The Warzone 2 nuke and how to launch it explained

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The Warzone 2 nuke is real, but getting a Champion's Domination victory is anything but easy

Warzone 2 nuke
(Image credit: Activision)

The Warzone 2 nuke can be triggered by winning five Warzone 2 matches in a row, then building the nuclear bomb with the Champion's Quest contract. It's almost certainly the hardest achievement to claim in Warzone 2, especially considering that trying to build and launch the nuke will have players flocking from all over the map to try and kill you first. If you want to become one of the few legendary players who can channel Doctor Strangelove, here's how to build, launch and trigger the Warzone 2 nuke and complete the Champion's Quest contract.

How to get the Warzone 2 nuke

Warzone 2

(Image credit: Activision)

If you want to get the Warzone 2 nuke then there are a number of difficult steps you need to go through, which we'll summarize below:

  1. Win five Warzone 2 battle royale matches in a row
  2. Start the new Champion's Quest contract that appears in the next match
  3. Collect all three of the nuclear elements that are revealed on the map
  4. Survive long enough for the bomb site to appear
  5. Insert the nuclear elements and arm the Warzone 2 nuke
  6. Defend the nuke for the two minute countdown to detonation
Warzone 2 AQ Soldier Kills

Warzone 2

(Image credit: Activision)

Find out what Warzone 2 AQ Soldier Kills are and why these AI enemies appear in your stats following battle royale and Warzone 2 DMZ matches.

Yes, you read that correctly – you need to get a five game winning streak in the battle royale before you can even start going for the Warzone 2 nuke, which is an impressive enough feat in itself. With that done, when you next drop in you'll get a notification that the new Champion's Quest is available, marked by a golden WZ icon on your Warzone 2 map. When the Champion's Quest is initiated, you'll be tasked to assemble the nuke and destroy the warzone, which starts with finding the three nuclear elements. Over time the locations of Beryllium, Plutonium, and Tritium will be revealed for you to collect, but be aware that as soon as you pick them up the following effects will trigger:

  • Beryllium - activates tracking device
  • Plutonium - causes radiation damage
  • Tritium - scrambles the radar

The tracking device reveals your position to all other players with a Most Wanted golden crown icon, while radiation damage gradually injures you over time and radar scramble makes it much harder to see what's happening on your tac map. Eventually, the bomb site will be revealed when the device is dropped from a passing plane, which you then need to get to and deposit all three nuclear elements. Finally, interact with it to arm the Warzone 2 nuke then defend it for two minutes until it reaches detonation.

If you somehow manage all of that, then the Champion's Domination victory will be yours, as shown in the clip above which claims to be the "first ever" nuke obliteration of Al Mazrah. It seems there's no easy way to detonate the Warzone 2 nuke, so know that if you're able to complete this challenge then you're a truly elite player and worthy of the Warzone Champion title.

Iain Wilson
Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has well over 900 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.