Call of Duty: Warzone 2’s new Resurgence map may have some heavy lore implications, but it appears it will come at the cost of continuing a feature with which battle royale players seem to be quite fed up.
In a new blog breaking down the map and its points of interest, one specific paragraph is notable for Warzone 2 players who were looking to get a vacation from Al Mazrah’s AI enemies on Ashika Island. Better luck next map.
“Recently intercepted communications suggest that elements of Shadow Company, under the leadership of [[REDACTED]], have taken control of the isle, seemingly on the hunt for members of the Konni Group,” Activision said. “While the location appears abandoned, there are whispers on the wires of Konni Operators remaining active in this conflict zone. Regardless of where you drop in, extreme caution is advised.”
That’s basically just a long-winded and dramatic way of saying that there will be areas on the map that are patrolled by AI enemies. Shadow Company’s inclusion is cool for the universe’s lore, but the majority of Warzone 2 players are been vehemently against bots in the battle royale. And with Ashika Island being a fraction of the size of Al Mazrah, the AI presence could be felt even more.
“Ashika Island, also known as ‘Isle of the Sea Lion,’ is part of a small archipelago located in an undisclosed location, somewhere in the APAC (Asia Pacific) region,” Activision continued. “Latest missives indicate the isle is being used as hub for the Ultranationalist Konni Group, including the transportation of chemical and biological weapons. Current intel obtained by [[REDACTED]], suggests noxious weaponry is being shipped from a suspected BioLab facility in Al Mazrah.”
The inclusion of AI enemies in Warzone 2’s DMZ mode, which Ashika Island will be playable with, makes sense. That’s a different game mode entirely, though.
The usage of AI-held Strongholds as a way to earn things like loot and loadouts has been met negatively by the CoD BR community since its inception last year, but it doesn’t look like they’re going away any time soon.
Ashika Island will arrive alongside season two of Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2 on Feb. 15.
