Activision has just released a video detailing the development of Warzone's new map, Urzikstan, and confirmed a significant change to the game's battle royale mode: it will now support a total of 100 players, instead of the previous 150. This change comes with the Season 1 update for "Modern Warfare 3", which will be released on all platforms on December 6 at 2 p.m. EST.
The decision to reduce the number of players was explained by Raven Software, the game's developer. According to the company, this change aims to "create an optimal and fun experience for all players", based on critical metrics such as action time, Urzikstan map size, new circle times and sizes, total match duration (20 minutes), red points, contracts, and varied second chance mechanics.
With 11 main points of interest, Urzikstan borders the Republic of Adal, the location of Warzone's Al Mazrah map, which was released last year with "Modern Warfare 2". Raven Software has revealed that the new map is 20% smaller than Al Mazrah, providing a more intense and strategic experience.
This first season update will bring new content to all three online strands of the game - multiplayer, Zombies and Warzone. This includes three new 6v6 maps for multiplayer, the return of modes such as Gunfight, All or Nothing, Infected and Headquarters, as well as a new Zombies story act and Dark Aether Rifts.
Raven Software stressed that it will continue to closely monitor community sentiment and internal data, making adjustments as necessary over time. This update marks a new chapter for Warzone, promising a renewed and more challenging experience for players.
