Call of Duty: Warzone new mode says bye-bye to the Gulag, buy station, and contracts

(Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty: Warzone shook up the formula, but the latest limited-time mode, Classic Battle Royale, will go back to basics. 

Classic Battle Royale removes all of the features that made Warzone a different kind of battle royale - that means no Gulag, no buy stations, and no contracts. If you die in Classic Battle Royale, you stay dead. 

While I'm all for a battle royale that lets me rejoin the game after someone got the jump on me, Classic Battle Royale will appeal to anyone craving a stripped-down version of Warzone. PUBG fans may temporarily defect for the limited-time mode, while Apex Legends players might avoid it, as we're used to getting brought back regularly as is. 

Either way, it'll be interesting to see how players attack the limited-time mode, as running in guns akimbo may not be the best strategy when you've only got one life to live. Considering I'm a bit of a Gulag whiz, I'll certainly be pulling back and playing a bit more conservatively as I won't have my almost-guaranteed Gulag win to save me.

Classic Battle Royale drops with the latest Call of Duty: Warzone patch notes which include a Quads version of the Blood Money mode and massive changes to the Gulag (you can now spawn with the potential to get one of several ARs and SMGs). There's also new Legendary SKS, and updates to five Warzone weapon blueprints: Epix AX-50, Legendary Kilo 141, Legendary MP7, Epic AUG, and Epic FAL. Plus, there's a new Armor Box at the store, which will refill the entire team's armor reserves. The Armor Box is replacing Shield Turrets, which will still spawn in loot boxes.

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Alyssa Mercante

Alyssa Mercante is an editor and features writer at GamesRadar based out of Brooklyn, NY. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.