Pour one out for Call of Duty’s extraction mode, DMZ, which looks to be getting sunset for the time being.
A new statement about DMZ in the latest CoD blog about Modern Warfare 3’s season one seems to bury the mode for good, without saying so many words. The mode will still be playable, but new content for DMZ will not be a focal point for the series’ many development studios.
“We would like to thank the entire community for their support and continued feedback on the DMZ Beta,” the blog post reads. “Infinity Ward and all the development teams who contributed to the creation of DMZ are incredibly proud and delighted to see the enthusiasm and participation that you’ve shown since its release, and to see so many players pouring into the MWZ mode in MW3, which has many DMZ-inspired gameplay aspects within it.”
MW3 Zombies is indeed quite similar to DMZ. Players deploy, look to loot items and upgrade their gear, and then hopefully extract without dying. Dying in-game means loss of gear, much like in DMZ.
But that’s where the good news ends for DMZ fans.
“Beginning with next week’s launch of season one, DMZ Beta players can continue the mode via the Call of Duty: Warzone section of COD HQ,” Activision said. “The DMZ Beta will remain fully playable across all current DMZ content, including Al Mazrah, Ashika Island, the Koschei Complex, Building 21, Vondel, as well as all DMZ missions.”
If you’re unfamiliar, that’s all old content from DMZ in Modern Warfare 2. So the live-service aspect of DMZ will no longer be live, effectively ending the mode’s future.
“The mode will not be available or interact directly within MW3 or Warzone which means that progression and any new MW3 or Warzone content, including Battle Pass or store bundles, will not sync or carry back into this DMZ mode,” the blog reads. “Also, DMZ progress will not apply to new Battle Passes beginning with season one.”
The loss of progress and any further new content for the current DMZ may come as a disappointment to many, but Activision said it “felt now was the time to take all the learnings from the Beta that we could apply toward future development efforts as we evolve this style of play.” It also said it knows that many still enjoy DMZ and it “wanted to ensure that everybody can keep playing, which is why we are keeping a variety of content available.”
The prospect of no new DMZ content promised in the future likely spells its end for many, but it will remain playable for those who continue to enjoy its offerings.
