End of an Era: Activision Announces Closure of Original Call of Duty: Warzone

Activision has announced that it will be shutting down the original Call of Duty: Warzone. According to a statement from Activision, the developers will now focus on the future content of the Call of Duty franchise, which includes the current Warzone free-to-play experience. 

Activision launched the original Call of Duty in 2020. The developers renamed the game Call of Duty: Warzone Caldera when Warzone 2.0 launched last year in November. The game will be replaced by a new version of Warzone, which will be integrated with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.

“We're excited to usher in a new era for Warzone with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II,” said Pat Kelly, General Manager of Call of Duty. 

“The new Warzone will be a more immersive and connected experience that will build on the foundation of the original game.”

As #Warzone moves ahead with exciting new experiences to come, Warzone Caldera will shut down on Sept 21.

All Caldera gameplay, player progression, inventories and online services will expire on that date. Learn more👉 https://t.co/BmN8sEOlZ7 pic.twitter.com/MH83AkeHUl

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) June 22, 2023

According to a blog post from Activision, the game will go offline on September 21, 2023. All Caldera gameplay, player progression, inventories, and online services will expire on that day. 

Activision has not given a specific reason for shutting down the original Warzone, but it is likely due to a number of factors. 

The game's hardware requirements have significantly increased over the last three years, which has made it more challenging to run on older machines. Additionally, the game has suffered from a high incidence of hackers and cheaters, posing a significant challenge for Activision in their efforts to maintain a fair playing environment.

In addition, the game's popularity has declined in recent months as players have migrated to other battle royale games such as Fortnite and Apex Legends.

The new Warzone will be built on the same engine as COD: Modern Warfare II. It will feature a new map, new weapons, and new vehicles. The game will also be integrated with COD: Warzone Mobile, which is scheduled to be released later this year.

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