Warzone 2 players "blindsided" as DMZ gets Tarkov-like progression wipe

Warzone 2 DMZ
(Image credit: Activision)

Warzone 2 players have been "blindsided" by the news that DMZ is getting a Tarkov-like progression wipe.

Warzone 2 Season 2 is set to roll out next month on February 15, adding fresh content in the form of new maps, modes and features to the free-to-play battle royale. Developer Infinity Ward gave a rundown of the new additions and changes coming as part of Season 2 in a recent blog post, and it turns out not everyone was expecting its Escape from Tarkov-like mode DMZ to be so much like Escape from Tarkov. 

According to the post, "all new missions" will be making their way to DMZ mode alongside "a refresh of your current Faction mission progress and an inventory (Contraband and Keys) reset." As a result, when the new season arrives, all progress you've made so far will be gone, and you'll be starting again from zero. While wiping players' progress is commonplace in Escape from Tarkov, many Warzone 2 players weren't anticipating that this aspect of the game would carry over to DMZ.

Twitter user ModernWarzone addressed the fan reaction in a tweet, saying that "players aren't reacting well" because "it was never communicated that wipes were even a possibility." They added, "Now players feel blindsided and like they wasted all their time and efforts for essentially nothing."

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(Image credit: Activision)

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In the comments, one Warzone fan wrote, "I don't know why this is a thing, they should be building onto it and not resetting all my Tier 5 factions. Doesn't quite make sense, but I won't be re-doing all the missions again, so prolly done with DMZ." Another player responded with, "I won't lie if I wasn't a content creator, this would make me stop playing DMZ. I don't think a full wipe in a game that's casual focused is a necessity."

As well as the progression wipe, players can expect the mode's overly powerful enemy combatants to be toned down when the new season launches. Several balance changes will be introduced that will adjust the types and amount of AI as well as their accuracy at range, so shoot-outs should be fairer going forward. However, you'll also be able to play DMZ on the new Warzone 2 Ashika Island map in Season 2.

Check out our Warzone 2 DMZ guide for tips on how to master the extraction mode. See what else is getting added with our Warzone 2 Season 2 roadmap guide.

Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.