Activision unveiled the launch trailer for Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific on Monday, giving an in-depth look at the battle royale’s new map of Caldera, alongside some of the new features coming to the game on December 8.
Based on the trailer, the sunny, color-rich island of Caldera looks to stand in stark contrast to the drab, mountainous landscape of Verdansk — Warzone’s previous map. Island resorts, beaches, and palm trees seemingly permeate the game’s new setting.
As does combat, of course. The trailer showcased the battle royale’s new “Vanguard Royale” mode, which forces players to only use World War II-era weaponry and equipment, keeping in line with Call of Duty: Vanguard’s World War II setting. As evidenced by the trailer, the mode will also feature aerial dogfighting — something new to Warzone and Call of Duty multiplayer at large.
The new map was announced last October shortly before the launch of Call of Duty: Vanguard. Warzone Pacific’s launch will also mark the beginning of the battle royale’s integration with Vanguard; a cinematic released on Friday explained how the two titles’ stories would tie together. The new update is slated to launch on December 9, but purchasers of Vanguard can access the new content beginning December 8, according to Activision.
Raven Software, the company behind Warzone, recently experienced a shakeup after Activision laid off roughly a third of the studio’s QA staff on December 3. In response, employees of the company staged a walkout on December 6, demanding that “every member of the QA team, including those terminated on Friday, […] be offered full-time positions.”
