Warzone 2 devs reveal DMZ, custom loadouts, and third-person playlists

Activision Blizzard has properly lifted the veil on Warzone 2, finally offering a host of official details on the DMZ mode, and confirming that custom loadouts are back.

The Warzone 2 DMZ is officially billed as an open-world, narrative-focused extraction mode where you'll complete missions for various factions. Along the way, you'll be able to take on side objectives while doing battle with other teams or AI opponents. You'll be searching for powerful items while fighting to survive until you're able to exfiltrate.

DMZ - as well as standard battle royale gameplay - will be taking place on the previously-revealed Al Mazrah map, which features 18 points of interest. If you missed it in earlier reveals, Warzone 2 battle royale also now has a 2v2 Gulag with an AI Jailer you can eliminate to escape.

In squad-based DMZ modes, you'll have the option to join up with enemies to form a larger squad. (Special Assimilation playlists will allow the same in battle royale, too.) You'll also be able to interrogate downed players for enemy locations.

Activision says we can expect a "Tactical Overview" of DMZ sometime closer to launch next week.

Picking up on Modern Warfare 2's popular third-person modes, there will be a dedicated third-person playlist for Warzone 2 battle royale launching during Season 1.

Custom loadouts are also returning to Warzone 2, with faster ways to access your primary weapon. You can spend cash at shops (a new name for buy stations) to purchase a primary from a created loadout. You'll see loadout drops during matches that you'll have to compete against other players to access. You can also get your loadout earlier for clearing a Stronghold or Black Site.

That's coming alongside a new backpack system that'll make it easier to manage your inventory in both battle royale and DMZ. Dead players will drop their primary weapon and their backpack - you'll access the latter through a loot menu.

Modern Warfare 2 players have already gotten a head start on the next generation of Call of Duty, and although Activision insists Call of Duty 2023 will be a "full premium release", reports suggest next year's game might actually be an MW2 expansion - so settle in.

Will Warzone 2 replace Warzone? Do you need Modern Warfare 2 for Warzone 2? We've got answers for your questions at those links.