Call of Duty: Warzone took Fortnite's viral success and implemented the battle royale format into one of the most popular first-person shooter franchises of all time. Call of Duty's publisher Activision has made millions in profits thanks to the free-to-play multiplayer mode's microtransactions. Warzone's popularity is largely due to its cross-platform compatibility that lets console players and PC users go head-to-head. That also means gamers need to decide between playing the title with console controllers, like the Xbox's, or with a mouse and keyboard.
While Warzone won't change regardless of the peripherals it's being played with, the experience of aiming and tracking targets varies drastically between Xbox controllers and keyboards. Both methods have their own benefits, so it's up to players to determine which fits their playstyle best if they have the option to play with both.
It's important to note that Warzone has a togglable aim assist with three different options that alter players' aim in subtle but game-changing ways, which boosts accuracy in close-quarters encounters and can help users hit an immobile target from range. The feature can be accessed through the Options menu under the Controller submenu, and it can seriously help certain playstyles. Here are the differences between playing Warzone with an Xbox controller and a mouse and keyboard.
Warzone: PC Keyboard Pros and Cons
It's a fact that mouse and keyboard users have an edge in precision in all FPS games. That's because they have far more control over their aim right before they pull the trigger. PC users can quickly flick their mouse in the direction of an ambush or gingerly adjust their aim by creeping their mouse forward when they're going to snipe a target. These factors are why most professional esports (including the Call of Duty League) are played on PCs since, with enough practice, pros can develop pixel-perfect aiming with these tools.
Precision guns and high-recoil weapons are much easier to command with the kind of control a mouse and keyboard give Warzone players. To top it off, the battle-royale also incentivizes long-range engagements whenever one squad spots another in the distance. A mouse and keyboard are invaluable in those types of situations, but an Xbox controller has many of its own merits as well.
Warzone: Xbox Controller Pros and Cons
While console controllers - like the Xbox and PS4 - might be less accurate overall, Warzone's aim assist has made analog stick aiming extremely strong. Thanks to the feature, controllers have an edge in Warzone's close-range gunfights because of how much the game's aim assist helps improve tracking and crosshair stability.
There are three kinds of Warzone aim assist: Standard, Precision, and Focusing. Standard slows down players' aim when they hover over a target and adjusts the reticle to any sudden sideways movement. Precision works the same as Standard but only works when a player is already zoomed in on an enemy. Finally, focusing only kicks in when players' zoomed-in aim is slightly off target.
All of these options make otherwise inaccurate controller fire far more precise. In fact, it's substantially easier to track a target with an analog stick in close-quarters than with a mouse since crosshair movement is more fluid and less jittery.
Warzone Xbox Controller vs PC Keyboard: Verdict
All in all, Warzone keyboard users have an advantage in sniping and distance battles, while Xbox controllers are better for rushing enemies down in Call of Duty: Warzone. That being said, gamers should opt to play with whichever peripheral they're most comfortable with since learning to play the game on new hardware is more difficult than simply improving their skills on their preferred controls.