If the rumors are to be believed, the sequel toCall of Duty: Warzoneis shaping up to be an interesting follow-up. An interrogation feature will apparently be present alongside pro perks, with a swimming mechanic teased as well. Strongholds will provide challenging fights against NPCs for those interested in extra loot, and the map will supposedly feature several areas fromthe originalCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
However, while all of this sounds exciting, one area that the newCall of Duty: Warzonecould be lacking in is small-scale matches. Rebirth Island has proven to be a massive hit, as it offers more action packed gameplay than what is seen on Caldera or Verdansk. Players can respawn in the Resurgence playlists and matches are shorter - something beneficial for those without the time to go through an entire battle royale match. If the sequel wants to be successful, it needs its own answer to Rebirth Island.
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Why Call of Duty: Warzone 2 Needs a Rebirth-Like Experience
While it is possible thatRebirth Islandis ported over to the new engine and included as part ofCall of Duty: Warzone 2on day one, that seems unlikely. If effort is being put into a new, full-sized map that replaces Caldera, it makes sense that Rebirth would be swapped out with something new as well. Hopefully, the replacement comes quickly after launch or is even ready to go on the day of release, as fans have come to expect an alternative toWarzone’s main map.
A replacement for Rebirth Island comes with the same level of risk that was attached to the divisiveCaldera. This is because Rebirth Island was a reskin of Alcatraz from Blackout, keeping a lot of the same buildings and the overall feel of that map intact. With Rebirth, Activision knew it had a success on its hands, as fans had flocked to Alcatraz duringCall of Duty: Black Ops 4. With Rebirth’s replacement, though, there is no other map to reskin, so there is a chance that fans are disappointed.
Regardless, a small map is needed, even if it proves to be less popular than Rebirth or the newBlackout-inspiredWarzonemap. Anyone that has played Rebirth Island can attest to the idea that it feels completely different from the main map, boasting more close quarters gameplay and shorter windows between team fights. Having a different style of gameplay to accommodate more players is always going to be a healthy thing for a live service game, as it keeps a larger audience of players coming back.
Right now, fans do not have confirmation that a small scale map will feature inCall of Duty: Warzone 2, though there is good reason to be optimistic. Recently, a leaker claimed that there aretwoWarzone 2maps in development. While one of these could be something that comes further down the road, like another full-sized map that drops alongsideCall of Duty2024, there is a chance that one of the maps is something like Rebirth.
With Rebirth having been around for so long, it has built up a large audience, with some gamers only playing on Rebirth when they load upCall of Duty: Warzone. While it has its own issues, like theoverpowered Rebirth Island Radar Jammers, it also has its strengths. Having a small map alongside a large one has proven successful forCall of Duty: Warzonethus far, and the sequel should not abandon this winning formula. Hopefully, a Rebirth-like location accompanies the main map uponWarzone 2’s release, or at the very least gets added shortly after.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2is currently in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
