The season 3 Reloaded update for Call of Duty: Warzone is officially live, bringing plenty of new changes and additions to the battle royale game mode.
This mid-season update marks a significant milestone for the game, with its competitive playlist debuting. The playlist has already featured in Warzone World Series qualification but is now available for everyone to play.
The update comes just days before the next Warzone tournament, with Call of Duty Trials of Verdansk kicking off on the 5th of May.
Vertical combat
Verdansk’s iconic skyline features many multi-storey buildings, with higher points only accessible via a stairwell making for the perfect vantage point across the map.
To level the playing field more, ascenders alongside buildings have been reintroduced to the game giving players easier access to roofs and making hiding up high even harder. The ascenders have been placed in the exact same places that they used to be in Season 5.
Vertical Ascenders will be added to Verdansk in Season 3 reloaded at the same locations they were added back in Season 5 of OG Warzone and the current plunder layout. pic.twitter.com/NAz4pC5giZ
— ModernWarzone (@ModernWarzone) April 30, 2025
As well as the vertical combat returning, there will also be a fast-moving train travelling around a route on the map to allow for quicker movements.
The train station’s previously sealed East Wing also now enters the game, with players given another added room to loot.
Ranked play
For the first time, Warzone’s ranked play will be making its way to Verdansk, introducing a structured competitive system complete with rules and restrictions designed to elevate the battle royale mode.
This version of ranked play is completely different to any of the previous editions, with matches now featuring up to 150 players. Skill Rating values have also been adjusted to account for the shift from Rebirth to the larger Verdansk.
In a major shake-up for the game, all Modern Warfare weapons will be restricted with the focus remaining on the Black Ops 6 weapons.
Warzone Ranked play restrictions include:
• ALL thermals
• ALL Modern Warfare weapons
• Big Bertha
• Shooting during free fall
• Live pings
• High Value Loot Zones
• Emotes
• Gulag Rocks
• Perks – Birdseye, Specialist
• Wildcards – Bandolier
• Ammo Satchel pic.twitter.com/wyIatZnfl1— ModernWarzone (@ModernWarzone) April 30, 2025
New Resurgence mode
As well as the new in-game updates, there will also be a new game mode added to the Warzone season 3 reload.
The ‘Resurgence’ game mode will give players ‘special narration and gameplay boosts designed to incinerate your opponents’ on Verdansk.
As well as the original Resurgence mode there will also be a ‘Massive Resurgence’ which features rapid-fire and redeployment.
Both modes will be available in quads only, with 120 players fighting it out in the game.
