Call of Duty: Warzone

Warzone 2 DMZ mode: Release date, Tarkov-inspired gameplay, map, rewards & more

Liam Mackay
warzone 2 operators on Al Mazrah

Warzone 2 will feature an Escape from Tarkov-inspired extraction game known as DMZ mode, and here’s everything you need to know about it from its objectives to it rewards.

Warzone 2 is set to make a major impact as its first season arrives with Al Mazrah, new vehicles, a Backpack looting system, a new Battle Pass system, and more.

As well as evolving the battle royale experience, the free-to-play game will also offer a new, extraction-style mode known as DMZ. In this new mode, players will be fighting it out for loot on Al Mazrah and attempting to complete various objectives.

Here’s everything we know about Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0’s brand-new DMZ mode.

When is Warzone 2’s DMZ release date?

Infinity Ward confirmed that DMZ will arrive with Warzone 2 at launch on November 16, 2022 as part of the Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 Season 1 content.

They also added that this battle royale and extraction-based mode will be free-to-play along with the Warzone sequel.

This also marks the first season of both Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2, bringing a heap of new content to both games.

Warzone 2 vehiclesActivision

What is Warzone 2’s DMZ mode?

Warzone 2’s DMZ is an Escape from Tarkov-themed extraction-style game mode. This is where players load into the map and must battle both other players and AI before extracting loot.

According to the Call of Duty blog, DMZ is “an open-world, narrative-focused extraction mode where Operator squads have free rein to complete faction-based missions, take on additional side objectives, engage with enemy Operators or AI combatants, and search for valuable items, all while fighting to survive toward exfiltration.”

While DMZ is a trios-based mode, you have the option to play it Solo or Duo after disabling squad fill. However, it might be wise to play it with a team watching your back because if you die or run out of time, you will fail the mission – and lose any nonpermanent items forever.

The factions in DMZ are the Legion, White Lotus, and Black Mous. The Legion will be your starting faction and the other two can be unlocked through the completion of other faction missions.

Here is a rundown of each faction:

Legion

Of the three factions, Legion will be the first one that you can accept missions from and serve as your introduction to DMZ. They are the starter faction, and aside from hiring as many contractors as they can get their hands on, they are forceful in trying to learn about Al Mazrah.

White Lotus

Once you’ve served with Legion long enough and labored in the DMZ, White Lotus will become an option for you to join. You will learn more and earn more through White Lotus as they have been an experienced player in the DMZ zone for some time.

Black Mous

Serve Legion and White Lotus enough, and it will be time for you to come into contact with Black Mous. They are top secret, super advanced, and they will be able to give you the upper hand when it comes to missions in Al Mazrah.

Warzone 2 DMZ looting, weapons & economy

In DMZ, players have insured weapons, which upon death, will be placed on a cooldown until they can be used again. You can also earn additional insured weapon slots by leveling up with Factions.

If a player has no insured weapons left, they must go in with a contraband weapon which can be lost forever if they die with it in a match. You can speed up the cooldown on Extracted Cash and valuables speed up the cooldown on these slots.

Players will be picking up intel and contraband with the new Backpack looting system, which is separate from their Loadout items. In DMZ, players will have to decide what items go in the backpack, and what they must leave behind before extracting.

For a Loadout, the devs have said that players will be permitted to haul around with them the following equipment:

  • Two weapons with full ammo
  • Two pieces of Equipment
  • Field Upgrade and Killstreak
  • Armor Plates and Gas Mask

Cash and other resources can be used to purchase goods and necessary tidbits from the Shops to give you a helping hand.

Warzone 2 DMZ Contracts & Activities

Contracts

So what exactly can you do in the DMZ? Well, work for the three factions will have you completing Contracts on the fly like you’d accept and endeavor to finish in Warzone.

This is the list of Contracts should you end up accepting them mid-game:

  • Cargo Delivery / Shipment (Briefcase): Use whatever means you can find to go and collect a piece of valuable cargo.
  • Destroy Supplies (Bomb): Blow up two supply sites using bombs.
  • Elimination (Crosshair): Take out an enemy AI target assigned by the game or confirm that they have died if killed by other means.
  • Hostage (Handcuffs): Secure a hostage and escort them to the exfil zone.
  • Hunt (Skull): A tough one, but you’ll need to track down and eliminate an enemy team in the lobby that is exceeding everyone else in terms of performance.
  • Secure Intel / Geiger Search (Magnifying Glass): Locate intel and upload the data to a designated radio tower. Or obtain Uranium rods using a Geiger Counter. The given scenario is down to RnG.

Activities

While exploring Al Mazrah, there will be multiple different events that can occur and will change the landscape of your current foray.

Check out the list of what can happen to you while out in the DMZ:

  • Hidden Caches: Find valuable intel around Al Mazrah to find the location of hidden caches containing valuable items and resources.
  • Radiation: Can be very harmful to your exploration, but can be counteracted by the Iodine Pills Field Upgrade.
  • Safes: Opening one is loud but rewarding. A true risk-and-reward venture that will handsomely pay out goodies, but attract the attention of enemy soldiers.
  • SAM Sites: Head to one, trigger the turrets, and watch as a cargo crate plummets to the battlefield for you to claim, or fight over with nearby lurkers.
  • Sandstorms: A random occurrence that will greatly impact visibility and your chances of survival, make sure you vacate the area if one kicks up.
  • Strongholds: Like Warzone 2, DMZ will feature these AI-protected areas with a large hostile presence. Clear them out to earn top loot.
  • UAV Towers: Like a typical UAV, if you’re able to locate a UAV Tower then you’ll get much-needed information on AI and Operator locations.

Warzone 2 DMZ map & AI

Warzone 2 Al Mazrah map overview

The DMZ mode will take place on the Warzone 2 Al Mazrah map, with AI occupying “large sections of the map.” These NPCs will set up in Strongholds, and you’ll have to battle them before you can reach the loot.

Infinity Ward added that you’ll have the option of choosing missions and objectives on Al Mazrah during a DMZ match. Alternatively, you can also check out a “variety of activities in the world.”

Instead of dropping in from above as you’d do in Warzone, you will deploy in a pre-determined location on the map, and your mission will probably vary compared to other players in the game.

While this game mode will start off with the Al Mazrah map, Infinity Ward have hinted at more DMZ maps being added in Warzone 2 at a later point.

Warzone 2 DMZ rewards

Numerous cosmetic items are available as rewards in Warzone 2’s DMZ mode, including Calling Cards, Operator Skins, and Contraband Weapon Blueprints. You can even unlock the M13B Assault Rifle as an “ultimate reward.”

Here are all the DMZ rewards:

  • Double XP Tokens
  • Calling Cards
  • Weapon Charms
  • Operator skins
  • Weapon Blueprints
  • “Other cosmetics”
  • M13B Assault Rifle

The Season 1 roadmap stated that the M13B can be unlocked through a “Store Bundle or Weapon Unlock Challenge.”

In the Warzone 2 launch blog, Infinity Ward revealed that playing DMZ lets you skip the weapon unlock grind, and it remains to be seen if that includes the challenge for the M13B.

For more Call of Duty content, check out how the ranking and prestige system will work across Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2.

Image Credit: Activision

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.