Warzone 2 DMZ mode explained

Andrew Highton
dmz logo in cod warzone 2

DMZ is a brand new addition to Call of Duty and Warzone 2 lets players run around the Al Mazrah map completing activities and things you wouldn’t normally associate with its traditional battle royale mode.

Along with a ton of changes to the base game including drastic circle mechanic switch-ups and a new Gulag system, Warzone 2 has also brought DMZ into the fold.

Some players might be unfamiliar with the concept that has actually gained steam a lot in recent years, but our explainer will run through all aspects of DMZ mode including what it is, if it’s free, and what you can expect to find during a normal game in Warzone 2.

player carrying hostage in cod warzone 2 dmz

What is Warzone 2’s DMZ?

DMZ stands for demilitarized and is a concept that Call of Duty: Warzone 2 has borrowed from trendsetters in the genre including Escape From Tarkov and Rainbow Six Extraction, and focuses on looting and completing objectives, not being the last person standing.

Whereas battle royale challenges players and teams to endure a 150+ player marathon until only one person or squad is left standing, DMZ is all about you and things are near enough done on your time.

A typical game of DMZ in Warzone 2 will see you drop into an area of Al Mazrah, depending on the set of missions you selected pre-match, and you will need to complete them, all the while trying to find rare and valuable loot, killing AI bots and occasionally real-life foes too.

Once you feel it’s time to leave, you will need to extract by calling in an exfil chopper and defending that area until its gets there to escort you out of there. If you either don’t exfil during the match’s allotted minutes or get killed in action, you will lose all the loot you’ve found during your stay.

More loot and objectives completed will generate bigger rewards and way more XP that will go a long way to leveling you and your best weapons up.

Is DMZ free in Warzone 2?

DMZ is a completely free game mode that comes packaged with the already free-to-play Warzone 2 title on all platforms. Simply, have Warzone 2 installed and you will be able to experience the uniqueness of DMZ for yourself!

al mazrah city in cod warzone 2 dmz

What is the point of DMZ?

CoD players can get many benefits out of DMZ such as leveling weapons up to use in Warzone 2 or Modern Warfare 2, unlocking special Blueprints for guns, enjoying more stress-free Call of Duty due to the abundance of enemy AI, and it’s also a good way to learn the Al Mazrah map.

At the end of the day, like Warzone 2, it’s a game, so there’s no real point to DMZ, it’s just a fun side distraction away from the intensity of battle royale and is a welcome change of pace for some.

Is DMZ PvP?

Not only is Warzone 2’s DMZ mode PVP, but DMZ is actually a PvPvE – player vs player vs environment.

This means that DMZ embraces both the concept of incorporating enemy AI, as well as a healthy selection of human players to keep you on your toes and never truly know what danger lies around you.

It’s entirely possible that while you’re fighting an AI-filled Stronghold in DMZ, a squad of real-life players will show up and give you an even more realistic headache.


That should be everything you need to know about DMZ mode in Call of Duty: Warzone 2. If you want even more questions answered about the game, then we have plenty more guides available below for you to check out:

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Image Credit: Activision