Leakers taking aim at Call of Duty: Warzone have shared a video showing what looks like an unreleased map set in the Ural Mountains. Developer Raven Software recently released a revamp of Warzone’s Verdansk map last April, which brought it more in line with the franchise’s latest title, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Unfortunately, Verdansk ‘84 has disappointed some players that feel it didn't contain enough changes from the original, making it felt like a lackluster content update in comparison to other games in the genre.
While other battle royale games, like Fortnite and Apex Legends, have done well with releasing new maps to keep the experience feeling fresh and exciting, Call of Duty: Warzone has kept the bulk of its updates limited to new weapons, skins, and the occasional limited-time game mode. The game did introduce one new map, Rebirth Island, to coincide with the game’s content integration with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War in 2020. The smaller map gave players an option for faster games, as Warzone's Rebirth Island is not only significantly smaller than Verdansk, but it also only allows up to 40 players per match.
Prominent Call of Duty leakers Cheezeburgerboyz shared a video of the alleged unreleased Ural Mountains map on Twitter, but it was taken down by publisher Activision several hours later. The post now reads that it “has been withheld in response to a report from the copyright holder,” which potentially leads credence to leak. Before it was taken down, the video showed a player running across the new map and picking up items along the way. The video also included an overhead view of the entire map, and it was definitely not a map already included in any of Activision's currently supported Call of Duty games. Notably, the HUD shown in the video is different from the one players see in Warzone, which has ignited some debate as to which game the map was meant to be released for.
Rumors of a new map set in the Ural Mountains have been circulating since Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War first integrated with Warzone late last year. It’s also been speculated that the unreleased map was originally meant for Black Ops Cold War’s own battle royale mode, originally planned as a sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout before allegedly being cancelled due to the success of Warzone. Notably, the Ural Mountains have previously been used as a setting for multiplayer maps in Black Ops Cold War and Outbreak.
Whatever the original intent or purpose for the unreleased map, Call of Duty players may never get the chance to experience it for themselves. But with Activision taking steps to take down the post and video, the developer may still have plans for maps set in the region whether it be for Call of Duty: Warzone or for the series' other game modes.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: Cheezeburgerboyz/Twitter