Three-and-a-half years after it exploded onto the scene, the original Warzone shuts down forever today, sparking nostalgia-fuelled goodbye posts from fans.
Warzone launched on March 10, 2020 as a free-to-download battle royale spin-off from the previous year’s Modern Warfare reboot. It enjoyed instant success boosted by stay-at-home gaming during covid lockdowns, and made Activision millions. Warzone was so successful that it fundamentally changed Call of Duty forever, with the battle royale becoming the focal point of the franchise, and premium launches feeding into it to varying success.
With Warzone 2.0’s release last year, Activison relaunched and renamed the original Warzone as Warzone Caldera, and announced plans to shut it down for good on September 21. All progress and inventories expire alongside the game. "Thank you to the Call of Duty community and to our developers for making Call of Duty: Warzone an amazing place to play together," Activision said in a statement issued in June.
Now, fans are waving goodbye to the groundbreaking battle royale, taking to social media and reddit to reminisce. “I was there,” said redditor isitbecauseimugly_. “Will miss those days, found and lost lots of good people and had great days specially in covid days. Verdansk was best part.”
Thanks for all the memories Warzone 1. 🫡
— ModernWarzone (@ModernWarzone) September 21, 2023
Despite all the ups and downs one day we will all look back and miss those days in Verdansk and Caldera and wish we could go back to play with our squad 1 more time. 🥹
Rest In Peace OG Warzone 😭 #RIPWarzone pic.twitter.com/sIsymmdARn
Since today is the last day of Warzone 1 forever I thought I would bring back the greatest clip of all-time. pic.twitter.com/FWuhhGjxTP
— JoeWo (@AverageJoeWo) September 21, 2023
This was Warzone.
— Westie (@MrProWestie) September 21, 2023
Hot drops at Superstore.
Insane final rotations towards Prison.
Fighting vertical battles at Dam.
Mental battles at Promenade.
Mad lad pushing the campers at ATC.
Sniping teams at Military.
Final circles north of Quarry.
Sleep well, Verdansk 💔 pic.twitter.com/W2TML666O5
Warzone 1 you will be missed 😭 pic.twitter.com/Pflxfum7eg
— FaZe Swagg ☢️ (@Swagg) September 20, 2023
RIP Warzone. March 10th 2020 - September 21st 2023
— Sam (@xFleXy_) September 21, 2023
Thank you for the good times. pic.twitter.com/jFQyEepAFy
Activision has now moved on to Warzone 2.0 and the upcoming launch of Modern Warfare 3.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.