1. Players moving to supported hardware can retain their progression by signing in with the same linked Activision account.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 version arriving on November 6, the new season simultaneously expands Warzone to Nintendo hardware while ending support for the previous generation of PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
The full Warzone Season 1 update launches November 6 at midnight Eastern Time, with further balance and technical changes expected in the official Season 1 patch notes.
