The massively anticipated battle royaleCall of Duty:Warzone 2has recently launched, with fans finally being able to delve into the free-to-play sequel. As many would have expected, this new installment inCall of Duty’sbattle royale franchise brings with it a multitude of changes and tweaks to its predecessor’s gameplay formula in a bid to entice more fans and give the fresh title its own sense of identity.
While many of these new changes appear to work well withinCall of Duty: Warzone 2from what gameplay fans have seen in the lead up to the game’s release, it appears that many of them are perhaps inspired from another popular title within the genre. From things like new AI enemies to howWarzone 2.0monetizes itself, the influence ofFortnitein relation to these new changes seems abundantly clear.
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The Success of Fortnite and the Battle Royale Genre
Fortnitereleased its battle royale mode in 2017and propelled the already growing genre to the top of the gaming industry. A comprehensive battle royale with a vibrant and addictive art style, the free-to-play nature ofFortniteand its availability across console and PC led to truly massive player-counts and resultant success.
It can be said that it wasFortnitethat led to a multitude of subsequent battle royale games that began saturating the industry, but the legacy of some of the title’s most defining aspects have had an ever clearer influence on games even outside of this specific genre. Most people agree thatFortnitepopularized the battle pass form of monetizationthat is now a relative standard of the gaming industry, as well as the concept of breaking up post-launch content into timed seasons to keep a game fresh.
The Influence of Fortnite On Warzone 2.0 Changes
One of the largest changes that has come withWarzone 2.0compared to the first game is the presence of AI enemies throughout the title’sexpansive new map of Al Mazrah. While the originalWarzonedid sometimes showcase AI enemies during seasonal events such as the Krampus, these were more of a novelty compared to the more grounded and tactical enemies ofWarzone 2.0.
These AI enemiespatrol and guard things like strongholds, which contain high-end loot for those brave enough to fight their way inside. This is extremely similar to the AI areas that have long existed withinFortnite, with the new title perhaps taking inspiration from the success ofFortnite’sAI utilization.
Like the first game,Warzone 2.0will also be retaining the battle pass system popularized byFortnite. It must be said, however, thatWarzone 2.0’sbattle pass is non-linear, affording players more freedom in what they wish to unlock and giving the title’s core monetization system its own level of unique identity.Warzone 2.0has also added other features fromFortnitesuch as interrogations, in which a player can carry out an animation on a downed enemy to gain locational knowledge of other enemies within a lobby, only further reinforcing the influence ofFortnitein the new title.
While it is clear that many of the fresher elements toWarzone 2.0may have taken influence fromFortnite, it is good to see that some of these borrowed features have their own tweaks and mutations to keep them more in-fitting with theWarzoneformula and pace of gameplay. Given the massive levels of success thatFortnitehas experienced since its release, it is no wonder that other high-profile battle royales likeWarzone 2.0are looking to emulate certain aspects of the title.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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